Well the project is coming along. I had to finish up the race season and get my other car back on the dyno before they closed shop. Small update on the project. Motor is back from the builders, close to 475hp. That should hopefully net mid to low 11's. I finally found enough time to start back on the Regal. I have the old 307 out and gone, front suspension is off and on the side. I just got the upper and lower ball joint on but heres my problem, I forgot how to install the coil springs. I cant remember if I will need a spring compressor or not, looks like I will because the spring longer than the room allowed. Hopefully I can get the front suspension back together by the weekend and start cleaning up the garage for the big move. Sold my house 5br 3ba 2.5ga to a 3br 1ba 3.5ga. Yes I moved because of garage space, screw the house it's only me and the dogs. Plus it will give me more room for playing with cars and such and it's a 2 story garage sooooooo I might even throw a lift in there from the offset of real estate prices. Am I slightly addicted to cars or what? But if anyone can help, that would be great. TIA Mike
Well if you still got the lower control arms off... here is how I did it. Install the upper control arm. Bolt on the spindle to the upper control arm. Place the spring up in the perch with a jack and the lower control arm all stacked up. Jack up the assembly and bolt everything together.
Installing the Springs If the engine is out of the car this is a little harder as you will not have enough weight to jack the spring up to hook the spindle together. I would use a spring compressor if possible. You can put a chain around the frame and under the jack, so when you jack up the control arm it will compress the spring. Good luck and be careful. Jim N.
I found a coil compressor that will fit inside the coil, the ones I usually use are used on the outside of the coil. Good ideas you guys, thanks. I'll try and get new progress pictures up soon, just started snowing so the garage is a tad on the messy side.
I've often wondered about that approach. I use a internal spring compressor and stick one end through the shock hole and use a nut with multiple washers (with grease to allow the nut to turn easier) on the upper side to compress the spring using the two hooks at the lower end. This also allows you to place the rubber dounut above the spring before you start to tighten things up and it will not fall out of place. This to me is much easier that trying to tighen up the double hooks within the spring.
