installing front springs

[73corvette4x4]

i'm doing a frame off on a 73 cp.i have the frame on a rotisseree.is there an easy way to install the springs.with the body off the car,there isn't enough weight to use a jack.the outside spring compressors are to bulky because so much of the spring is inside the frame.anybody have any ideals.thanks skip.

 

[Alloydude]

I just did the springs on my 74 with Moog 5758 constant rate springs. They where significantly shorter than the original progressive ratesprings by about 4 inches and needed very little compression to get them in. I ended up using my internal spring compressor with the 4 hooks. I removed the free floating set of hooks and placed the threaded rod with fixt nut thru the shock tower hole and the other end threaded into the hooks and was able to compressedthe spring in that manner. Keep in mind my springs where shorter so I only needed minimal compression. I’d be somewhat hesitant to do it in this manner with a stock length spring.<o></o>

 

[73corvette4x4]

front springs

a good ideal on the internal compressor.i just finished installing the springs which were full length replacements.,i rented a inside compressor from autozone,it had single arms,i put the rod up through the shock hole and tigfhtened it up,the only thing we had to do was pull the spring sideways so it went in the bottom.thanks for your info.skip

 

[Alloydude]

Awesome!!! Yeah, removing or installing coils scares the crap outa me lol. Glad it worked out. Kurt<o></o>

 

[DaytonaBob]

When I replaced the ill advised big block springs out of my 80 and replaced them with the 550lb gymkhana's I just chained the coils to the lower A arm and just lowered it with a floor jack. I was a first timer for this job too. Because the BB and Gymkhana springs are shorter than stock there was hardly any tension as I began to lower the arm and they bascially just fell out. No problems, no fender wells or body parts were harmed during this event.
I will say, I wouldn't necessarily try this with the stock springs since they are several inches longer. Having the coil compressor is the way to go. As a note on the spring compressor... a friend of mine just replaced the coils on his 68 Camaro and had purchased a nice set of spring compressors. He let me borrow them only to find out that there is no (as in zero) space on the outside of the coils to place a compressor. It has to be done from the inside, as described in earlier posts.