lowering a 72 skylark

I'd like to drop my 72 skylark about 2-3 inches. i know there are drop spindles available but what about springs?. Bob

 

Bob, you should be able to get them from opgi.com, that is where I got 2 inch cut coils for my 69, IIRC, they also had 1 inch, and I think 3 inch?

 

Thanks Chris. i'll check with OPGI. Bob

 

Bob,

Here is a picture of the new and old springs for my 69, I went with the 2 inch cut coils.

 

Hey Chris,

I will be doing just that in 1 week. I will be droping my '70skylark
What's involve in doing this?
I've never done it. I've replaced my shocks but not the springs.
Is it a difficult task? or should i get somebody else to do it?

let me know

thanks

 

I actually had a friend who is more mechanically inclined then me do it. From what I hear, the hard part is getting the springs out without hurting yourself. You also need to get it aligned when your done.

 

Getting the back out is easy... and getting the front out is easy if you have a spring compressor. Some people say its easy without one, but I have never found that to be true... then again, Im not very mechanically inclined.

There are a million ways to do this - the cheapest is just with springs, the reported best is with an F-body spindle swap and a slightly lowered spring.

Me? I'm doing it with just springs/shocks because I'm not looking to make a handling monster...

 

Has anybody else done this?
Is there a trick to it if i dont have the compressor?

thanks in advance

 

go to autozone and "rent" for free the spring compressor. OR you could jack the car up (pretty flippen high) put the jack under the arm your working on. loosen the castle nut on the upper (or is it lower?) arm and it should pop out. if not smack the spindle near the ball joint with a hammer and it should pop. (make sure the castle nut is still engaged with the nut. now jack the arm up again to get the rest of the castle nut off. you then very carefully lower the arm with the spring inside. (run a STEEL cable in the spring thru a part of the frame or suspension to limit the distance the spring can fly if it chooses to do so, a dog tie out works well here) hopefully you rased the car up high enough to where you have room for the arm to swing down and leave the spring loose. be sure to stay clear of the spring while lowering the arm just incase. these springs can kill if removed imporperly. I've heard a story from someone on this board about a guy removing a spring and it ended up going thru the garage roof. i'd say get a spring compressor.

-nate

 

The FASTEST and SAFEST way to Remove a Spring is to cut it with a Torch, while it's still installed in the car!:Smarty: :TU:

Just cut one of the coils anywhere, and it will "POP" to take the tension off of it!

Then, as Nate said, disassemble the upper/lower control arms, and the Springs will come right out (in 2 pieces, as you torched it)!:Smarty:

You'll still need a Spring Compressor to Install the New Springs, but Removing the old ones, the way that I do, as I explained, is the FUN part!:TU:

 

Question:

Has anybody ever Weld 2 rings on the spring together to get the lowering effect?
If so, what is better, cutting 2 rings or welding them together?

thanks again

 

anybody?