Installing front springs

[Fatstang]

My Fox body springs should be here any day now and i borrowed a spring compressor so now i'm ready to do them. I know the rears are simple to do, but i have a question on installing the fronts. I know a lot of people have their own different techniques on removing/installing the front springs, but i'm not sure what route i should go? The steps i'm planning to do is, remove the caliper, disconnect the strut and the bottom and let the front hang and remove the spring with the compressor. does this sound right? Never done this before. Just looking for some helping tips and ideas. thanx

[MAT88GT]

jack the car up, place stands under the front subframes or K member
remove the wheels
remove the caliper lines, keep the calipers on
place your jack under the control arm in a ready possition, slightly supporting the arm but not compressing the spring
remove the top strut nut with an impact...if you don't have an impact and can't get the nut off, remove the 3 caster/camber plate bolts
slowly release the jack, and I mean SLOWLY, if you didn't have an impact and removed the 3 cc plate bolts, snake the cc plate through the strut tower...if you removed the strut nut, your strut will simply pass through the cc plate bushing with ease
the arm will extend all the way down until the tie rod limits its travel...at this point the spring can be pulled out of the control arm pocket

Depending on the spring height, you might not need to compress the spring for installation...pretty rare though
compress the spring, better hope you have a compressor that fits ;)
place the bottom of the spring, with isolator installed, in the control arm pocket
aim the top of the spring at its receiver perch on the k member and slowly start jacking the arm up
line up the spring/perch and the strut top
jack the arm completely into place
secure the strut
remove the compressor
install the caliper line

do the other side and bleed the brakes

[Fatstang]

jack the car up, place stands under the front subframes or K member
remove the wheels
remove the caliper lines, keep the calipers on
place your jack under the control arm in a ready possition, slightly supporting the arm but not compressing the spring
remove the top strut nut with an impact...if you don't have an impact and can't get the nut off, remove the 3 caster/camber plate bolts
slowly release the jack, and I mean SLOWLY, if you didn't have an impact and removed the 3 cc plate bolts, snake the cc plate through the strut tower...if you removed the strut nut, your strut will simply pass through the cc plate bushing with ease
the arm will extend all the way down until the tie rod limits its travel...at this point the spring can be pulled out of the control arm pocket

Depending on the spring height, you might not need to compress the spring for installation...pretty rare though
compress the spring, better hope you have a compressor that fits ;)
place the bottom of the spring, with isolator installed, in the control arm pocket
aim the top of the spring at its receiver perch on the k member and slowly start jacking the arm up
line up the spring/perch and the strut top
jack the arm completely into place
secure the strut
remove the compressor
install the caliper line

do the other side and bleed the brakes

Thanx Matt, pretty good detail. I don't have air tools, but if i can catch my friend at home, i can use his. Question though on removing the strut. Can i unbolt it at the bottom instead of at the strut tower? Or would they be too hard to line back up? Not sure what would be easier.

[quietflow]

Thanx Matt, pretty good detail. I don't have air tools, but if i can catch my friend at home, i can use his. Question though on removing the strut. Can i unbolt it at the bottom instead of at the strut tower? Or would they be too hard to line back up? Not sure what would be easier.

I unbolted mine from the spindle, its not hard to line them up. Even once the control arm is at the end of it travel there will still be tension on the spring. Be careful, I used a big bar to pop mine out. When I did this I disconnected the tie rod ends also. I didnt need a spring compressor to install the springs(FMS C springs). I was using our rack, tranny jack, and air tools. Good Luck

[Fatstang]

I unbolted mine from the spindle, its not hard to line them up. Even once the control arm is at the end of it travel there will still be tension on the spring. Be careful, I used a big bar to pop mine out. When I did this I disconnected the tie rod ends also. I didnt need a spring compressor to install the springs(FMS C springs). I was using our rack, tranny jack, and air tools. Good Luck


No special tools are needed to disconnect the tie-rods right?

Question on my Fox Body V8 rear springs, should i cut them at all? I heard a 1/4-1/2 coil is what a lot of people do, plus i plan to not put the lower isolators back in.

[MAT88GT]

see how it works w/o the rear isolators in before cutting...measure twice cut once ;)

it can be a total pita to remove the struts at the spindle, but its entirely doable!

[JORGE]

i didnt use air tools when i did mine i did mine like quietflow did i have fms b springs

[quietflow]

No special tools are needed to disconnect the tie-rods right?

Question on my Fox Body V8 rear springs, should i cut them at all? I heard a 1/4-1/2 coil is what a lot of people do, plus i plan to not put the lower isolators back in.

Take the nut off the tie rod at the spindle, then take a nice size hammer, and hit the spindle where the tie rod goes through it, it will take a couple good hits, but they will become loose and you can just lift them out of the spindle.

I am with Matt, you cant put it back on after you cut it off, measure a coulpe times. Good Luck

[Fatstang]

The springs are due to arrive tomorrow(Monday) so i decided to get started last night on the car. I removed the caliper and the two nuts/bolts of the strut at the spindle end. I lowered the a-arm and used the spring compressor to remove the spring. It was a little tough, but i got it out. I only did the driver side so far. I was wondering, it looks like its going to be tough getting in the new spring tomorrow. What's the best advice to do that. Just compress the spring the best i can and fish it onto it's perch or should i disconnest the tie-rod end? :dunno:

[parish99]

Just a note of caution! I know 9 times out of 10 the springs come out just fine, but people have been killed by springs that come flying out when lowering the control arm down.


The new spring should be a little smaller length wise, so you probabbly wont need to compress it to get it in.

[BBATCO1]

The easiest way to do front springs in my opinion is to disconnect the rear a- arm bolts, and lower the a- arm from the rear. You wont have to disconnect all that stuff, and its much safer to do. You will get much more travel and a compressor is not needed. I have tried it tha front way and its a pita, I reserched the **** out of this and found this to be a better way, takes much less effort....

[DirtyMax]

If you're going to do it the "lower the arm completely" way, I've heard it's not a bad idea to wrap a chain around the spring somewhere, fastening it to the frame, or something else. This essentially holds it in place if it does indeed come flying out. Better safe than sorry. A spring in the nugget would not be good.

[must85]

i did my last summer and removed the rotor and backing sheild and put jack under control arm and just remove the lower ball joint nut part way hit side of spindle with hammerit will pop loose remove nut and lower jack had chain around spring and out came the spring this way your alingment is is not all out of wack so you can make it to a shop

[driver79]

I agree with BBATCO1 I have done thie several times both ways. Dropping the A arm from the K member is much easier.

[Fatstang]

Well, went to a coilover set-up, much easier now :D