how hard to install springs

[Bluextc]

Should I attempt it myself when they get here, or just wait til spring and have them installed when the new wheels go on?

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Assuming you have a decent selection of tools, jack stands, a nice floor jack, and either an impact or a torch, it's very very doable. Of course you can do it with less, but then you will hate it.

It would only take a day, working leisurely, even with only hand tools. IMpact's and heat or nice to have though, especially if you are doing struts too.

 

[Bluextc]

Only have basic tools. Was supposed to get a nice set for Valentines day last year, but it got forgotten. Maybe I should just wait for the wheels, was thinking about getting uca's, so maybe I'll just get it all done at once.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Well, tool's are always an investment. You could spend the install money on tools, and then still have the tools for another day. But I did mine that way, I did, spring's, strut's, lower CA's, Mid-pipe, and cat back. I hate jacking up the car, lol.

 

[Dalamar]

I'd have someone else do it, it can be hairy if you dont' get them un-compressed right, and you'll need more tools.

 

[AaRoN]

Well, tool's are always an investment. You could spend the install money on tools, and then still have the tools for another day. But I did mine that way, I did, spring's, strut's, lower CA's, Mid-pipe, and cat back. I hate jacking up the car, lol.

Best way to do it...ALL at once :santa_grin:

 

[Bluextc]

Well, tool's are always an investment. You could spend the install money on tools, and then still have the tools for another day. But I did mine that way, I did, spring's, strut's, lower CA's, Mid-pipe, and cat back. I hate jacking up the car, lol.

Got a $400 credit at my shop, so I won't actually be spending any money to do it. So I'm thinking I will just wait.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I'd have someone else do it, it can be hairy if you dont' get them un-compressed right, and you'll need more tools.

I was worried about that, so I rented a compressor from Vatozone, you should have seen me, as far away as I could get, up against the door lower the jack, lol. It turned out I had to pry them out with a bar, lol.

And on mine the lower "dead" coil was broke off on both sides, just chillen in the pocket.

 

[GDawg]

Springs are a good "beginner" hands on project. If you are going from stock to aftermarket, the stock should be easy to take out if you lower the A arms all the way. After market (if for lower drop) should be shorter and not a problem to put in. Piece of cake. Normal shop tools are all that's required.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Well, tool's are always an investment. You could spend the install money on tools, and then still have the tools for another day. But I did mine that way, I did, spring's, strut's, lower CA's, Mid-pipe, and cat back. I hate jacking up the car, lol.

Got a $400 credit at my shop, so I won't actually be spending any money to do it. So I'm thinking I will just wait.

Ah, well then let them do it, lol

 

[reivaxtorres]

i did mine with a 1/2" ratchet + sockets, a 3/4" ratchet + socket, 4 jack stands, a craftsman 3 ton jack, and a rubber mallet. pretty easy if you ask me.

to decompress the front spring, its easiest to:
1) place jack under the control arm, lifting it about 1cm.
2) remove caliper, brackets, and rotors
3) unbolt strut from the knuckle (hub)
4) unbolt sway bar from the link
5) unbolt the tie rod from the knuckle (this is where the 3/4" ratchet comes into play, along with a metal or rubber mallet)
6) spray the bottom of the spring with either wd-40 or some other lube.
7) once everything is unbolted, SLOWLY lower the jack until it goes lower than the control arm, and then just get it out of the way.
8 ) push down on the control arm as far as you can get it. if you are doing it yourself (dont suggest it, always good to have extra hands just in case) you can push down with your foot
9) remove old spring
10) transfer isolators (if you want to keep them...i suggest you do) onto the new springs
11) push down on control arm again, and install new spring. make sure you got it the way its supposed to be, with the tail of the spring matching the control arm indentation
12) put the jack back under the control arm and lift it, lining up the strut to the holes
13) bolt everything back on.
14) do the other side.


for the rears:
1) unbolt and remove the sway bar, if you have one.
2) place jack under control arm, closest to the axle as you can, and lift a little (about 1cm again)
3) unbolt control arm from the axle
4) SLOWLY lower control arm
5) spring falls out. transfer isolators
6) install new spring, with the tail of the spring facing the front of the car. manually lift the control arm to lock the spring in place, and place jack under the control arm again
7) lift the control arm with the jack till the holes line up for the control arm
8 ) bolt it back on
9) do other side
10) re-install sway bar


it was really easy when i did it this way, took me about 40 minutes for the front (each side), and about 15 for the rear (also each side.....didnt have a sway bar)

 

[MrNiceGuy]

i did mine myself with basic hand tools in my driveway.. took half a day with me dickin around..

on a scale of 1-10 i would say its a 6 or 7.. it wasnt too hard but if you have never turned wrenches i suggest you just have the shop do it..

