Installing Coil Springs
 

Got my 3" front and 4" rear drop coil springs today and now I need to install them. If any of you have any instructions or tips on installing them without killing myself. I would greatly appreciate it. I am installing them on a 67 c20 LWB, so am really just replacing the existing coil springs.

Thanks...Joey

Easy, I don't know why everyone freaks out about doing this swap. Put the front of the truck on jack stands. Put the stands on the frame rails just behind the front bumper. Take the rotors and brake calipers off and hang the caliper up out of the way with a piecs of wire(a cut wire coat hanger works great). Place a floor jack under the lower control arm and juck it up untill there is about 1 inch between the jack and lower arm. Remove the lower ball joint nut and take a three pound hammer and give the outer edge of the lower arm a good wrap. It should give and come down on the jack. If not just give it another good whack. After it gives just let the jack down slowly and out comes the spring, nice and easy. Just make sure the truck is high enough to allow the lower arm to come down enough to reliev all the tension off of the spring. Works everytime flawlessly. And for the rears, when you put the rear of the truck up on jack stands you just put a jack under the pumpkin and take the weight off of the springs and unbolt them and then just let the rearend down. Tada, you just removed all the springs safely. Now just go in reverse. Easy as pie.

He forgot to mention un-bolting the front shocks too.

Kevin

good instructions new 72, I would like to add a little safety item that works for me, I leave the nuts on (but loose) on the upper, and lwr. ball joints untill the ball joints/ spindle break loose, so when the spindle comes loose, the control arms can't go very far. With the force of a stock spring, it could kick the jack out from under the control arm allowing the spring to come flying out. Our trucks don't seem to have alot of preload on the front springs, but some cars such as chevells have very tall springs with gobs of preload.

If the ball joints are stuck to the spindle like mine were, they can be kinda difficult to break loose. If they won't come apart with a few hammer whacks, you may have to break out the big guns;

There are two "backup plans" that I have used in the past when performing this operation.

Method one;
There is a tool called a ball joint separator that is commonly known as a pickle fork (it looks like a big two pronged fork). You slide the fork in between the spindle and the A arm where it the ball joint goes thru so that the forks tines straddle the ball joint shaft. You then procede to beat the heck out of the handle end with a big hammer. As the fork tines are forced into the area between the lug on the spindle (where the ball joint goes through) and the A arm, it forces them apart. You can buy one for a few bucks, but the last time I had to change ball joints I got one from auto zone under their loan a tool program (total cost $0.00:) )

Method two;
Get a deepwell socket that you don't mind ruining and a bolt that is 3-ish inches long. The socket has to be small enough that the when you put a nut on the bolt, it won't go down inside the socket. Put the nut on the bolt, then put the threaded end into the socket. Adjust the starting length of your home made "speader" by running the nut up or down on the bolt until you can slip the whole thing vertically in between the upper and lower ball joint ends (where the nuts and cotter pins go) with the end of the socket pushing against one joint and the head of the bolt pushing against the other. Then simply take a big wrench and unscrew the nut. As the nut unscrews, it will push against the socket, which in turn pushes against the end of the stuborn ball joint, and eventually forces it out.

Like Kid said, It's a good idea to leave the ball joint nuts loosely threaded on the ball joints so that the whole thing doesn't come flying apart when it finally decides to let go.

It's really not a hard job as long as you use some common sense so have fun and good luck!

TS

A small bottle jack inbetween the upper and lower A arms will help if the ball joint is being stubborn. I had to do this a couple times.

I just changed out the rear coils on my '71 and the biggest problem I had was that the bolts that hold the upper and lower cups were rusted just enough that a socket or wrench would no longer fit them snugly...so I ordered new bolts, nuts, washers, and cups...and cut the old ones off. Buy far this was the most time consuming part of the swap.

Yeow!!!!!
 

My buddy, Bernie, wanted to change the front coils on his 57 chev. He used the floor jack, bottle jack, pickle fork process.
I add a safety chain thru the coil to the A-frame for added safety. You see Bernie had this little accident and the spring popped loose.It did so with enough bounce to hit the floor and then HIS PERSONALS!!!!! They swelled from this (oo) to this (OO) which mean they became like Cantelopes!!! He couldn't walk for a week and it still make me shutter.
Saftey is always a little added process that ALWAYS pays for itself.
Stick a chain or heavy rope thru the coil and secure it to the A frame and you will never regret it. JUST THINK ABOUT (00) BERNIE!!!!;)

I've heard about people getting hit, but never smacking big jim and the twins. That had to hurt.
Did he already have kids, or is this putting an end to that idea?

I agree with Huck. I always run a chain through the front ones.
:D

Replacing Coil Springs
 

Thanks for all of the tips. I went ahead and removed the bed tonight and boy was it heavy. It took 3 of us to tip it off the frame. It gives me full access to the rear frame and suspension. I had wanted to clean it up anyway, but it really upset the wife because I did it in the front driveway. She said I have parts in the front driveway, back yard and also the back patio. Hmmmmm, where else can I put them that she won't find them. I sent out the seats I got from Ed (Mothertruckers) to be recovered and can't wait to get my new carpet from Tim. The engine will be done in 2 weeks, so I should be able to clean up all the parts piles and make the wife happy!

Again thanks for the tips, I will let you all know when I get it done.

Joey