How hard is it to install springs?

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me and a buddy of mine did it in about 3 hours in my garage....the fronts are harder to do than the backs. The backs are extremly easy just dont let the axel wander around on you too much
 
twogts4us said:
This is a great tech article, very informative. I've bookmarked it and will be using these instructions when my wife and I do ours (probably in Feb 05). Spreadman, have you swapped out the shocks and struts?

once you get everything unbolted and the springs out, it's pretty obvious how to take out/put in the shocks and struts. a haynes manual doesn't hurt as well.
 
Yep, OK, well I've got the Haynes manual (one of the first things I bought and EVERYONE should have) and I will rent a spring compressor from Advanced Auto or NAPA. Thanks guys!
BTW, nice ride 53BigDog, and I'm surprised I haven't seen you around town. We live in Palm Harbor as well. Does MM of TB 'invade' any local parking lots on a regular basis?
 
twogts4us said:
Yep, OK, well I've got the Haynes manual (one of the first things I bought and EVERYONE should have) and I will rent a spring compressor from Advanced Auto or NAPA. Thanks guys!
BTW, nice ride 53BigDog, and I'm surprised I haven't seen you around town. We live in Palm Harbor as well. Does MM of TB 'invade' any local parking lots on a regular basis?


Wow didn't even notice that you were a fellow Sunny Bay Areaian. You East si"z"de or West si"z"de....hahahah....

Thanks for the compliment, I bought it stock and wanted a unique ride...and what you see is what you get.

No MMTB actually has been re-formed into MMNA (North America). I haven't been to a show or meeting for quite some time.

Hey being so close give me a shout if you need help or anything, I just did a complete suspension overhaul on mine in March 04, Steeda sport springs, Tokico Shocks/Struts, Control arms, Bumpsteer kit, and CC plates. It was a good days work but well worth it, lots of fun too with a few beers and loud music.

Take Care.
Doug
 
twogts4us said:
This is a great tech article, very informative. I've bookmarked it and will be using these instructions when my wife and I do ours (probably in Feb 05). Spreadman, have you swapped out the shocks and struts?
I've done springs, shocks, struts, c/c plates, rear upper-lower control arms, polyurethane bushings all around. :)

I've also installed 14 sets of springs on stangs....you don't need a spring compressor.
 
I have put springs on these cars for years and here is the easiest way that I have found so far.

Those instructions tell you take off a bunch of crap that you don't need to. Here is the quickest and easiest way that I have found to do it. I hope this helps>

Front: Jack up one side of the car place a jack stand under the frame. Take off the wheel. Put the jack under the control arm to support it. Take the nut off the sway bar. Take the nut off the tie rod, and the lower ball joint. If you have a ball joint and or tie rod end seperator use it to break loose the tie rod and ball joint. If you don't have a seperator, just hit the knuckle of spindle with a hammer at the tie rod and at the ball joint. Careful not to hit the ball joint or tie rod. A few good whacks and it should pop loose. After the ball joint, tie rod and sway bar are loose the strut, brakes and all should swing out of the way. Lower the control arm slowly and spring should fall out, if not a pry bar should pop it out. Put the new spring in place and jack the control arm back up, and fasten everything back down.

Rear: Jack up the whole rear end of the car and place jack stands under the frame. Take off the wheels. Place the jack under the differential. Take loose the struts and shocks on both sides. Lower the differential down slowly the springs on both sides should come out. If not you can take your foot and press down on the axle to give some more room. Put the new springs in place, jack the differential back up and secure the shocks and struts.
 
Doing the springs was easy as hell. The fronts were very easy, for some reason I had more trouble with the rears. Like Modular2v said the rear moved on me so I couldnt line up the lower control arm bolts, but I got to work. There is a good write up on Mustangworld.com under the How-tos. Thats what I used. Good luck!!
 
me and a buddy did mine in under 2 hours, it was our first time lowering a car too. If I had to do it again, could prolly shave about 20-30 mins off of that. We went by the MW instructions, easy stuff, just be careful, compressed springs aren't something to play with. :nice: