changing front springs

GT Rob · Mar 1, 2010

Going to change front springs this weekend is there a good write up i can use. Thanks for any help

cntchds · Mar 1, 2010

http://mustangworld.com/ourpics/fcar/steedaspring1.htm

Is the one I used. Good luck.

Javi · Mar 1, 2010

the beauty of our cars, no spring compressor is needed to change out springs!! :grin:

what spring you are installing?

GT Rob · Mar 1, 2010

i bought a set from 330cube gt

MustangChris · Mar 1, 2010

i suggest using a compressor simply for safety's sake.

GT Rob · Mar 1, 2010

well the auto parts change them out for me

cntchds · Mar 2, 2010

No. And you can't work in their lots usually. It's not hard to do, and just takes a little time. Paying someone to do the job would cost hundreds of dollars. You can do it with some wrenches, jackstands, and a jack.

GT Rob · Mar 2, 2010

very mind that auto parts commint i thought that the spring and the shock where together.yea i'm going to do it myself

danielson631 · Mar 4, 2010

i decide to install mine and i didnt even have the right sockets. i went to autozone and picked up i think it was 3/8 drives 15mm, 18,19 and 21mm? something along those lines give or take one. whatever write up you use should have all the tools needed.

if its your first time installing springs do it somewhere that incase you get stuck, you can leave it overnight.

and as far as a spring compressor, safety wise its a good idea, but i didnt use it. make sure when your lowering the a arm you do it nice and slow and make sure the spring is fully decompressed when you go to take it out.

soak the ISO in pb blaster a while before it will help a lot. that goes with just about every bolt. the pb blaster will be your best friend along with air tools if you have access to them. oh and when your done give it a week or so and make sure you get an alignment.

danielson631 · Mar 5, 2010

cntchds said:
http://mustangworld.com/ourpics/fcar/steedaspring1.htm

Rob, are you installing just springs or struts as well? if your just doing the springs i suggest using this write up. its what i used and its a lot better then the one above, IMO. i think there was a lot of unnecessary steps such as removing the struts, and in the rear why remove the quad shocks?

http://www.americanmuscle.com/h-r-ss-spring-96-04-install.html

in this write up though, there was no need to remove the rotors. Or the tie rods

i didnt know anybetter so i went and took the tie rods off. one of them didnt want to budge. i was trying forever and banging the **** out of it. then i went to pepboys and for 15bucks picked up a tie rod puller and it did the job with ease.
then someone told me i didnt have to remove them.

the rotors, i didnt have a breaker bar and i couldnt remove the two bolts, so i just left them on and everything still went smooth.

JDwhite98gt · Mar 5, 2010

Rotors arent held on with bolts, they are held in by the caliper. If you take the outter tie rod end out of the spindle it gives the spindle a full range of motion and more room to kick the spring out. If you drop the outer tire rod end out of the spindle and let the A arm drop down slowly there is no longer any tension on the spring and in most cases is just stuck in there so you dont need a spring compressor, dont waste your time or money on one, just kick the spring and it simply falls out.

danielson631 · Mar 5, 2010

JDwhite98gt said:
Rotors arent held on with bolts, they are held in by the caliper.

didnt say the rotors themselves were held on by bolts i was refering to the two bolts holding caliper, that you need to remove in order to get them off

xsoutherngun89x · Mar 5, 2010

pretty simple jack up the car on stands, then put the jack under your lower control arm then jack until it has a little weight on it, unbolt your caliper and set it to the side(you dont want to stretch your lines), unbolt the strut, take the nut off the anti-roll bar, then slowly lower the jack until all pressure is out. It will seem as if there is still pressure on the spring but it is minimal. Take you a long ass flat head screwdiver and pry the bottom of the spring up, it will pop out. Do the opposite to put everything back on, then do the same on the other side.