Fitting front springs

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

I have to fit some Std height springs to the FE, the 2" drop springs went in real easy, but I am having trouble getting the Std height ones in.
The FE manual is no help and spring compressors get in the way.
Any help appreciated.

[Dave_EH]

stinky,
i've never attempted this myself, however I believe that springs sometimes come compressed (when new) and are wired down tight so to fit in easily. once youve set the front end back up, the wires can be cut and the springs are right to go.

I guess you could use a trolley jack or something similar under a bench (or something similar) and wire the springs shut at compression to fit them.

If im wrong please ignore my comment, however a mate mentioned this method once before.

good luck
Dave

[sgo]

I wouldn't want my fingers or head too close if the wire snapped!
You could try a long threaded rod fed through the shocker mount holes  with nuts fitted to wind the  lower wishbone up till you can get a jack under it?

[Chuck]

Stinky

You could try making your own spring compressor.  I have done this a number of times myself when fitting springs.  Get some booker rod (threaded rod), probably about 12mm and some nuts from your local hardware store.  Drill a 12-13mm hole through some scrap steel plate that is larger than the bottom shock absorber hole and another 12-13mm hole through another piece of scrap steel that is larger than the top shock absorber mount.  Place your spring into the front end and close your bottom control arm until it is hard against the spring.  Then pass the booker rod through the shock absorber holes thread the plates and compress the spring by tightening the nuts.

Chuck

[Chuck]

SGO beat me to it!  

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

Thanks guys, the lower control arm isn't really the issue. The spring is too long to get anywhere near it's seat in the lower control arm to start compressing.
Wiring the compressed springs seems the better idea, but it would want to be strong wire.

Then again a variation on SGO's idea would be better, but I'll attach the bottom piece to the spring and wind it up on the car until I can close the control arm properly.

Off to the hardware store!!

[ChrisB]

Funny Stinky how we all seem to have similar ideas,
when I refitted mine I had the booker rod through the top and bottom shocker mount points and had a square plate at both ends that enabled me to wind the bottom control arm up until I could attach the bottom bushes for the knuckle, only trouble is you have to make sure the springs sits nicely on the bottom control arm. This makes it easier to fit the bushes into the knucke as you get infinite adjustment. I made up a spring compressor to compress the springs like you do on fords, but it didnt compress enough for attaching bushes.

Hope this helps
ChrisB  

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

I haven't tried it yet, I had to get the car on a trailer to get the windscreen and rear screen fitted.
In desperation I cut a couple of pieces of 2x4 to put between the lower control arm and lower stop. The bonus of no suspension seemed to be a better behaved trailer.

[Burnsy]

Stinky, is this an original front end (you mentioned the FE manual) or is it a HR one.  If it is a kingpin front, are you going to be disposing of the lowered springs you took out as I could be interested.  Alternatively, can you fill me in on where you got the lowered springs and what they travelled like?  My front end sits higher than my rear at the moment and needs to be remedied!

Cheers,
Burnsy

[ChrisB]

Burnsy,
simple fix for sagging springs is to fit a set of wagon srings as has been discussed before on the forum. They have an extra leaf.
I was lucky to pick up a set off a wagon and they had been reset at the spring place, cost me $40 for the springs

ChrisB  

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

Burnsy, they are HR springs, I actually have two sets of lowered springs. The ones that originally came with the front-end look to be "Dodgey Bros" brand as they have a little dag where it looks like they have been cut. Not sure about the other pair though. As to ride quality, the car has not been driven yet so I wouldn't know, sorry.

[Burnsy]

Thanks Stinky, I will look into a new set.  Chris, I have looked at that option and actually have a set available but I like my saggy arse and want to drop my front to match.

Burnsy

[Al]

stinky,
           Take the springs to a workshop ask if you or they could compress the springs in their press and wire the springs in 3 areas around the springs.

      Cheers Al