Easy way to install coil springs in bare chassis

[Patrick B.]

Reading the various threads about ride height problems caused me to worry about the aftermarket springs I had installed in my 67 427/435 chassis. They were advertised as easy to install but not as stiff as F41 springs. With some effort I managed to get them in my chassis with ordinary Home Depot 1/2-13 threaded rod, but the rod bent in the process and the friction to turn the nut was high and worrysome regarding galling.

I wanted to put my stock springs back in, but I did not think the same process would work with springs so much taller (see pic 1) than the aftermarket springs that just getting them situated in the spring pockets would require some compression.


The solution was simple. I used some 7/16-20 threaded rod in the front and 9/16-18 threaded rod in the rear to replace the lower A-arm shaft bolts to allow the A-arm shaft to hang down 4"-5" below its usual position. This gave enough room that the long springs could be carefully positioned correctly in the upper and lower spring pockets. I got the threaded rods from an Amazon seller and they were of a hardened material called A-7 steel that had to be cut with a grinder cut off saw. Pics 2 and 3 show the dropped A-arm shaft and Pic 4 shows the beginning of tightening the long piece of 9/16 treaded rod inserted in the upper shock absorber hole and secured to a steel plate below the shock hole in the lower A-arm. I used a ball bearing from an engine harmonic ballancer installation tool under the upper nut on the treaded rod to make the nut easy to turn.


The installation was so easy and safe that it was actually fun. The spring compression was accomplished with the rod thru the spring, and the A-arm shaft was raised into place in several steps until the the shaft was tight againt the frame and the upper ball joint nut was in place. But there was not much bolt force required to raise the A-arm shaft with the spring compression rod in place. The piece of rod in the outer hole of the nut plate for the front of the A-arm shaft is only there to locate the A-arm shaft as it is tightened into place by the piece of 7/16-20 rod in the inboard hole. It is the first rod to be removed and replaced with the regular bolt. Next remove front inboard piece of rod and replace the bolt. Next remove the piece of rod at the rear of the A-arm shaft (the compression rod is still in place) and replace the bolt and lock nut. Finally remove the compression rod.


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[Mike M.]

Re: Easy way to install coil springs in bare chassis

i just happened to be in pat's shop last week( needed to have my kaiser-frazier 6 banger stamped--yeah, sure you all are saying) and i was given a look at pat's approach to compressing springs in mid year a-arms. pat's method is a hell of a lot easier and safer than some of the methods i've employed in the past. pat says he'll do an article for the Restorer. mike

[Steven B.]

Re: Easy way to install coil springs in bare chassis

How did they install at St. Louis? Fixture??

[Joe M.]

Re: Easy way to install coil springs in bare chassis

How they didn't install in St Louis.....

Way back in the late 60s. in my waning teen years, I put a sping in a bare 63 coupe chasis and when released, it just missed seating in the depression in the lower control arm. firgured to give it a twist with my hand. It popped into place and caught me like a trapped animal with the knuckle of my ring finger caught between the spring and control arm. No damage but I wasn't going anywhere handcuffed to my rolling frame. Eventually a 4 year old neighbor came by riding his tricycle and I asked him to roll the floor jack and some tools over to me.

Got to respect the power of the spring.

[Gary S.]

Re: Easy way to install coil springs in bare chassis

Use a ratchet strap and attach to floor jack as seen in picture. Under the towel is a short piece of 2X4. I used a coil spring compressor to get it compressed enough to get the jack under the lower A-arm. Easy and not life-threatening!! Be sure the end of the coil spring is seated correctly so drain hole is open. I also used anti-seize paste between the coil spring and a-arm to help stop rust.
CoilSpringInstallLF.JPGAntiSeizePasteAarmRH.JPG

[Ray G.]

Re: Easy way to install coil springs in bare chassis

What Mike said.

[John H.]

Re: Easy way to install coil springs in bare chassis

How did they install at St. Louis? Fixture??

Steve -

Yes - I don't have a good close-up photo of the fixture, but it was hung from an overhead rail at the first station on the Frame Line; it clamped to the upside-down frame, and air cylinders compressed the lower A-arms after installing the springs while the knuckles were secured to the upper and lower ball joints. If you look at the Frame Line photo below, you can see it hanging overhead way in the back, at the first station.


66SLFrameLine.jpg

[Patrick B.]

Re: Easy way to install coil springs in bare chassis

Use a ratchet strap and attach to floor jack as seen in picture. Under the towel is a short piece of 2X4. I used a coil spring compressor to get it compressed enough to get the jack under the lower A-arm. Easy and not life-threatening!! Be sure the end of the coil spring is seated correctly so drain hole is open. I also used anti-seize paste between the coil spring and a-arm to help stop rust.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]44657[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]44658[/ATTACH]

Gary-- I wish I had thought of the anti-seize paste, but your jack and strap rig does look a little life threatening.

[Steven B.]

