well i finally have my engine mounted, my gforce xmember in so my headers will clear(my poor floor is now a little higher) and now i cant get my darn front springs back in, i took them out to bolt my mounts down, and now i cant get them back in, anyone have any secrets? i thing part of my problem is the lower arms will only go down so far because of the headers. im really starting to get discouraged. any suggestions are greatfully taken. dan :rant:
One suggestion from me would be to not take a hammer to your car. If you do that, you will be even more discouraged later. :TU: :grin:
You are correct. The front springs won't go in cause of the headers. Someone here had that problem before. Tricks? Don't do no tricks cause a front spring is not for suspension...IT IS DESIGNED TO KILL YOU AND SHOULD NEVER BE TAKEN LIGHTLY!!!!!!! As for hammering your car. I was close a few weeks ago. I had to walk away from my Pile. I used it twice in a month.
spring compressor will prolly do the trick... not the easiest/safest way to go but since you already have your headers in, its about your only choice without taking them back out. I took out the mounting bolts on the lower a-arm and just jacked the who thing up into place. Thing is, if you already have the headers in there and rear mounting bolt on the a-arm isnt flipped, you can't pull it out enough to get the arm off.
:Smarty: I ran into this on mine... NO SWEAT!!! Just drop off your springs in at a local shop to be sent in and banded. They will completely be compressed,just set them and reassemble, then cut the bands. Now I have heard rumors, that if the car is high enough the headers can be unbolted and tilted down some to gain that clearance. I have 1 7/8" primaries with a 3 1/2" collector on stock "71" 455 heads I did have to trim down some outside curved edges around the bushings. I really hope this helps some. Later
i have the 2 inch primarys and 31/2 colectors. standard v8 springs and ported stock stage 1 heads. gonna try again tonight and see what happens. going to try and leave the ball joint side connected and drop the other end. they say i will have alot more travel that way. thanks again everyone.dan
i agree, you need a spring compressor, also when you install headers in regals you need to trim the rear control arm bracket near bushing. andy
I'm afraid this comment will come too late for you but hopefully someone else will befefit: You don't actually have to remove the springs or lower control arms to bolt down the pads. Pick up a universal joint and use masking tape to secure it at a 45* angle. With the front wheels off the ground you'll have just enough clearance to reach up inside with your universal and grab the bolt.
I just did it last week....more commonly known as wobbly-sockets...they work quite well and can actually be done with car on the ground. As far as springs either get them compressed and banded or remove lower control arm bolts and jack into place flat w/ frame of car on stands. Use wire to secure spring in place to frame or upper arm first, so that it cannot become a projectile if something should go wrong. Hope that helps and good luck!
To All of The Brave Souls....... That remove or install springs without compressing them using the PROPER tools and procedures. If you are alive to read this, count yourself lucky no matter how many times you've gotten away with it. If you have never seen the real power stored up in a compressed coil spring for a V8 engined car, you really have no possible idea just how much damage can be done if one gets away from you. For chief06, I doubt you have the room to work with wire strong enough to hold onto a coil spring that gets away. If you are using something like 1/4" cable and the spring isn't too compressed, that may probably hold it. Trying not to preach here guys and gals but this can be and too often is a no kidding life ending event if a person gets in the way of one of these. To give you an illustration: Take a retractable ball point pen and set it so that the pen is ready to write. Pretty easy to compress, agreed? Turn the pen so it is pointing up in the air and, holding the pen near the 'clicker' end, press it down onto the top of your desk. Still pretty easy to do. Not much force required is there? Pretty easy to hold down too. Now let go of the pen, allowing it to jump up. Most pens will jump to a height approximately equal to their length. (Work can be very boring.... :laugh: ). Keep in mind that the spring didn't even release all of it's energy because it is still partially compressed in the pen. Multiply that force times several hundred or a thousand. That's why your car rides smooth and why you want to be doing everything possible to ensure that spring doesn't EVER get away from you when it is compressed, even just a very little bit. I'll jump off my soapbox now.... p
For those.....(Runnin' on th' Razors' Edge) That remove or install springs without compressing them using the PROPER tools and procedures. If you are alive to read this, count yourself lucky no matter how many times you've gotten away with it. If you have never seen the real power stored up in a compressed coil spring for a V8 engined car, you really have no possible idea just how much damage can be done if one gets away from you. I ran the Auto Hobby Shop at Bergstrom AFB . in 82-83' . Kid came in one day , shop was empty (about 60' wide) , I was tending the coffee pot and the TV I had set up . He dropped the shock on the D/S and then took the nut off the lower ball joint . Then , The " Bright Spark" got behind and beside it and whacked the snot out of the spindle with a BFH ..................... That spring shot out and took a half-block section of the wall 60' away ... :spank: It scared me but there was a stain on him ! I asked him if he learned anything ( he was alive according to the skid marks and the smell) . Get the right tool or have someone help you . They're deadly Steve
Springs Sorry " GS" I screwed up when I used your Quote . PS Where in Reno ? I was living there in 78-79', originally from Carson City . Next time ,or ever , If you're up near the Fair Grounds up on Wells Ave on the left just before the roads curves to the right was our "House" The Big Red Brick one with the garage underneath was it . Man what a Time , and a Great Location too. The House itself is too Cool .Had something like 15 windows along 2 walls of the kitchen . The Stove there was this massive Cast Iron White Ceramic with Bright Nickel Accents Wood / Electric Cookstove . I got it fired up for Thanksgiving . It was too much fun . Still miss the region to this day .We tried to move around Silver Springs here this last May . Didn't work ! Steve
Steve I live in the Virginia City Highlands. Top of the hill on the way into Virginia City. Work in the South Meadows area. You were most likely shocked at the changes from when you lived here before. I've only been here two years and it is amazing how much things have changed in that little time. Too bad Silver Springs didn't work out for you. There aren't many of us Buick guys around around here. Phil
