OK, I have read many posts and have have my options down to a couple things.

I'm trying to put my original springs back in after I replaced the A-Arm bushings. The spring compressor that goes on the inside of the spring doesn't work worth a ****. I almost took off my hand, long story. So I don't wanna use that thing.

I've read that people install them by keeping the a-arm off the car and put the spring on it and raise the whole assembly with a jack. I would like to know who did this and how?????

First off, it took a long time to put the a-arm into the pivot points(where the bolts go thru the bushings)

Secondly, when I started jacking the spring up into the car, they would compress a little bit, but then the entire car would start jacking up.

So how did you guys get it to compress up in the pocket, and get the bushings to slide into place!??

I'm at a standstill with the car right now. This is the last thing keeping me from getting the car back on the road..I havnt driven it since last September!!!!!!

Any help is appreciated!

Thanks,
Mark

 

To do this connect the ball joint stud to the spindle. Make it snug so the taper isn't moving around in the spindle. Can torque and lock the nut in place later (just don't forget!).

From there here are 2 decent threads that describe the jacking under the a-arm method.


https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...ay-change.html

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...il-spring.html

RBob.

 

I did it that way, and I used much stiffer front springs (Moog 5664's), so it definately raised the car while jacking it.

I still had the front of the a-arms connected to spindles via ball joints, and shocks connected. You'll be using that as your pivot, while you jack up the inner part of the a-arms. When the car starts to raise, it's usually because part of the inner part of the a-arm is catching on something. Stick a crowbar near the bolt boles and wiggle it around. Pry it around and it should start to line up, it's very difficult to put in a front spring this way *alone*, when you're not a big muscly guy (like myself). But an extra set of yard-ape hands helps a lot.
Two jacks, one under each bolt area, would make it easier.

I didn't feel the slightest bit unsafe using this method, even when leaning under the car, and prying on the a-arm. I'm not saying i'm extremly brave, but make sure you keep a jackstand under the front k-member, or frame rail, as your failsafe. Once the a-arm starts to compress the spring, 2/3 of the spring is up in the spring pocket of the k-member, and it's not going anywhere.

Good luck.

 

Spring compressor I use for installing front springs is an OTC kit.

It is the one GM specifies for F anf G bodies I believe.

Thick like 3/4-1 inch main rod and steel plates to trap the coils on.

I can compress a Hotchkis spring by hand with it also, its ball bearing equipped.

Its also expensive at $320-330 or so. It works, its safe and I trust it. Very very few of the cheap inside or outside spring compressors I have seen have managed to take the abuse of more than a couple spring installs.

I use this tool in conjunction with putting the ball joint/spindle on and jacking it up to the A-arm bolts. Its the easiest and safest way on our cars.

The Rbob specified threads above are good ones to follow and if in doubt, just start over. 600#'s an inch will take your head off if it lets go :-)

If u do it without a true type of spring compressor I HEARTILY recommend you strapping the spring to the arm/assembly somehow(chain) to prevent it from coming out under pressure.

Also a sidenote, make sure you index the springs properly, they actually only go in one way and sit right. Also torque all suspension compenents to spec as the car would sit in actual service, not with it dangling in the air. Lube everything with heavy duty marine grease or thick synthetic grease as it adds in reducing friction, fighting stuck parts and future disassembly.

later
Jeremy

 

jeremy is right about cheap spring compressors and chains. had a spring compressor fail on me, hit the concrete floor and take out a chuck and bounce up 40 feet in my buddies speed shop and go into the drywall ceiling and stay there. Definately not something to cheap out on at all.

 

Thanks for the replies...I will try the method with the ball joint connected. I definately can't afford the other spring compressor at the moment.

3.8TransAm: I read on a previous thread that if you are using Polyurethane bushings, you were allowed to torque the bolts up in the air. Was that not true? It's not going to be much fun trying to slide under my car on the ground.....

 

If u torque anything suspension related that moves in the air ,your an idiot :-)

That was me being not nice lol

U can still do it with the car on jackstands and not on the ground.

U want to torque it to spec with it situated as it would be on the ground.

Meaning, if u are torqueing the lower control arm bolts in the front, use a jack to compress the arm to ride heigth so its not hanging free and than torque to spec.

On the ground would be about impossible to do.

I do this for front and rear suspension pieces that have any movement to them.(up and down)

Also, once you put it on the ground, u wont have your car sitting in reverse sintkbug stance(nose high) and wondering if it will ever come down(some of them dont)

later
Jeremy

 

My how-to will probably help you out, lookie here:

Yahoo! Photos - taramiller72's Photos - 88 Camaro Rebuild

Ed

 

Jeremy, which OTC spring compressor did you use? Do you have a part number? Was it a clamshell external type spring compressor?

 

Here's a good spot to put the safety chain.

 

Just wanted to thank RBob and everyone for the advice and the threads that I obviously could not find. I used RBob's method with the ball joint attached and jacking up the spring. I got my springs back in, took a couple hours total, but there was a LOT of prying the new bushings up in the pockets.....those suckers are tight.

Anyways, thanks for the help. Now its on the the new tie rods, center link, idler arm, 36mm sway bar, wonderbar, and I'll be back on the road.

Havn't driven her since early October, 2005.

 

Jeremy, Why would torqueing poly bushings while in the air hurt anything?

With those bushings the bushing actually pivots around the center sleeve, unlike the stock stuff where the rubber is bonded to the inner sleeve and relies on the bushing deflecting in order to move. Every poly arm I've installed would rotate with no problems, and with just a little bit of "sticktion" when first broke loose, would turn 360 degrees if there wasn't something solid in the way.

I really don't see where torqueing these bolts while in the air would hurt anything.

 

massive squeaking is what i got when i torqued them in the air...when i torqued them with the suspension loaded it quited them down about 70% and boy are these polyurethane bushings squeaky as hell compared to stock stuff.

That is my experiance. Yes they are and have been lubed correctly.

 

I've read on corner-carvers.com a neat trick to stop most of the squeeking. If you look at a poly bushing you'll see that on bushings that are pressed in from one side that it has a large flat face. This face should be the only part of the bushing that contacts the sides of the mount. Sometimes the small end will contact the other side of the mount. What this does is bind the bushing and try to twist it, it will stick and then break free which is what your hearing as a squeek. The big end has enough poly there to keep it from moving enough to squeek. The trick is to sand or cut down this small side untill it doesn't hit. In theory each of the control arm bushings only provide lateral support in one direction. My bushings didn't squeek, so I never bothered to pull them back out to try this mod.