Front End rebuild
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,635
Likes: 8
From: Enid Oklahoma
I'm doing my 81's front end now...it's about 98 here in Florida and damn it's hot and humid in the garage!! I'm having a hell of a time getting the springs back in correctly, in the frame pockets in particluar. I'm off today to find a better spring compressor, I tried the local parts store loaner tool, but couldn't get the SOB out through the control arm when it was installed (it's a funky design with a plate on one end), it was to damn big to fit through the hole. I also tried using the floor jack, but can't get the bend right to get the springs in the frame pockets....all this with sweat running in your eyes son-of-a....!!!!
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,116
Likes: 5
From: Middleburg Florida
Thank guys, I found a spring compressor that should hold the spring in the correct shape to get it installed properly. I'm guess'n it'll be a combination of that, what Chris did and what 81Pilot did!!
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,532
Likes: 14
From: Dallas-Fort Worth TX
I guess I got lucky with not needing a spring compressor. I have the 550's springs and they are considerably shorter than the stock spring, so not compression required removing or installing. Getting the spring back in is tricky, you need two people, one working the jack very slowly and the other hand guiding the spring into the upper pocket, it will go in sort of crooked based on the angle but once the lower control arm is jacked up it lines up.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,635
Likes: 8
From: Enid Oklahoma
OK the alignment shop guy was an idiot. He said I needed to get offset arms to get the caster in spec. Today I moved the lone shim on the front to the rear and it does not pull at all anymore and I retained the camber, from now on I am doing the alignments!!!! That money down the drain!
