Tip on installing front spring w/o engine in place?

[Rob J]

Got my frame all painted, and have begun reassembly of the chassis. Looking for some tips to reinstall the front suspension springs without having the weight of the engine in place. Have have you guys done it before? Thanks.

[slacker1965]

you need to use a spring compressor that fits inside the spring....borrow or rent a quality unit, there is lots of stored energy in a compressed spring! if you don't have experience with this you are better off deferring to a professional.

[Bill Stoneberg]

Or you can do what I did, pile about 700 lbs of sand bags on the frame. Thet will usually let you compress the spring. I like to use a tow strap so it doesn't get away from me.

[South_paw]

This is the best way to do it. Works great to install or remove.

In this picture you can see the strap is wrapped around the frame rail and connected to the jack frame. As the jack is pumped up the chassis can't move and the spring gets compressed easily. If you want to be safer about it use a chain in place of the strap.

[rsmalling]

that is cool Lou!

[JZRIV]

Yea, Lous idea rocks! I hadn't thought of that one. I cut a 4x4 just the right length to span from the top of the frame to the ceiling centering it on a joist and tacking it in place with a couple screws just to hold it until pressure was applied.

[slacker1965]

not trying to be a jerk, but have any of you seen what can happen when a spring get's away from you?
I was working at a shop when a noob had one get away from his improperly installed compressor, it took a 5" chunk out of the slab floor before flying through a poured block wall......
be safe
just sayin'

[CTX-SLPR]

not trying to be a jerk, but have any of you seen what can happen when a spring get's away from you?
I was working at a shop when a noob had one get away from his improperly installed compressor, it took a 5" chunk out of the slab floor before flying through a poured block wall......
be safe
just sayin'

I chain mine to the lower control arm to prevent that very thing. Even if it breaks the chain, it'll have chewed up a lot of it's stored energy to do it.
I've used outside spring compressors to take out and install the springs on my '64. The hard part is knowing what coil to put them on so they don't get trapped in the spring pocket.

[RivNut]

I've never tried this but it came to mind while I was reading and re-reading some of the posts. Would it work to take a large diameter all-thread and put it through the spring and and secure it to the shock mounts on the control arms, then use a nut on the bottom and start cranking away. It would draw the two control arms together and contain the spring at the same time.

I'm anxious for someone to tell me why this won't work so I won't wind up like the guy in one of the previous posts.

Ed

[60FlatTop]

It is not hard to compress the front springs. We did it by hand, connecting the upper ball joint last. You just have to keep yelling "Push!, Push!, Push!" to your helper.

Bernie

[64R]

I don't have a picture handy but the one I use works very well, haven't done it on the Riv but have for other cars. There's the external type which are downright scary and the internal finger type which are a real pain to use. The one I have is internal, looks somewhat like ready rod and has a plate top and bottom that hook onto the spring, works great and feels very safe.

Found a link to one

Automotive Tools - Shop Equipment - Spring Compressor Front Coil (OTC: model 7045B) - The Parts Bin