Front Springs

[covingtontn]

Hello Everyone
Looking for suggestions for re installing the front springs 71 c10.
I have spring compressor, but it is a PIA to get into that area and also
keep the spring in the correction location.
Any expert advice appreciated.
Thanks
John

[paul blair]

Place a floor jack under lower control arm close to lower ball joint use 2x4 between for stability jack up enough to remove tire remove shock and disconnect lower ball joint {use ball joint removal tool} jack up frame until no tension on spring should come out. locate new spring on lower control arm lined up with detent lower frame until spring is under tension and reinstall shock and ball joint. for safety you can run a chain through upper and lower a rms. If you have a sway bar remove it when you remove the shock. Also you could use a cutting torch for removal. This method has worked for me just take your time and make sure the spring is under tension before you disconnect the shock and ball joint. GOOD LUCK-BE SAFE-HAPPY TRAILS

[davepl]

If you have the weight of the engine and body on the truck, that's the way to go. You should only need the spring compressor if, like me, you waited until you were down to the bare frame to do it. If using a spring compressor, resist the temptation of using an impact to run it down - it has to be done by hand.

Frankly I'd rather diffuse a bomb than stick my face up around a compressed spring. Gave me the willies when I did it.

[covingtontn]

Thanks Guys

I have the truck down to the frame with only the motor and transmission
installed. Any others suggestions to make this easy.
Thanks

[LongBox]

I would think that the weight of the frame, engine and trans would be enough to compress the spring. I had to do this once on a very old Chrysler sedan, and I chose to disconnect the lower A arm at the inner pivot, rather than at the outside. Once I got the new spring in place, I put a really good block of wood under the A arm, and gently lowered the car until the spring was compressed, and the A arm was pretty close to being lined up. I refit the pivot shaft for the A-arm, and did everything up.

I would most definitely agree that you should use something like a cable or a chain to stop the spring from moving out of position and injuring you when you are raising the truck, then lowering it.

Don't know if this method (disconnecting A-arms at the inner pivots) would work with our trucks, but someone will know.

[randy500]

If the spring doersnt compress with the jack at the very end of the control arm you can stack heavy stuff on the front of the frame such as bags of sand, etc. It works, I've done it before.

[covingtontn]

Randy
That's a great idea about the heavy items on the a arm.
I guess my old age has caught me napping.
Thanks for your suggestion.
John

[Benny-]

I unbolted the u bolts from the inside of the LCA and then used a jack to lower then raise back. Worked well and was pretty anticlimactic.

[covingtontn]

Thanks everyone, very good suggestions.
John

[demian5]

I removed and installed the front coils (stock) in my 64 impala ss with no motor, trans or front clip. Talk about testing the limits of a spring compressor... good luck and safety first.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Support frame on jack stands and remove tire.

Remove sway bar and shock (VERY important to remove sway bar with even weight on nose, they like to "pop" once free if one side is loaded differently or hanging free...)

Remove cotter pin and loosen nut on lower control arm ball joint, but do not remove nut! If you're trying to save your ball joints smack lower control arm near the ball joint with a hammer (they're thick as crap you can't hurt them). If not, use a fork or smack the top of the ball joint with the nut flush with the top of the ball joint (if you damage threads, you might not be able to get the nut off!)

When the ball joint is loose, then put a jack under the control arm, lift up, remove nut, slowly release jack.

I wanted to use a spring compressor, but after I lowered my truck it was near impossible to get one under the truck to use, so I used this method on both sides (nose was too low, I raised it 1/2").

[davepl]

When I did it on my '69 Pontiac B-Body there was a template in the shop manual for making a beam of out 2x10 wood that is "required" to change the spring. I followed it and cut one out, and it worked well. First time I've seen "custom wood" in a manual.

I don't think there's any such "tool" for our trucks, but its worth reading through the shop manual section on this just for the safety items if any. I know I'm being an old lady about this, but compressed springs contain a LOT of stored energy that's very eager to get out.

[FirstOwner69]

Some interesting discussion in this thread. Post 10 looks workable with a bare frame.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=263423

[davepl]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

Some interesting discussion in this thread. Post 10 looks workable with a bare frame.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=263423

No offense to the original poster, but that looks like Rube Goldberg changing a spring. Seems a little sketchy to be ratchet-strapping your jack to the frame... unless it's a farm, then anything goes.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I wrapped a bike lock cable around my spring/A-arm the first couple of times I used the jack method, but it went so well I didn't bother anymore.

I don't like the u bolt method. Too many ways for the A-arm and spring to move once loose. With the ball joint it can only go down. Removing the u bolts it can go down, left, right, out...