front drop spring question

Evening all.....I picked up a set of Belltech Nitrodrop Springs and shocks used for $200.  Look great, very little surface rust even.  Any tips for replacing front coils I should know before starting a late night tomorrow night?

Read this: http://forum.theherd.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=59

And this: http://forum.theherd.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=53

At last count I've done 8 sets using the '78 FSM method, with another scheduled for next weekend.

- J

Depending on how long it has been since the front end has been rebuilt, you might consider changing the ball joints, and maybe some other components while you have it apart. Loosening the lower arm bolts will allow the arm to swing out of the way when you are removing the springs. Just be really careful with them. Use a jack under the bottom spring seat, and lower it slowly (stay out of the possible path of the spring if it pops out). You can use a tiedown strap with a ratcheting end to hold the spring in a compressed state while removing it. Put the tiedown on the spring while it is under load, and it will stay that height when the weight is taken off of it.

The new front springs will fit in without much effort, and you will not need a compressor on them. The rear springs will fall out when you jack the car. You can weld a piece of exhaust pipe to the upper seat to keep the springs from falling, and guide them back into place. Tying them to the lower spring seat with a couple of tiewraps will keep them in place there as well. If you use drop shocks on the rear to keep the springs from falling out, you may not be able to get the body high enough for the tire to come out from under the fender.

When you disconnect the sway bar, you may find that you have to split the nut to get it off.

When you tighten everything back up, the bushing ends must be tightened with the weight of the car on the suspension.

Plan on removing 0.120" of shims from all of the stacks to compensate for the negative camber induced by the arm deflection (you have to remove 0.030 from each stack for every 1/2 inch of drop). Your toe-in should not need adjustment.

If you want to measure your drop for accuracy, measure from the center of the axle to the top of the wheel opening. Measure before doing anything, and after you are done. That will eliminate any variables in the tires. Do the measurement on level ground (left to right, front to back is not as important).

Great instructions.

The trick I've used to measure accurate spring drop is front the wheel lip to the fender. Trying to measure the exact center of the wheel is tricky, I like to just hook the tape under the wheel and measure away.

Will hopefully need these instructions soon!

autoarcheologist wrote:

Great instructions.

The trick I've used to measure accurate spring drop is front the wheel lip to the fender.  Trying to measure the exact center of the wheel is tricky, I like to just hook the tape under the wheel and measure away.

Will hopefully need these instructions soon!

That will work. The idea is to measure from a non flexible point to the fender, and keep the tire out of the equation.

when i do front springs i do it the easy way,.

car on jack stands nice and high,
shocks off, sway bar off,
put jack under control arm,
wedge a 2X4 between top A arm and frame to hold it up,.
knock the bottom ball joint apart from the spindle,.
let the jack down,.

lining up the 2 A arm bolts is hazardous ,. time consuming,. and generally not co=operative on a rusty high miler

JMHO
DSAOR
YRMV
NWEOI
PDCC

You all need to stop taking about this, you are making me want to lower my wagon.

I,ve had low wagon(s) and really LOW wagon,.

I kinda like the big tall squishy ride of the stock suspension, complete with sacked out old rear shocks,.
but nice new front ones,..

That'll all change soon enough again i guess when i do the springs and rear shocks and add the hotchkis rear bar,.

I hope to lower ours. Then use the air smocks to give us a bit more clearance in the back when towing.

This one got put on hold for me.....other not expected projects. Thanks for all the info. I'll get it done eventually....may even ride out the winter and drop it come spring.