 

[LI98GT]

i did mine with a 1/2" ratchet + sockets, a 3/4" ratchet + socket, 4 jack stands, a craftsman 3 ton jack, and a rubber mallet. pretty easy if you ask me.

to decompress the front spring, its easiest to:
1) place jack under the control arm, lifting it about 1cm.
2) remove caliper, brackets, and rotors
3) unbolt strut from the knuckle (hub)
4) unbolt sway bar from the link
5) unbolt the tie rod from the knuckle (this is where the 3/4" ratchet comes into play, along with a metal or rubber mallet)
6) spray the bottom of the spring with either wd-40 or some other lube.
7) once everything is unbolted, SLOWLY lower the jack until it goes lower than the control arm, and then just get it out of the way.
8 ) push down on the control arm as far as you can get it. if you are doing it yourself (dont suggest it, always good to have extra hands just in case) you can push down with your foot
9) remove old spring
10) transfer isolators (if you want to keep them...i suggest you do) onto the new springs
11) push down on control arm again, and install new spring. make sure you got it the way its supposed to be, with the tail of the spring matching the control arm indentation
12) put the jack back under the control arm and lift it, lining up the strut to the holes
13) bolt everything back on.
14) do the other side.


for the rears:
1) unbolt and remove the sway bar, if you have one.
2) place jack under control arm, closest to the axle as you can, and lift a little (about 1cm again)
3) unbolt control arm from the axle
4) SLOWLY lower control arm
5) spring falls out. transfer isolators
6) install new spring, with the tail of the spring facing the front of the car. manually lift the control arm to lock the spring in place, and place jack under the control arm again
7) lift the control arm with the jack till the holes line up for the control arm
8 ) bolt it back on
9) do other side
10) re-install sway bar


it was really easy when i did it this way, took me about 40 minutes for the front (each side), and about 15 for the rear (also each side.....didnt have a sway bar)

Nice write-up torres. I would only add that I used a pry bar on the stock spring in the front to persuade them out of the perches and that for the rear I borrowed a second jack to assist in aligning the rear with the bolt holes for the shocks, while the other jack had a good firm hold supporting the rearend.

I like to work on my car, which is what motivated me to do the install, but I can see if you don't have all the tools and space, having it done at the shop. It's not too hard of a job really. And I would do the LCAs at the same time as the springs have to come out again when those get swapped out.

Good luck on the install and make sure you post updated pics and your impressions when your done.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I needed to use my jack handle to get my front's out as well.

 

[Red96GT]

Caster camber plates add to the difficulty a bit. I had mine done at a shop i didn't trust myself drilling holes into the strut tower but I'm a really cautious person.

 

[reivaxtorres]

i did mine with a 1/2" ratchet + sockets, a 3/4" ratchet + socket, 4 jack stands, a craftsman 3 ton jack, and a rubber mallet. pretty easy if you ask me.

to decompress the front spring, its easiest to:
1) place jack under the control arm, lifting it about 1cm.
2) remove caliper, brackets, and rotors
3) unbolt strut from the knuckle (hub)
4) unbolt sway bar from the link
5) unbolt the tie rod from the knuckle (this is where the 3/4" ratchet comes into play, along with a metal or rubber mallet)
6) spray the bottom of the spring with either wd-40 or some other lube.
7) once everything is unbolted, SLOWLY lower the jack until it goes lower than the control arm, and then just get it out of the way.
8 ) push down on the control arm as far as you can get it. if you are doing it yourself (dont suggest it, always good to have extra hands just in case) you can push down with your foot
9) remove old spring
10) transfer isolators (if you want to keep them...i suggest you do) onto the new springs
11) push down on control arm again, and install new spring. make sure you got it the way its supposed to be, with the tail of the spring matching the control arm indentation
12) put the jack back under the control arm and lift it, lining up the strut to the holes
13) bolt everything back on.
14) do the other side.


for the rears:
1) unbolt and remove the sway bar, if you have one.
2) place jack under control arm, closest to the axle as you can, and lift a little (about 1cm again)
3) unbolt control arm from the axle
4) SLOWLY lower control arm
5) spring falls out. transfer isolators
6) install new spring, with the tail of the spring facing the front of the car. manually lift the control arm to lock the spring in place, and place jack under the control arm again
7) lift the control arm with the jack till the holes line up for the control arm
8 ) bolt it back on
9) do other side
10) re-install sway bar


it was really easy when i did it this way, took me about 40 minutes for the front (each side), and about 15 for the rear (also each side.....didnt have a sway bar)

Nice write-up torres. I would only add that I used a pry bar on the stock spring in the front to persuade them out of the perches and that for the rear I borrowed a second jack to assist in aligning the rear with the bolt holes for the shocks, while the other jack had a good firm hold supporting the rearend.

I like to work on my car, which is what motivated me to do the install, but I can see if you don't have all the tools and space, having it done at the shop. It's not too hard of a job really. And I would do the LCAs at the same time as the springs have to come out again when those get swapped out.

Good luck on the install and make sure you post updated pics and your impressions when your done.

yeah, you could do it with a 2nd jack too, but i was able to do it with one. the shock does a pretty good job of holding the axle where its supposed to be.

ive heard of a lot of people using a pry bar or the tire iron to get the front springs on, but i was able to get them out with just my foot and the wd-40

as for the LCA's, yeah, do them at the same time. all it takes is an extra bolt to remove them, and once the springs are out, that one bolt is super easy. might need to loosen the catback to gain access to the bolt though.

 

[SRT Handz]

spring install is a piece of cake, you dont even need a spring compressor or have to remove the sway bar. In the front you just need to unbolt the sway bar from the end links.

there is a write up on Mustangworld.com

 

[free_ryde]

This might help

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

 

[SRT Handz]

the only thing wrong with the mustangworld write-up is that they remove the strut from CC Plate at the top. removing the 2 bolts at the spindle to remove the spring is a much better way.

you will need a 24mm Box End wrench to do the install

 

[Jrgunn5150]

the only thing wrong with the mustangworld write-up is that they remove the strut from CC Plate at the top. removing the 2 bolts at the spindle to remove the spring is a much better way.

you will need a 24mm Box End wrench to do the install

Car's in the midwest have those bolts rusted pretty thoroughly, really sucks.