thirdgen4me

iTrader: (1)

Ok well some a$$ decided to heat my springs with a torch to sag them instead of buying a lowering kit!! So now I have new OEM replacement springs that I am installing. Obviously the rears are easy but the front is the tricky one. I have read the posts on the ways to do it safely. My question is where is the best spot to place the jack and stands to do the job without a compressor. Pics would be great!! Thanks

howy03

iTrader: (2)

I think the spring compreser sucks.It binds gets in the way its a pain.Suppot car on frame with jackstands,losen ball joint,place jack under control arm.I think my control arm bolts were losened,lower jack slowly and you will be able to remove the old spring.place new ones in the pocket jack up a little at a time checking alingment in the spring pocket.Tighten and retorqe parts. As long as you lower the control arm slowly Theres no risk.

thirdgen4me

iTrader: (1)

Thanks! Hopefully that goes as easy as it sounds.. I will let you know tomorrow.

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

There's always risk with springs. For safety's sake, chain the spring to the a-arm.

JamesC

howy03

iTrader: (2)

I do agree with james,I think our cars are lower risk than others.Take your time and be careful The chain is a good safety measure.

thirdgen4me

iTrader: (1)

So the risk is the spring unseating from the bottom and flying out? I should just wrap a chain through the bottom of the spring around the A arm? The top will hold in place right?

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

There can be an incredible amount of energy stored in the spring--so who knows how it may come flying out. At any rate, pass a chain through a few coils and then down through the center of the a-arm.

JamesC

thirdgen4me

iTrader: (1)

Well I got the rear springs in no problem... However the front where ridiculous. I tried everything I could and could not get the A arm to line up where it has to be. I guess I will have to rent an internal spring comprssor!

howy03

iTrader: (2)

did u remove the a arm?

thirdgen4me

iTrader: (1)

Yes I removed the A arm and got the spring into place. When I went to jack the A Arm back into place I struggled for two hours to get the bolts back into the A arm, with no success.

howy03

iTrader: (2)

You got to leave the a arm in with the 2 piot bolts nice and loose,place the spring in the K frame (upper part)make sure the a arm is nice and low place the spring in the pocket,i actually layed down pushed the a arm and spring up a little with one arm,slid the jack under the ball joint and then jacked a little at a time checking alignment. It starts out at an angle and then straitens out I had my jack wheels straight in the wheel well.I did have to lower a little to twist the spring back into place. The other problem U may be having is the car is not up high enough on the frame.BE careful when jacking into place make sure you have more than just one jackstand.I had my car up on jackstands as pictured below and used some large wood blocks on each side just to be safe.I had a bitch of a time at first tried it like u are then figured out the way to do it.I tried that thru the a arm spring press from autozone and could not make it work.On the second day I was so frustrated then I tried the above technique and got it.

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Some members claim that they've had success with that method, but I have have doubts that that's the best/easiest way--for the very reason you mention. I drop the a-arm, compress the spring, place it up in the pocket and jack it into place. (I'm always scared to death that the compressor will give way--an old fellow saw me eyeing a compressor at a swap meet and asked me if I had a dental plan. So beware!) Doing all that and indexing the springs is enough to send you to counseling.

JamesC

thirdgen4me

iTrader: (1)

Howy... So you left the A arm connected to the car but just loosened the bolts? If you did how did you get the spring into place? If I don't disconnect the A arm I can't fit the spring into the pocket.

howy03

iTrader: (2)

I never liked spring compressors for that reason.I have done several sets of springs as described above with no problems 3 third gens and one 2nd gen.If anyone else wants to chime in please do.I could not compress the spring enough with that "thru the a arm tool"it scares the crap out of me handling the spring under that much pressure.

howy03

iTrader: (2)

you have to let the a arm hang low"on the ground".get it started by hand"forceing up the a arm then slipping the jack under the ball joint.Thats why I was wondering if you had the car high enough. I just tighten the a Arm bolts by hand and slide the spring in from the front.It is at an akward angle but once u get the jack under the ball joint area of the a arm u can just jack it into place. I hope u get it and wish u luck. Remember to retorque the a arm bolts under load.jack under a arm or with tiers on ramps

thirdgen4me

iTrader: (1)

Ok I understand now..lol I never disconnected the ball joint. I did it the opposite way you did. Since mine is tough can I just unbolt the strut from up top and let the A arm hang? Also thank you for all the quick responses and great help!

howy03

iTrader: (2)

That wont work,Remove cotter pin loosen nut use a ball joint fork to seperate.I will somtines hit the ball joint stud and rap it down with a hammer.I dont suggest this as u may mess up the threads unless u are replacing the ball joint. let me know if u have any luck.

thirdgen4me

iTrader: (1)

Okay... I work at a garage and I am going to stay late tomorrow and do it. I don't have a ball joint remover at my house so I will do it this way and hopefully not get too aggrivated. lol

howy03

iTrader: (2)

U will,u dont remove the ball joint just the top nut but it is tapered and presses in. u have to split it with the fork and a hammer.then u can pull the a rm off and reattach the rear pivot bolts.

thirdgen4me

iTrader: (1)

Well long story short.... The day ended with the old springs still in the car and my co-worker in the hospitol!!!!!

