Front spring question

[gteatr6]

Is it possible with the body off, to remove the upper A frames without taking the springs out? I think the springs are going to push the frame up if I brake the upper ball joint loose. I thought about leaving the shocks in, but if they are bad and brake, then the same thing could happen. I have the frame on jack stands at the moment. Any ideas?

 

[scot w.]

Is it possible with the body off, to remove the upper A frames without taking the springs out? I think the springs are going to push the frame up if I brake the upper ball joint loose. I thought about leaving the shocks in, but if they are bad and brake, then the same thing could happen. I have the frame on jack stands at the moment. Any ideas?

Doing that from the top is a NO NO and a real easy way to get hurt unless you have a spring compressor, but still..

If you have the frame on jack stands then it will be much easier to use a spring compressor due to the room.

I would do it from the bottom and be very carefull then too, messing with these coil springs is a dangerous job cause they can do damage..


Scot W.

 

[gteatr6]

I don't want to remove the srpings. I want to remove the upper A frame. The top of the spring sits in the frame. My worry is, if I brake the upper ball joint loose from the spindle while having a jack under the lower A frame, the spring is just going to push up on the frame. I've done springs before, just not without the body and motor being installed. With the shock still mounted, the spring can't really fly out, but will I be able to get the upper A frame back on without a spring compressor. I can almost guarentee that something is going to happen if I break that upper ball joint loose.

 

[jdpolzin]

I don't want to remove the srpings. I want to remove the upper A frame. The top of the spring sits in the frame. My worry is, if I brake the upper ball joint loose from the spindle while having a jack under the lower A frame, the spring is just going to push up on the frame. I've done springs before, just not without the body and motor being installed. With the shock still mounted, the spring can't really fly out, but will I be able to get the upper A frame back on without a spring compressor. I can almost guarentee that something is going to happen if I break that upper ball joint loose.

I've done it and it is tricky business as long as you dont plan to use the shocks again, you'll be fine. You can also wrap a chain around the frame and lowers to help limit travel.

 

[gteatr6]

I've done it and it is tricky business as long as you dont plan to use the shocks again, you'll be fine. You can also wrap a chain around the frame and lowers to help limit travel.

The only thing that scares me is when I changed shocks on my dd, one fell apart. Now these look like they have been replaced, but who knows when. I am not going to use these again, but I hate it when things go bang when you don't expect it:biggrin: I should just rent the spring compressor again and do it right, but it was a pain in the ass to get it out when I installed the springs in the dd. I had the ones with the 4 hooks, not the autozone death wish one. Maybe some threaded rod and a plate on the bottom, wahser on top. I would put it in place of the shock. That should work?

 

[Nick Micale]

Is it possible with the body off, to remove the upper A frames without taking the springs out? ................

With the jack stands under the lower control, you can safely remove the upper control arms.

 

[jdpolzin]

The only thing that scares me is when I changed shocks on my dd, one fell apart. Now these look like they have been replaced, but who knows when. I am not going to use these again, but I hate it when things go bang when you don't expect it:biggrin: I should just rent the spring compressor again and do it right, but it was a pain in the ass to get it out when I installed the springs in the dd. I had the ones with the 4 hooks, not the autozone death wish one. Maybe some threaded rod and a plate on the bottom, wahser on top. I would put it in place of the shock. That should work?

Thats not a bad idea! I'd do that and I will do that if the situation ever comes up again!

 

[scot w.]

The only thing that scares me is when I changed shocks on my dd, one fell apart. Now these look like they have been replaced, but who knows when. I am not going to use these again, but I hate it when things go bang when you don't expect it:biggrin: I should just rent the spring compressor again and do it right, but it was a pain in the ass to get it out when I installed the springs in the dd. I had the ones with the 4 hooks, not the autozone death wish one. Maybe some threaded rod and a plate on the bottom, wahser on top. I would put it in place of the shock. That should work?

I use a spring compressor from Snap-On..

Seems to work well, Shocks must be removed though as the rod goes up through the center.


Scot W.

 

[gteatr6]

Here is what I did. I bought 1/2 inch threaded rod (two 2 foot pieces), a piece of 1/4 inch steel, 4 nuts, 8 washers. I would have double nutted, but the hardware store only had 4.

I cut the steel to spant the whole width of the lower A frame. I then drilled a hole in the center of the pieces. Slid the rod in the shock mount hole with 2 washers under the nut. Same on the bottom, 2 washers and then the nut. I cranked it down pretty good and then broke the ball joint loose. It moved a tad ( I still had to lift the upper up to free the ball joint from the spindle. Total cost was around 20 bucks. :biggrin: Now I can paint and replace the uppers whenever I want.

You can see in the last pic, there is a lot pressure stored in a spring as it bent the 1/4 inch stock to conform to the lower A frame.

 

[gteatr6]

Actually after doing the other side, the spring didn't bend the 1/4 inch stock, I did when I tightened the rod. The spring didn't move at all when I broke loose the upper ball joint on that side. :biggrin:

 

[gnxtc2]

I'm assuming with the body off the car, you also have the motor out. There is not enough weight on the springs. Once you break the spindle loose, the frame is going to spring up.

The only safe and proper way to do it is with a spring compressor.

Billy T.
gnxtc2@aol.com

 

[gteatr6]

I'm assuming with the body off the car, you also have the motor out. There is not enough weight on the springs. Once you break the spindle loose, the frame is going to spring up.

The only safe and proper way to do it is with a spring compressor.

Billy T.
gnxtc2@aol.com

I guess you didn't look at the pics? Both uppers are off and the springs are still compressed. Now I wouldn't do this to change the springs, but threaded rod and a plate work great for holding everything in place if you just want to change the upper A frames with the body and motor out:biggrin:. I hate messing with spring compressors, they scare me for some reason I did wind up doble nutting the rod just in case. I'll post some pics in the morning.

 

[jdpolzin]

I guess you didn't look at the pics? Both uppers are off and the springs are still compressed. Now I wouldn't do this to change the springs, but threaded rod and a plate work great for holding everything in place if you just want to change the upper A frames with the body and motor out:biggrin:. I hate messing with spring compressors, they scare me for some reason I did wind up doble nutting the rod just in case. I'll post some pics in the morning.

Good job!