Replacing front springs

[xtreme80]

Hey guys, I'm replacing my front drop springs with a different set this next weekend.

What's the best way to get the old springs out? I'm sure it'll be completely obvious once I actually take the wheels off, but I thought I would ask here to be sure.

I've heard before that it's possible to just jack the truck up all the way and the spring just comes out

[pkbinplano]

I just rebuilt the front end of my truck and here'a how I removed the springs. Put the front of truck on jack stands. With a floor jack placed under the lower condrol arm raise the jack so it slightly raises the lower control arm. Watch out for the lower ball joint grease zert, maybe remove it so it doesn't get damaged. When the control arm is raised and spring is compressed, loosen the top ball joint nut enough to see a gap between nut and control arm. Smack the spindle with a BFH next to nut a few times. Slowly lower jack to see if ball joint seperated from spindle. If so raise jack back up a little and remove nut and SLOWLY lower jack so that splindle lowers from ball joint. Be careful and go slow. Don't recall if lower ball joint has to be removed to get spring out. Note position of spring for reassembly. After lower control arm lowers and jack removed you may have to step on lower control arm to push it down to remove spring. But just be careful with those springs. Stand to side when lowering jack just in case.

[87rado]

The haynes manual says you should use a spring compressor, but I am not sure if you would need it on already lowered springs. It says to put the front end up on stands so you let the control arms hang free.

Take off one end of the shocks.

Disconnect stabilizer bar from lower control arm.

It states to chain the spring to the lower control arm as a safety.

This is the point where you use the spring compressor.

Then you remove the two u-bolts that attaches the arm to the crossmember.


I am not sure I like the idea of removing the lower control arm from the CM. I am leery of it going back in the sweet spot.
I have just 2" drops on the front of mine. OEM springs and full size shocks. I have a weak spring though and will replace both when I get ready to do my shocks pretty soon.

[old Rusty C10]

im not sure about drop springs but on my old RWD impala and on th 86 C10 2WD and the 86 monte carlo when i did springs i put the vehicle on jack stands and loosened the lower control arm took off the shock ( which i replaced at the same time anyway )and the sway bar and used the jack under the lower arm and it popped out easy the hard part was using a long prybar and spring compressors to get the new spring to sort of seat in there.. bear in mind tho i wasnt using a lowering spring but cargo coils for my applications i like a truck and car to sit factory height or better

[xtreme80]

Well, I can almost guarantee I won't be loosening anything with the LCA as long as I can help it. I'm too afraid of doing that and messing up my alignment. It's at perfect alignment now, and don't wanna mess with that if I can help it.

Looks like I'm going to be using pkbinplano's idea for now and hopefully that will work. Thanks alot bud!

[dhughins]

just put in 3 inch drop springs today and i had to undo sway bar. undo caliper, steering arm then unattach the upper control arm from the spindle and let it hang down. then i had to jack my truck up a little to get the spring out, took me all freakin day so tomorrow im gonna flip the rear for a 5 inch drop.

[BaddBusa2005]

I just lowered the front my truck this past weekend.

I removed the lower shock bolt, unbolted the sway bar from the lower A-arm, loosened the lower ball joint nut a little, smacked the crap out of the spindle until it popped loose from the spindle. With a jack under the lower A-arm, I loosened the nut all the way. Then slowly lowered the jack until the spring fell out.

I did this all while the front of the truck was on jack stands.