Re: Easy way to install coil springs in bare chassis

Steve -

Yes - I don't have a good close-up photo of the fixture, but it was hung from an overhead rail at the first station on the Frame Line; it clamped to the upside-down frame, and air cylinders compressed the lower A-arms after installing the springs while the knuckles were secured to the upper and lower ball joints. If you look at the Frame Line photo below, you can see it hanging overhead way in the back, at the first station.


[ATTACH=CONFIG]44669[/ATTACH]

Thanks John! Good pics of the frame markings, also.

In the late 60's I worked at Hendrickson Tandem while in college and got the opportunity to help with the modifications of some IH Scouts bound for African replacing elephants to remove logs from the forests. We installed CAT diesels in two Scouts and the third got a Pontiac 326. We installed heavier springs and used the old chains and jack method since it was just a job shop area.

Steve

[Stephen L.]

Re: Easy way to install coil springs in bare chassis

Obtain a length of grade 8 9/16 threaded rod. Make a lower plate out of 1/2" with a couple of "blocks" to keep the plate from slipping out of the spring. Insert the assy thru the shock tower and install a grade 8 nut and washer on top. Draw the plate up compressing the spring. Attach the lower "A" arm. Frame doesn't need to be secured as the forces are only between the spring and the frame.

[Brian K.]

Re: Easy way to install coil springs in bare chassis

Man, you should market that tool!!!!! Looks sharp, and looks to make spring install easy

[Michael A.]

Re: Easy way to install coil springs in bare chassis

Patrick,
I want to thank you for this post. After 4 failed attempts at installing the coil spring with two different internal spring compressors and an external spring compressor, I searched the TDB and found your post from 2013. It worked perfect although I must say we had to add some weight (including me standing on the floor jack while jacking and my sister-in-law sitting on the front frame crossmember) to keep the frame from still lifting.

For the benefit of others, here's some info on the methods that didn't work. I am reassembling my small block 66 roadster with the original springs. I tried using an internal spring compressor borrowed from Auto Zone. It was the type with the a curved bottom plate. We compressed it to the 11" dimension needed to reinstall the steering knuckle but could not remove the tool. It could not clear thru the coils. We tried this twice.

I also tried using the same tool, this time running it thru the shock absorber mounting hole at the top of the spring tower. Two problems with this method. First it could not compress the spring enough, it needed a longer threaded rod. Also, for some reason it angled out which would have bee a problem fitting it into the lower A-arm.

We attempted using external spring compressors but didn't get very far as they interfered with the A-arms. My brother also bought a different internal spring compressor, this one with the movable arms and hooks however we had the same problem that once the steering knuckle was installed we could not remove the tool.

At that point I started to search the TDB and found your post. I only wish I would have searched earlier!

Cheers,

[Patrick B.]

Re: Easy way to install coil springs in bare chassis

Patrick,
I want to thank you for this post. After 4 failed attempts at installing the coil spring with two different internal spring compressors and an external spring compressor, I searched the TDB and found your post from 2013. It worked perfect although I must say we had to add some weight (including me standing on the floor jack while jacking and my sister-in-law sitting on the front frame crossmember) to keep the frame from still lifting.

For the benefit of others, here's some info on the methods that didn't work. I am reassembling my small block 66 roadster with the original springs. I tried using an internal spring compressor borrowed from Auto Zone. It was the type with the a curved bottom plate. We compressed it to the 11" dimension needed to reinstall the steering knuckle but could not remove the tool. It could not clear thru the coils. We tried this twice.

I also tried using the same tool, this time running it thru the shock absorber mounting hole at the top of the spring tower. Two problems with this method. First it could not compress the spring enough, it needed a longer threaded rod. Also, for some reason it angled out which would have bee a problem fitting it into the lower A-arm.

We attempted using external spring compressors but didn't get very far as they interfered with the A-arms. My brother also bought a different internal spring compressor, this one with the movable arms and hooks however we had the same problem that once the steering knuckle was installed we could not remove the tool.

At that point I started to search the TDB and found your post. I only wish I would have searched earlier!

Cheers,

Michael---I am glad my photos gave you the idea of lowering the A-arm shafts with pieces of threaded rod to aid the installation of long coil springs. At first, I did not understand your need for placing weight on the frame. In my photos, I used a long threaded rod to compress the spring enough to attach the upper ball joint without the need for holding down the frame. I think you invented a hybrid method. It is much easier to compress the spring enough to attach the ball joints with the A-arm shaft lowered, so you must have been able to compress the spring enough with a floor jack to attach the ball joints with only minimal weight holding the frame down, and then you tightened up the A-arm shaft. A good variation of the method.

[David R.]

Re: Easy way to install coil springs in bare chassis

I used a similar method but instead of using a floor jack, I used my motorcycle jack under the control arm. Much bigger area to support the control arm and easier to attach tie down straps. The threaded rod trick work great.

[Bob W.]

Re: Easy way to install coil springs in bare chassis

Thanks for all the great post and photos they all look a lot safer than some of the tools that you can buy.