coil help?

[drewfever1020]

how do i take off and put on coil springs on back and front?
thanks!

[PanelDeland]

Hopefully someone will fill in anything I left out but surely someone will add to the safety necessities.


The backs are easy.Remove the shocks and the panhard bar.Jack the truck up slightly(enough to get under it a bit and let the pressure off the spring).Use an impact if you have it to remove the bottom bolt and a large breaker bar for the top.Lots of PB Blaster,Kroil or other good penetrating oil(Not WD-40) will help.Do one side at a time.Once the bolts are loose you may need a punch to knock them out.(You may break one or more anyway since they probably have never been removed).Then jack the truck up enough to remove the spring,put in the new spring(watch to make sure the small cups that hold the spring in are seated well) .Then install the new bolts(make sure you use grade 8 hardware. I promise you that new bolts are a neccessary part of this).Reinstall the panhard bar making sure it doesn't rub on the rear differential,then the shocks.IIRC you can get by with stock height shocks when going 3-4 in but not more.You may also need to trim the bumpstops.
The fronts are a bit more involved.You will need a BFH and maybe a pickle fork(also known as a Ball Joint seperator).Jack up the truck and remove the wheel/tire.Remove the shock.Turn the wheels all the way to the direction you are working on(right if Pass side,left if drivers)Put a chain thru the spring and control arm with a bolt to keep it together.Remove the cotter pins on the top and bottom spindle nuts and the tie rod end.Remove the tie rod end.Do not hit it with the hammer.Use the pickle fork to seperate it.Loosen the Ball joint nuts.Then take the BFH and whail the pee out of the flat spot adjacent to the ball joint on the spindle.You only need one part(top or bottom ball joint to come loose).Put your floor jack under the lower control arm and jack the tension off of the nut then remove the nut.Now slowly lower the control arm all the way.The spring should loosen as you do.You can now take out the old spring and install the new one.Make sure it is seated in the pocket before you jack it back up while aligning the ball joint stud back into the spindle.
Reassemble making sure you use a torque wrench and new cotter pins.

Now for the main points you must pay very careful attention to;
1.No floor jack
2.No jack stands
3.No BFH
4.No chain
5.Any confusion.
6.No torque wrench
You can't do this.
Make sure the jackstands are rated for the weight or double.Be aware that a car/truck spring has a great deal of force behind it when even a small amount of pressure is on it.Keep in mind that you are working on suspension and brakes,they are your life in a vehicle don't skimp or take chances or cut any corners.If you have never done one before try to get an experienced person to help/guide you thru it.You will have to have the truck aligned after a spring change.Be aware that dropping more than 2 in with springs usually causes major headaches with frontend alignment.Make sure yu don't crimp break or mangle a brake hose or line.