Fox front spring installs

OldbutNew

OldbutNew

Club Member
I'm ready to put the front springs back in my '88.

Who's got the deal on "how to" with some degree of safety?? I've already had a buddy tell me to "go buy coil-overs", so if that's your advise, you're too late!! Not in the budget at this time...

Considering the Maximum Motorsports install tool. Anyone used it?
 
Im not gonna lie lol i posted same question about 3 months back and only answer i got that worked was to use a jack and put springs in and lower a-arms down onto stand and or concrete block , i did both springs with in 30 mins this way,had to add my weight to finish passenger side while my gf put the bolts in but was actually pretty easy,and as for tools auto stores sell a spring compressor but i could not for the life of me get it to work by going through the spring. i also did my rear springs using this method . Rob
 
Good luck one of the many reasons I went with coil overs none of the off the shelf compressors worked for me. If your car still doesn't have a motor in it the whole jack and weight of the car trick might not work so good you'll need to put weight in the front of the car.
 
a lowering spring should be easy...(er). the eibach drag springs were a bitch with no motor in the car. never again......:shake:....
 
hangemhigh said:
a lowering spring should be easy...(er). the eibach drag springs were a bitch with no motor in the car. never again......:shake:....
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Could not even think about trying this with the engine out. Just got mine back in yesterday, and I STILL think I'll need some balast (large friend) sitting on the front end.

I'll wait for the MM tool.

Thanks again guys.
 
And whom were you thinking of? lol
OldbutNew said:
Could not even think about trying this with the engine out. Just got mine back in yesterday, and I STILL think I'll need some balast (large friend) sitting on the front end.

I'll wait for the MM tool.

Thanks again guys.
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And just what part of this description are you referring to?? HAH! Busted!!
If I had the tool, we could have done it last night!
 
Ive had good luck with a long pry bar and a jack... I was at a friends house and he did some crazy shit, he took a spring compressor and compressed the spring on the floor.. Then took wire coat hangers and used them to "tie" the springs compressed, Installed the coil and then cut the hangers!! I couldnt believe it but it worked. I wouldnt try it but he did
 
You can do it without weight in the front. Use a ratchet strap or chain and wrap it around the jack and to the frame. that way you have a press, just make sure you use proper strapping and rigging. I did this on my 77 camaro. Gotta get the set up right, but it can work in a pinch.
 
The MM tool arrived today. Not sure when I'll get to try it out. Might have to wait until red347lx can come act as balast... HAHA!!
I was figuring on using a ratchet strap as a "safety device".

The "spring compressor on the ground then tie it off with coat hangers" method scares the crap out of me!! That's like holding a live grenade with a random timer!
 
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Billydroveit said:
You can do it without weight in the front. Use a ratchet strap or chain and wrap it around the jack and to the frame. that way you have a press, just make sure you use proper strapping and rigging. I did this on my 77 camaro. Gotta get the set up right, but it can work in a pinch.
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I had a '76. Bought a Rancho suspension kit for it. Yes, RANCHO! Springs, adjustable bars, and shocks. Put the front subframe together on sawhorses. Used a couple of pieces of 1/2" plate cut to 5 or 6" rounds, a couple of Torrington bearings, and a 2' long piece of 5/8" all-thread. Worked great!
 
OldbutNew said:
I had a '76. Bought a Rancho suspension kit for it. Yes, RANCHO! Springs, adjustable bars, and shocks. Put the front subframe together on sawhorses. Used a couple of pieces of 1/2" plate cut to 5 or 6" rounds, a couple of Torrington bearings, and a 2' long piece of 5/8" all-thread. Worked great!
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Ranho makes decent stuff for these cars, noone realizes it though! I believe they still do too.

Tying a spring with a "coat hanger" is knocking on deaths door ready to jump in!
 
The Maximum Motorsports install tool may be the best 14 bucks I ever spent.
It made putting those springs in a breeze. Never a slip or a wobble.
 
On my wife's BMW I compressed the rear spring using the auto zone tool, then zip tied every coil to each other. No joke, I had about 50 tie wraps on each spring. All I needed was like an extra .5 inch to get them in. Once in, I cut the tie wraps. Worked mint.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk
 
Wonder what the rate on those Bimmer rear springs is? 50 tie straps, huh? You're braver than me!
You're welcome to try this on the 650lb/in springs I just put in. Just not in MY shop!!
 
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