550 lb spring install?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 100
Likes: 1
550 lb spring install?
I have had a nightmare trying to re-install my front springs. Turns out they are 15 1/2" tall, not 13". (It was hell getting them out also) So I now have the 550 lb spring from VBP. Very easy to install, but it does not seat well. I have it seated in the lower pocket, splitting the drain hole, but the top of the spring overides the top pocket by 1/2 to 3/4". Do I now have to remove the spring and cut it to fit? It seems the quality and fit of our parts really suck! Seems like almost every part on my front end rebuild has needed some reworking.
Pro
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 581
Likes: 5
From: BC
I have had a nightmare trying to re-install my front springs. Turns out they are 15 1/2" tall, not 13". (It was hell getting them out also) So I now have the 550 lb spring from VBP. Very easy to install, but it does not seat well. I have it seated in the lower pocket, splitting the drain hole, but the top of the spring overides the top pocket by 1/2 to 3/4". Do I now have to remove the spring and cut it to fit? It seems the quality and fit of our parts really suck! Seems like almost every part on my front end rebuild has needed some reworking.
Steve g
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
Likes: 72
From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 100
Likes: 1
I did have my screwdriver splitting the upper hole as discussd in the forums, but the bottom coil did not sit very well in the lower arm. I just felt uncomfortable with it. I guess it will not go anywhere. Thanks guys!
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Just got mine installed, 550 springs. Make sure that the end of the coil with a little dent/line on the side of it goes on the bottom A-Arm and align the the top coil with the Upper A-Arm inspection hole. HAd to do mine twicw because I did not catch this the first time.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
I aligned the spring to the upper spring pocket inspection hole, put a bolt in the hole and rotated the spring until it just touched the bolt. I did not worry about where the bottom lined up at.
If you don't have the springs in yet take a flashlite and look up inside the upper spring pocket, you will see a where the spring should go and where it should stop.
If you don't have the springs in yet take a flashlite and look up inside the upper spring pocket, you will see a where the spring should go and where it should stop.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Redondo Beach, California
Getting them in the frame pocket has always been an issue with me. My recollection is that the last time I laid a 2X4 against the spring and then wacked it a couple of times with a mallet to get the spring to pop into the upper frame correctly.
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On my open frame, to compress the spring, I chained a floor jack to the frame and then placed the extention arm of the jack under the lower control arm and jacked it up compressing the spring. Very easy.
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On my open frame, to compress the spring, I chained a floor jack to the frame and then placed the extention arm of the jack under the lower control arm and jacked it up compressing the spring. Very easy.
