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| | | Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 179 Member | | Member Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 179 | Several months ago there was a discussion in the HIPO Shop about installing springs (coil) without using that POS spring compression tool. Many ideas, many good posts. Is the following procedure still believed to be the most efficient and effective way to install these buggers? Originally posted by sswapp:
Ok, here is how its done without the truck together.
I did this with a 76 Camaro subframe completely out of the vehicle- up on Saw-horses.
1. You need two 1/4" plates with a 13/16" hole in each of them, then get a length of 3/4" all-thread about 14" long.
2. Put a plate on the top and one on the bottom of the spring, run the all-thread through the Top Plate, spring, and bottom plate.
3. Put a nut and washer on each end and tighten it till the spring is compressed about 1/2" tighter than is needed for your install.
4. Wire (heavy guage wire) in multiple wraps with separate strands through the coils to hold the spring compressed (make sure this is done is separate wraps in various locations around the spring- don't want this to pop!!
5. Put the spring, wired up, into your subframe, close that arms up, connect all arms and spindles tight.
6. Use long wire nippers to snip the wires, the spring should only pop 1/2" to 1/4" into the lower and upper arms. If your spring was not compressed enough, use the plates above the upper arm and lower arm to compress further till you get it in place to connect your spindle and tighten it up.
This was done after doing just as you said, ruining paint on everything, ruining spring compressors and all. Those spring compressors SUCK!!!
Anyway, hope this helps- worked great for me. Before yall go out and start arguing this point or that point - please see the following threads.  http://www.stovebolt.com/bboard/cgi-bin//ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000371 http://www.stovebolt.com/bboard/cgi-bin//ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000364 http://www.stovebolt.com/bboard/cgi-bin//ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000359 TIA, - Ryan
59 Apache Step
78 El Camino
http://www.wsu.edu/~rsain
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 272 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 272 | Ryan,
I was part of that whole mess.
I still dont think it looks right though.
I bought a better spring compressor that was made of black hardened steel.
I put the spring in the top hat, then I took the compressor apart and put the threaded part down though the top shock mount and the spring with several hardened black washers on top of the hat. About 2 coils up from the bottom I placed the hooks for the spring compressor on to the threaded piece and hooked it to the spring.
I cranked away with a socket wrench and a long cheater until I could ge the bottom a arm in a safe place to hold it so it would not pop out if anything strange happened after this point.
Continued to crank.
I had disassembled the disc/spindle piece from how it came from TCI to make it lighter and easier to work with.
Continued to crank.
when the spring was compressed enough I put the spindle in. tightened it up and removed the compressor.
My lower A arm is no where near level though???
and I cant get the shocks in place because of this. I can not see how they would not get destroyed when you you were driving and your suspension extended.
So I am absolutely no help but the springs are in.
I will put new pics in soon. | | | | | Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 179 Member | | Member Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 179 | Check the Frame Saga section of my web page. Do your springs look like that photo at the bottom of the page?
I ruined a set of those hardened steel spring compressors.
Parallel to ground when at ride height is absolutely necessary. If you can't get it there (I know I'll have trouble too) than I suggest taking it to a shop (which I may do anyway). Hint - to get mine in we had to use the most outside coils - you may want to try again but move to the lowest coil possible.
Is all the weight on your truck (cab, motor, etc.)?
- Ryan
59 Apache Step
78 El Camino
http://www.wsu.edu/~rsain
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 264 Member | | Member Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 264 | A compressed coil spring is a scary thing. I bought a spring compressor from O-Reilly and it works OK. Still leery though until the spring is in and the ball joints are fastened. | | | | | Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 272 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 272 | | | | | | Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 179 Member | | Member Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 179 | No image!
Do you have a link?
- Ryan
59 Apache Step
78 El Camino
http://www.wsu.edu/~rsain
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 272 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 272 | | | | | | Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 179 Member | | Member Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 179 | I feel bad! I still can't see the pic - clicking on the link leads to a "server not found" message. Copying the text and pasting does the same thing. I also tried removing everything after the .jpg and then it gives me a "forbidden message"!
Is this just me?
- Ryan
59 Apache Step
78 El Camino
http://www.wsu.edu/~rsain
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 179 Member | | Member Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 179 | I see what you're talking about....
I was able to get mine quite a bit more parallel than yours - still have a bit of a bow - but that's because it's not all the way parallel - keep in mind, as my truck has sat in the garage, slowly adding more weight to the frame, it has leveled out by about a 1/4"
http://www.wsu.edu/~rsain/14rtifs.jpg
^^ shows the bow in my springs...(TCI)
http://www.wsu.edu/~rsain/16frontrolling.jpg
^^^ shows how close to parallel I got with the lower arms - this is now a little closer because of motor and cab weight, but still needs to be redone! All this was done with a spring compressor which is now unbelievably bent.
- Ryan
59 Apache Step
78 El Camino
http://www.wsu.edu/~rsain
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 272 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 272 | So what is the fix?
Should I just compress the spring way more?
This truck is fighting me every step of the way.
Perhaps Possessed? | | | | | Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 179 Member | | Member Joined: Jul 2003 Posts: 179 | Well - the fix is the procedures described above!
They way we got ours:
spring compressors, set on the outside of the spring, opened as far as possible and on the second coil on each end. The compressors were as close to opposite sides as possible.
Get the air gun and start wrenching away. One side, the other, one side, the other, until we were close enough to get it between the arms.
Slide into place, back off the compressors - this actually causes the compressor to bind into the upper spring hat - we needed a hammer to bang the compressor back out of there.
Somewhere in there we put the shock in. This was last summer.
Is it possible you installed the spring in upside down?
- Ryan
59 Apache Step
78 El Camino
http://www.wsu.edu/~rsain
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