[Texasbikers]

It' time to put in my new coils. Question, never done this before.

I know I have to do this.
1. jack up car and jack stands under frame
2. Wheels off (obvious I know)
3. Jack under A-arm support with pressure but not lift the car
4. Remove shock and sway bar
5. Now what? Which ball joint, the BIG nut with cotter key, do I remove?
6. Then when I lower the jack slowly will it push out?
7. Anything else?
Thans guys!

 

[r.n.r.racing]

Just did this to Shotrods car yesterday so it is still fresh on my mind.

1. jack up car high in front and support on jackstands.
2. remove the front brake lines at the hard line to rubber connection so they won't be pulled apart.
3. remove the shock
3a. remove sway bar end links
4. place jack under lower control arm and jack up slightly.
5. remove the cotter pins and nuts on both upper and lower ball joints and seperate them.
6. swing the upper control arm off the spindle
7. lift the spindle with the tie rod still attached off the lower control arm and set on ground.
8. now you can do one of two things to get the spring out. a) heat up spring with a torch so that it compresses as you jack up the lower control arm or b) use a spring compressor to compress the spring.
9. lower the jack under lower control arm and the spring should just fall out.
10. reverse everything to put it all back together.
11. bleed the front brakes

Gary was able to get the new springs in without compressing them, so you may be lucky and able to do the same thing. Just be sure that they are oriented correctly when first starting.

Hope this helps some.

 

[5.0 Chero]

One other point I always leave the shock attached until I remove the spindle it will keep spring in place if something happens while removing spindle also place the floor jack under the ball joint so it can roll toward the car when lowering it to remove spring
If your car has a strut arm that will need to unbolted from lower control arm as well

 

[Mroldfart2U]

That is the one of many proper proceedures and work well (specially the heat from a tourch to "collapse" the spring, BUT if you can and no torch avail, use a small length of chain on the inside of coil, collapse as much as possible by Jacking the lower arm up till you just start to lift car off of stand, then loop chain around an upper and lower coil bolt the ends of chain together an the INSIDE of the coil, let pressure off of jack spring should fall out.... The chain removal is the tricky part but can be done by placing the spring back under car under a frame rail and lowering the car carefully down on spring to re-compress... remove nut/bolt jack car back up..

 

[FORD40]

1. jack up car high in front and support on jack stands.
2. remove the shock
3. remove sway bar end links
4. place jack under lower control arm and jack up slightly.
5. remove the cotter pins and nuts on the lower ball joints and separate
6. lower the jack under lower control arm and the spring should just fall out
No need to remove the upper ball joint or brake lines.
no need to heat spring when you lower it it will lose all pressure I just did mine on a 64 galaxie.

 

[puttster]

Ford 40, sounds pretty much like the shop manual says for a 1965, except also remove brake backing plate from spindle. Glad I don't have a 64

 

[PSIG]

Good list. The same procedure is in your Ford Shop Manual. Ron added brake and UBJ removal to not only get them out of the way, but because the upper and lower control arm bushings were being replaced. Removing the spindle as Ron listed (less than a minute extra) also allows a better and clear angle for the jack to raise the arm and compress the new spring into place without a compressor or chain. Sometimes a little extra in one area saves time or grief in another. Do what works for you and is safe.

David

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

REMOVE THE SHOCK LAST!!!!!! Leave it in there until it's the last to come off before lowering the LCA.

You must have the car high enough off the ground to allow the LCA to drop fully vertical and still have room for the jack to slide under it.

The springs will not shoot out if the jack is lowered slowly all the way, but always stand back and to the side if you are unfamiliar with doing this. The spring can be gently removed at that point.