Spring installation

Just ordered a set of Hotchkis F/R springs (the 350 model for correct stance) and I just wondered if you guys have any tips and trix on how to install them the easiest way?

And yeah, I've never done it before


:beer

 

The back springs just go in. Easiest way is to just undo the bottom shock bolt and drop the rearend with a floor jack. But watch your brake line. You don't want to go to far and rip that out. Then just slip the old ones out and the new ones in. It good to use new insulators also.

In the front, it's a lot more work. You'll need to remove the wheel. Then get the shock out. Next it's easiest to remove the brake stuff. This includes removing the brake caliper and rotor. Now you'll have to break loose the bottom ball joint on the control arm and lower part of brake spindle. Make sure you have a jack under the lower control arm when you're tapping it with the pickle fork or you could get seriously hurt. Also, leave the castle nut on about three threads while loosening the ball joint. Then you'll have much better control of everything. You may also want to tightly chain the spring to something else to keep it from launching out of there by accident. The other option is to put an inner spring compressor on the spring. There is a tremendous amount of stored energy in a front spring. Once the ball joint is free, the lower control arm can be slowly lowered down. The spring will now come out. After it's out, just slide the new one in. Here again you can put on an inner spring compressor. But I've never found it to be necessary when re-installing the new spring. Make sure it's seated in the cup on the top and that the spring end on the bottom is in it's stop in the lower control arm. Now you just jack the lower control arm back up and re-install the castle nut on the lower ball joint to the brake spindle. Re-assemble the brake system, put the wheel back on and take her for a ride!

Now wasn't that simple. ou: :eek2:

 

If you haven't changed out front springs before, you may be best off to find an alignment shop that will install them for you. It can be dangerous especially if you don't have or use the proper equipment.

 

Aprreciate it guys!
I do have access to spring compressors and a workshop with all necessary tools + a more experienced guy to help me if needed.
I was just thinking about if there were any special 'secrets' that could come in handy

Thanks for the excelent info. Will save this for later, spring (the season that is :grin: ) is near! Well allmost... :beer

 

The secret is to not get killed by the front springs. As expressed above a lot of energy is stored in the spring when compress. Just think it is holding up your car. Definetly put a chain through the sping and through the control arms. Never stand direclty in front of the spring or wheel well when decompressing the sping.

Mark

 

Just recieved the springs from Hotchkiss today (only 1 week delivery) and here's how they came and looked! (yepp, worthless cellphone camera)
502$ door to door, all the way to Sweden. VAT was about another 115 bucks though

Hope I get rid of most of the headder-scraping and get a more vicious stance

Later! :TU:

 

on the front springs,if your going to trash em anyways,take a torch to the middle & cut 'em first.or a sawzall,torch is more fun :laugh:watch your gasline!!!

 

I'm not going to trash anything p I bought them because my car was allready too low. So Im actually raising it with lowering springs :grin:

 

When I redid the car last year there was no engine in it so you can imagine the fun it was to remove and then replace the springs in the front end. ou: