I hate springs....
#1
I hate springs....
Failure of the month: I have tried everything to get the *&!%^$^*& springs in. Jack stand, spring compressor, I've read the Suspension 101 articles over and over. The entire left side (struts, spindle, rotor, etc.) is off. My car is just sitting there on stands for the last month. Nobody will tow it without all four tires on there, and I can't do that without the spring assembled. I jack the control arm detached with the spring sitting and it just jacks up the body and doesn't even compress the spring. And yes, I do have the right springs, I checked twice.
There...I've vented.I'm open to suggestions.
There...I've vented.I'm open to suggestions.
#2
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Car: 1992 RS
Engine: Carbed 350
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.42 posi
Re: I hate springs....
The spring compressor that goes inside the springs works (a free rental at Advance/Autozone), but .... you need a 3-4 inch piece of pipe to insert - so that you can compress the spring farther than the compressor allows as it is.
#5
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Car: 1992 RS
Engine: Carbed 350
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.42 posi
Re: I hate springs....
You use the chunk of pipe as a long spacer (ie washer), so that when you start tightening the compressor, you are already starting with 3-4 inches ahead of the game, that way you can compress it farther before the turning bolt runs out of threads (if that makes sense).
#6
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Car: 1992 RS
Engine: Carbed 350
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.42 posi
Re: I hate springs....
Here's a pic:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...34&cm_pla=Auto Repair>Specialty Tools&cm_cat=pricegrabber&cm_ven=Aggregates
Use the pipe chunk where the washers are (between 2 washers). And have the compressing nut at the bottom - it will come out through the hole in the bottom of the A-arm (there is a hole there that the shft/nut will fit through).
3rd gen springs are short - there's not much room to compress them enough - not many coils. Using the spacer, you compress more - not sure how to describe - just try it and you'll see - it works great!
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...34&cm_pla=Auto Repair>Specialty Tools&cm_cat=pricegrabber&cm_ven=Aggregates
Use the pipe chunk where the washers are (between 2 washers). And have the compressing nut at the bottom - it will come out through the hole in the bottom of the A-arm (there is a hole there that the shft/nut will fit through).
3rd gen springs are short - there's not much room to compress them enough - not many coils. Using the spacer, you compress more - not sure how to describe - just try it and you'll see - it works great!
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#8
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Location: Auburn WA
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Car: 1983 Trans Am
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: I hate springs....
Searches are great on this forum. I have posted very very little just because everything that I have ever needed has been posted.
See post #5 on https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...nt-spring.html
Regards
See post #5 on https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...nt-spring.html
Regards
#10
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Re: I hate springs....
http://toolsandmore.us/coilspringcompressor3.aspx
This works great. Just put the hooks over the second coil, then put the plate under the control arm. Very easy.
This works great. Just put the hooks over the second coil, then put the plate under the control arm. Very easy.
#12
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Car: 1983 Trans Am
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: I hate springs....
You are correct sir. It is not fun imo, but I have done it to two different cars now and it does indeed work. Just be careful, those things are crazy dangerous. I sliced my head open good the first time that I played with coil springs
#14
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Car: 1988 Flame Red Trans am GTA
Engine: Forged 355 4 Bolt, FIRST TPI
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: ls1 torsen 3.42 gear
Re: I hate springs....
those stock springs are a PITA to put back in.. camaronewbie and i tried and it took use several hours to put them on my car..... then i switched to lowering springs and they just slipped right in..... never again will i try to put stock or moog stock replacement springs on any of these cars again....
#15
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Car: 86 Trans Am, 92 Firebird
Engine: 408 sbc, 3.1L of raw power
Transmission: TKO600, T5
Axle/Gears: Moser 9", 3:70 trutac, 3:23 torsion
Re: I hate springs....
hmmm, never had this problem using teh internal compressor and a 4" piece of pipe.
#16
Re: I hate springs....
UPDATE: Here's what happened. After I used the method that you guys showed, the spring FINALLY went in....after I ended up cutting 1 full coil off of each spring, in the process lowering it. AND you right telling me about those MOOG springs, they are very large and there was no way of putting in the spring without doing some cutting. But its done now. Now all I have to do is put in the steering assembly.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
Last edited by -LateNite89-; 06-26-2011 at 07:31 PM. Reason: Wasn't finished writing
#17
Supreme Member
Re: I hate springs....
lowering springs aren't the way to go imo, messes up suspension geometry, granted not everyone cares if their car handles well but I would like to assume that most people who would buy a camaro do....
#18
Re: I hate springs....
Well it wasn't by choice. The MOOGs I have now were originally 9 coils long, whereas my the stock spring had I believe 7. The MOOG is a lot bigger than the stock, so cutting it to match the size of the stock was the only way I could get it in.
#20
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Re: I hate springs....
As the car was built, the front suspension would gain negative camber ( very good ) as the car rolled over ( hard cornering ).
But once you lower the car via the springs, you reverse this, and gain positive camber ( very bad )
This is why lowering spindles are better.
But once you lower the car via the springs, you reverse this, and gain positive camber ( very bad )
This is why lowering spindles are better.
#21
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Car: 86 Firebird LG4
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.23 limited slip
Re: I hate springs....
I hear you can take the springs to a shop and they'll compress them for you and put metal bands on them so they stay compressed then just cut them off after you installed the control arm. I wonder how hard it would be to pull the bands out from the spring though once it's all installed.
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