How to fit standard springs.

[wot179]

Even though its a sin to fit standard length springs in a car, I did some for a fella today and thought Id take some pics in case anyone else should need to do it.

First I had one of these old spring compressors laying around which came in handy, cos the spring was just too bloody long to slip straight in.

I put it on one side of the spring and wound it up to put a bow in it, taking care that the end of the spring would be in the right spot to locate in the lower wishbone.



It wont fit in with the compressor on it, so I wired it up to allow me to take the compressor off.



Pop it in after putting a nylon insulator on top of it first.



Heres my new Wonder Tool.

This bit bolts to the shock mount on the lower wishbone. The big hole is 13mm and elongated a bit to allow the threaded rod to pivot through it.





This bit goes through it and up out the shock tower.






Its just a bit of 12mm threaded rod through a bit of 16mm roundbar.

Drilled and tapped the roundbar then shonky-welded it to stop it spinning. A nut and a few washers on the top to stop me mucking up the sexy painted xmember.

Then wind it up.



Cut the wire and remove.



Fit the bottom of the upright



Then the top


Job done!



Oh...and put a bit of lube on the threaded rod so the nut doesn't bind.

Makes the job a lot easier.

Enjoy.

[Devilrod]

There's that reminder why lowered springs are soooooo much better!

[Harv]

Cool tool.

I'm not a big fan of the clamp-in spring compressors... something feels wrong about that much energy loaded into a little rod.

I did mine another way, albeit a little more agricultural. It's a technique once used in some GMH service departments. With the spring in place, a jack is placed under the lower wishbone, and a chain run under the jack frame and up over the upper wishbone. The chain is locked into a loop with a D-shackle. As the jack is operated, the wishbones are squeezed together, compressing the spring. Gotta be a lot more careful with packing rags etc if front end is nice and shiny.

Cheers,
Harv

[wot179]

Ive jacked them in before as well, Harv, but it wasn't possible with the frontend sitting on the bench.

It feels a bit iffy doing it that way sometimes too with the car sometimes lifting off the jackstand as the spring compresses.

The 12mm threaded rod felt safe as houses. It wound up very easily with a bit of lube on the thread.



Yep, lowered springs go in sooo much easier.