Planing to lower

[Dadsredwagon]

Whats the best way to remove the front and rear coil springs ?

thx

[Lated]

I just lowered my truck over the last few weeks and this is how I did it...

The rear is easy, just unbolt the shocks and panhard bar, jack the frame up until the springs are no longer compressed by the weight of the truck, support the frame with jackstands, and unbolt the springs. Then you can bolt the new springs in place lower the truck back down and reattach the shocks and panhard bar. It is a good idea to replace the panhard bar with an adjustable panhard bar to keep the rear centered under the truck.

The front is a little more involved and there are a few ways to do it. From what I've heard the way I did it seems to be the most common. Support the front end with jackstands and remove the shocks. Loosen the castle nut on the lower balljoint a few turns so there is a gap of 1/8inch or so. Turn the wheel toward the opposite side that you are working on to give you easy access and hit the backside of the spindle with a big hammer right where the balljoint stud passes through it. Keep wailing away until the balljoint breaks loose and the spring pushes the LCA down and against the castlenut you just loosened. For the sake of safety run a chain or cable (I used the old parking brake intermediate cable) through the spring and around the frame so if the spring were to come flying out, which it won't, it won't go too far. Put a floor jack under the LCA (near the balljoint) so that you can access it from in front of the truck (safety again) and raise it just enough to take pressure off the balljoint castle nut. Now you can remove the castlenut. From in front of the truck SLOWLY lower the jack to let the LCA down SLOWLY until there is no pressure left on the spring and it will fall out.

Another way to do the front is to place a jack under the LCA cross shaft and remove the u-bolts and then lower the LCA until the springs fall out. I prefer the method above because the LCA seem to be too unstable to do this safely although I could be wrong, I didn't remove springs this way I tried to install them that way.

You could also use a spring compressor instead of the jack under the LCA if you prefer but they are more hassle than they are worth. I did however end up needing one to coax my new springs in. If you go the compressor route make sure to get an internal compressor for for coil springs not an external compressor for McPherson struts like I did at first.

[protrash64]

Lated has it right.........I'd add that if you are doing spindles I would loosen the top ball joint first....I just did mine on labor day. I had drvr side go smoothly then the pass side was hard.....the only difference was the order I dissasembled the balljoints. Have fun!

[Lated]

I didn't even think about mentioning the upper balljoint. When I did mine I put on a set of tubular control arms and just left the drum brake spindle attached to the old upper control arm.