Tip needed on spring installation

[Bridge]

I read Sitting Bull's tech thread experience on spring installation. I bought the ESPO springs with a 1" lift (hardly noticeable). I have three done now, but having trouble with the driver side front spring. I cannot get the rear eye of the spring to line-up with the bracket. I had this problem with the passenger side front spring, but managed to work it in after raising/lowering and prying it back. This method is not working for the driver's side however. Lining up the stud is a PITA but the ubolts are now completely tight. Just cannot get the back eye to "stretch" back to the bracket. Have I done something wrong?

[Bridge]

And my brake line are extremely tight. Should this be right for a 1" lift?

[Stuka]

do you have the axle bolted to the spring already?

If so this is a no-no. Bolt the spring tot he truck, then bolt the axle to it. But dont tighten it up all the way. Get your tires on, and jump ont he front end a few times with the u-bolts and eye bolts loose. This seats it, if you dont do this you could be giving yourself false lift or even make it sit lower then it should. Once your don jumping ont he front end, torque everything up. Drive it around 50 miles or so, then re-check all the torque specs.

[talntar]

I cannot get the rear eye of the spring to line-up with the bracket.

i did the 2" ones and founit easier to bolt up the rear eye first.this wy you get the movment in the shackle to line things up

[SAustinwag]

yeah dood, you did it the hard way (in my opinion.

GEt the truck off of the ground and let it hang by the shocks..well nevermind. To get you OUT of your current bind, you need to loosen the shock and the u-bolts, hopefully you have air tools ;) . get the spring eyelet lined up and shove the bolt through. If you've already tightened the front shacle bolts, loosen them as well.

Once you've got the spring bolts "kinda tight" set the spriings down ontop of the perches an re-install your U bolts, then shock.

THEN TIGHTEN THE SPRING EYELET BOLTS WITH THE TRUCK SITTING ON GROUND, SPRINGS WILL SETTLE. This includes the shackle bolt as well, but check the torque specs, it should be considerably less. THis is important, as the truck could set un-level if you tighten the springs at full drop.

HOpe this helps

Oh yeah, I suggest you start making friends with hydraulic lifts if you own a "stock" 90' model wag. they are heavy and will start to fall apart on you all at once. Save your $ and rebuild the front end all at once - preferably on a 4 or 2 post lift ..

[Bridge]

Let's keep going (and thanks for your input guys). If I line up and thread the the eye bolts, the d#@$ little studs won't line up with the perches. And in my experience, there is no budging the springs back and forth for the center studs.

[Bridge]

Austin,

The front springs are UNDER the axle so I cannot let the truck down in order to drop the spring onto the axle, (i don't think). Wierd perspective for me to articulate in my mind right now.

Concerning the front end, I was going to go back and put new bushings on what ever that arm is that attaches to the ubolt plate. What else would you, or anyone else, suggest?

[waggin'ear]

DON'T FORGET THAT THE FRONT SPRINGS ARE NOT "EVEN." THE CENTERING PIN IS NOT CENTERED!

I can't remember off hand which side of the spring is longer.

Also, I agree with these guys. unbolt the axle.

The front shackle should be loosened up so you can push it back to line up with the rear bracket.

[ May 14, 2003, 08:20 AM: Message edited by: waggin'ear ]

[Stuka]

Thet way I did mine was the following:

1: jack up front end
2: take tires off
3: lower down to drums are almost on the ground
4: block frame behind front axle.
5: unbolt axle
6: lift axle back up using two jacks
7: remove old springs
8: put new springs on (tight, but not torqued)
9: lower axle down onto springs
10: put u-bolts in and get them tight, but not torqued
11: lower vehicle back down onto tires
12: jump on front end
13: torque everything down
14: repeat torque after 50 miles of driving or so

[Bridge]

The front half of the front springs are the longer sections. And I have the front shackle completely un-bolted for maximum room to move around.

STUKA, so, loosen the ubolts huh. I swear I am going to have BIG trouble lining up the center pins if the eyelets are threaded. BTW, I never took the tires off. I used them to semi-support the axle up.

Just glad I am not paying $35/hour for someone alse to go through this.

[River Beast]

Support axle with stands.... OFF THE SPRINGS

rear of front springs should have gone it first....

raise the front of the springs and attach to the shackles....

lower axle onto springs aligning the centerpins

install and tighten ubolts...

install shocks...

That is the way it should have been done....

now you must loosen the ubolts as Stuka said... remove the shocks and get the axle up off the springs....

then follow the above steps installing the rear main ey FIRST... the shackle up front gives you the paly you need to install the front eye...

[Bridge]

OK, OK. I will go back and loosen the ubolts. Thanks guys. Never did take the shocks off before. This could have been the source of my...challenges through-out.

Do I need to "re-do" the spring I already installed? False lift, so-to-speak?

[Bridge]

One more question on this. Can I jack up only one side. i.e.,corner at a time? or does the axle need to be level in order to line everything up? In other words, do I have to jack up both side of the front end to get the one driver's side spring to hit the eyelets AND center pivot?

[River Beast]

yes... it helps.... the axle should not be on the springs when you install them.. makes it 10 times harder....

[Bridge]

Thanks again River beast. All I have is two jack stands and a 3 ton jack. I was hoping not to have to buy more stands.

Thanks for your help.

[The Anti-Chrysler]

Always bolt in the rear spring perches to the springs FIRST, since these are your alignment points.

Then, mount your shackles, and tighten down snug, but not all the way.

Tighten the U-bolts.

Lower the vehicle, and tighten the shackles at ride height, especially with rubber bushings.

I usually take a tape measure from wheel center to wheel center each side, to verify that the wheelbase is equal on both sides - it is possible to get some adjustment out of the spring stud to axle mounting setup.

[River Beast]

Originally posted by Bridge:
Thanks again River beast. All I have is two jack stands and a 3 ton jack. I was hoping not to have to buy more stands.

Thanks for your help.you're welcome....

two stands and a jack will work....

jack up the axle off the springs and support it with the two stands.... install the springs REAR FIRST and then lower the axle onto the springs...

The rear is SOA. so it's a bit different, but still mount the front of the rear springs FIRST, then the rear.... jack the axle to the springs and align the cneterpins and snug the ubolts down....

[andy d]

i did the ubolts 1st. the rear 2nd,using a bumper jack to push the axle aft, and a punch to line up the holes. then i mounted the shackle to the front and then to the frame. wasnt too terrible

[Bridge]

Finally got it done last night. One thing that I SHOULD have done through out the project to make it easier...un-bolt the darn shocks. That way the axle can be moved to line up with the center pins. If I had to do it all over again, could probably knock it out in 8 hours.

Speaking of doing it all over again, the 1" over stock ESPO springs gave me ZERO lift. My assumption was that the original springs had a 1" sag. Combine new ESPO springs with 1" extended arch, the beast would be sitting pretty. Not so.

What to do. What to do.

I have never seen mentioned on this wonderful site, a 1" block for the rear. What to do?

[Bridge]

I see that restore4X4.com has rear blocks ranging from 1 inch to 5.5 inches. 1) Anyone used these blocks?

And to compensate the front end without purchase yet another pair of springs (just not happenen) 2) how about an extended shackle? The only place I see for an extended shackle is the front of the spring. 3) Can I do without a modification on the rear end of the front springs??