Coil spring help please

Hi,I have a 1969 mustang that will be getting new coil springs.I rented the internal compressor from auto zone,,My question is do you have to remove anything besides the tires and struts? Thanks so much..  

Just need to know if I need a ball joint fork tool...Dont want to start this until I have all the tools..Thanks  

no...  you won't need a ball joint tool...

there are several videos on the web about doing this...

support car on jackstands... under the frame...

remove wheel...    place  a bottle or floor jack under the suspension to lift it slightly .. this gives you more room to get at the shock bolts then the spring perch bolts..

you can now remove the shock and the top bracket.. .

you will also want to remove the outer cover on the spring..   six or 8 bolts holding the sheet metal  device over the spring on in the wheel well....  

this has the upper suspension bumper on them..  so when it goes back on.. it should be tight.

you will want to make sure the threads on the puller shaft and the thrust washers are properly greased to reduce friction...

you will also need to make sure the spring compressor fingers are properly centered in the spring.. so it does not pull one way or the other..  and not so far down that you cannot release it far enough to UNcompress the spring tension before it runs out of the threads...

i have been done these for years as i have a 70 ranchero.. i almost always need a big screw driver.. 3 foot long THICK version to keep the spring compressor in location..   you might if you don't have one of those pick up one of harbor freights tire spoon.. they are only 5 bucks. item 93230   this is a made in india tire tool made.. at least the one i have of REAL steel..



these will help get the new spring centered on the spring perch when releasing the pressure after installation..

you do have to remove the spring perch... to get the spring in and out...

some people cut the spring to get them out..   this prevents you from being able to reinstall them if you don't like your new springs...   be careful of the selection you make.. there are a LOT of variations..


this is a good video of removing them...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrRPOZos9bY


i have not looked around this mustang monthly web site.. i do know that some have videos .. i wonder ...  

Thank you so much,,,I will be going to Harbor freight tomorrow,,Its only 10min from my house..  

at AZ #27035 in the loan a tool section.. the fork tool goes on top of the shock tower.. at least thats the only way i have ever been able to use it.




at Oreillys #W80554


if you notice in the video there is a spacer below the hexnut on the shaft.. that is a galvanized pipe from the hardware store..    this reduces the gap between the two sections. without something like that.. you will run into the issue of the threaded bolt bottoming out into the spring perch...

you may also want to have a long 1/2" drive ratchet. or a ratchet head breaker bar to turn the spring compressor bolt...



hf item 67957  

If it goes on top of the shock tower how will you be able to get the spring out? I was thinking that fork went in between the spring towards the top but under the shock tower???  

the puller with 4 fingers  can be used to remove the spring.. with the compressor installed... then loosen the compressor bolt to free up the spring..  this is why you need a short section of pipe.. between the sliding finger section and the head of the bolt..


the puller with a FORKED tool has fingers TOO LONG to fit into the shock tower..  unless you intend on using a metal cutoff disc to shorten them..   you will still need a section of water pipe to prevent the bolt from going so far through the lower set of fingers and impacting the spring perch..

i actually have both sets of pullers.. i normally use the fork version.. with it sitting across the opening at the top of the shock tower.. .. pull the spring up...   remove spring perch..   release the compressor and the spring comes out..

insert the new spring with the rubber or urethane spring isolator at the top..  catch it with the spring compressor..  crank it up..  keeping everything centered.. so you are not pulling the spring to the side..  this is why i use the big prybar...  i actually use an electric 1/2" drive impact..   i sometimes have to help lever the spring into the proper position for the spring compressor to catch the fingers under the coils..


i looked above... i only saw 3 videos...   with as many mustang as people do this.. i would think that the staff might post a good video there..

it might be in the tech or how to section also...   have you checked there..  

perhaps i should review some of my printed professional service manuals.. see if i am missing a secret...

more people will add to this as they come home from work and log in...  

from about 4 minutes in to almost 6 minutes is the coil spring removal...

the forked tool is used instead of the neat disc tool...

i never though about using a NUT on the threaded shaft where it sticks through the fork..

i would use several grade 8 flat washers with grease on them to act as a thrust washer to make turning the nut easier..  be sure to use a Grade 8 nut..  and there are also extra thick and extra large hex nuts available in some hardware stores..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyzoG674X6s

hope this helps..

were you able to see the video i linked a few answers up...  