Saber

iTrader: (2)

Um what happened? Is he/she okay??

thirdgen4me

iTrader: (1)

Well we tried the ball joint method to no avail... So we decided to connect the ball joint and disconnect the A arm bolts. We had the car on the lift and used a pole jack to raise the A arm and compress the spring. Well the jack slipped and we all ran away as quick as possible but Donny got the pole jack across the hand and sliced it wide open! 2 x rays and 5 stitches later he is ok.

howy03

iTrader: (2)

That sucks! but I don't get why u guys are having so much trouble with These springs especially with a lift.are u sure u got the right springs? double check.I put lowering springs in mine there a little shorter and easier.but I did a set for a friend in his 3rd gen,stock moogs just as easy as mine.Hope your friend o.K

thirdgen4me

iTrader: (1)

http://www.autozone.com/selectedZip,.../selectZip.htm

These are the springs

84olmpcboy

Get an internal spring compressor and make a 3 1/2in spacer and put it between the 2 washers. Chain the spring every little bit so if the compressor flys off you wont get hurt to bad and just get an air wrench and get the spring to 11-11 1/2 in. I tried the way you did and all I couldnt get it. With the compressor I was done putting the springs in in 2hrs. The chain around the spring gave me some extra ***** because I was scared to death about spring compressors. I didn't have the compressor fly off any so I couldv'e went without the chain but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Hang the a-arm by the 2 bolts and put the spring in then just jack under the ball joint untill you can get the nut back on. Just be patient with it and its not that bad

thirdgen4me

iTrader: (1)

Well after today I think Im going to take a break from springs and continue upgrading other things on the car. Maybe a little safer things..lol I will set the front coils in the corner and try them again some other time.

customblackbird

iTrader: (15)

i was able to get my moog 5664s in without a compressor with my bare hands. i hacked off 3/4 coil for approximatly 1.5" drop and a 875lb/in spring rate. same free height as my sportline lowering springs. any those were alil easier to get in. got the spring in and indexed it and just compressed the spring with a jack ad bolted it up. leave the Aarm bolts to the Kmemeber in and bolted but alil loose. then just put it in and jack it up.

idk what springs u got in that link bc i only kno the moog part #s. the 5662 is used most on our cars. with a 700lb rate, 5660s were not as stiff and the moog 5664 was only on the convertable and S10 truck with a 748lb rate.

spring compressors suck. ive never stuck a stock spring height spring in a 3rd gen. no need. go with a lowering spring/ or hack off 1/2-3/4coil and call it a day. u have a higher rate, and lower ride.

i dont even use a chain and i do it with the car on stands. ive seen a spring come out of a compressor that compresses the spring so it can be put on coil overs, think this time it was for a saturn and the spring slipped out on the machine and hit the guy in the face. really messed his face up. crushed it

mikej

will this method work with an iroc? im in the of rebuilding the front susp. and im havin a hard time gettin the springs back in

customblackbird

iTrader: (15)

will what work? heating the springs is not a good idea. a spring compressor is what should be used to install the stock springs... no way ur getting them in there when there new esp.

mikej

the org ..springs ive tried 2 diff compressors but neither one would work. one was to long(frm auto zone) the other the arms was not staggered enough to pull evenly on the spring(frm advance auto).

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

You need to use a pipe nipple, like the one in the following link post #3:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...ml#post3917965

JamesC

mikej

can u tell me the part# of that spring comp. i tried one that looked like that but the arms wasnt staggered enough to pull evenly on both sides of the spring

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Sorry, I can't provide the part #, but it's the same one I rented from AutoZone the first time.

JamesC

mikej

my 3 local auto zones dont carry that kind guess ill keep lookin thanks

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

Coil spring compressors are also referred to as the widow maker. Follow JamesC's instructions and you'll be fine. I did the same thing years ago when I did my WS6 springs on my Formula and the RS ones on my wifes camaro. They are not easy. They are plain out scarry to do. I'll never do them outside of my own work. I had the comressor slip one time installing a compressed spring and I swear I messed my pants. I never jumped back so quick. James and I have been around for quite a few years on these boards and unless they are drop springs (They go in pretty easy) we really dont hear much good when doing stock springs lol Good luck!

Mkos1980

iTrader: (8)

As for my own advise, do not compress the spring with an impact. When I did mine I put the bottom of the spring in a vise and used a pipe on a 1/2 socket and then compressed it. Once compressed I took it out of the vise, walked slow to the car and tucked it up in there with the spacer pipe part through the bottom on the A arm. Walking with it is like a ticking time bomb. I always wore a heavy sweatshirt, gloves and safty goggles JIC.

mikej

Thanks everyone for all the great advice. Im considering buying the lowering springs just to make the job easier and safer. ive had this car since 87. with 90k on it now im needing to do some repairs. its been a great ride. thought about selling it a couple times, but couldnt bring myself to do it. besides, wife would kill me.