I saw it,thanks,,,,So when the spring comes up remove the spring perch and slowly release the spring..Then put the new spring on wind it up and then install the spring perch and then release the spring back down on the spring perch?  

one more question,should I put the hooks in the middle of the spring or closer to the bottom?  

probably half to 2/3rds down...  so you still have some threads to unwind to release the tension..

do you have new spring perches to go in????

if your car comes out a little lower than you want...

i have on my ranchero.. knocked out the perch bolts.. replaced them with longer Grade 8 versions and installed some grade 8 washers between the spring perch and the top of the upper control arm.. this gave me the ability to adjust the ride height without needing to install various thickness spring seats at the top..  i also installed a grade 8 flat washer under the control arm then the nut..

all this is after you have it together and have driven it.. to let it settle..

on a friends 66/67 fairlane.. i found that the shocks were too long.. and limited the compression stroke..  so i ground the heads down on some carriage bolts.. so i could slip them into the slots .. then i installed some stacked fender washers to raise the upper shock bracket.. this inch and a half or so.. allowed the shock piston to be closer to the center of the stroke where it should be..   he did not want to spend more money on anything but getting it running..

i have pictures somewhere if you would like to see my washer inventions...

i don't know if there is room on a mustang for the washers under the shock tower.. or if you even need them..  he has tubular upper control arms..  

Right now I think the old springs are fully compressed due to age..The front is sitting low and if I get on it the front lifts up a lot,,,Normal driving sometimes I hear the front tires squealing..Funny that I replaced almost everything and never the springs,,What was I thinking!!!  The car sits in my garage and I take it out only for car shows,,,I redid the whole car and even stripped the paint off the entire car by hand before flat bedding it to the paint shop.I wanted to make sure the body was perfect and for the most part it was.

and my other toy,,,,as you can see I am a FORD guy.lol


 

I just ordered new coil seat perches and polyurethane spring insulators.  So now this will delay me doing this job  

Right now I think the old springs are fully compressed due to age..

funny.. the front end does not look low...


The front is sitting low and if I get on it the front lifts up a lot,

hmm... perhaps just slightly stiffer shocks...   the front end normally comes up when you get on it hard. usually because the back end is squatting as the leaf springs wind up and pull the back of the body downward..

,,Normal driving sometimes I hear the front tires squealing

how is your wheel alignment...    can you run your hands across the tires..  see if there is any abnormal wear.??     do you have real mustang disc brake spindles.. or granada disc brake spindles..   there are issues with the mustang front suspension with ackerman effect where the tires don't actually turn the exact amount needed.. so there is a slight squeal on turning corners on polished floors.. you may hear it..

do you have a GOOD wheel alignment shop in your area???  not a tire shop with young techs and computerized machines.... a middle aged guy with experience who only does wheel alignments all day long..  

some of the tire shops have great wheel alignment techs.. but i worked at a major tire store in the early part of my working life..  i was told just get it on the machine and select the worst side and make it match the better side..

the problem is.. the amount of  range in the GREEN section on computerized aligners..

it can be half a degree.. between left and right.. sometimes more..   with the wider tires you have on your car.. there are specific wheel alignment settings that you are going to want to aim for to make it handle the best..


if your tires rub the fenders.. thats one thing.. i think you might be chasing ghosts....

what do the other forum members think of the ride height...

can you post a side image of your car..  

I will try and find some pics...I know it doesnt look like its sitting low but you cant get the front end to bounce down at all.I mean I could jump on the bumper and nothing.Like its bottoming out.The tires squeal going straight..They are Granada spindles.I changed everything but the front springs..So now I just bought new shocks all the way around and new springs.