Lowering springs hard to install??

[BoBs]

Hi, I just ordered the Ford C lowering springs and am wondering if thay are easy to put in or if i should take it to the shop to get put in... and will i need a spring compressor?

[venom]

It is not hard if you have the right tools and knowledge. You will need jack stands, a hydraulic jack,wire coat hanger,sockets,long pry bar or crow bar or big box wrench and box wrenches. The most important thing is to place the hydraulic jack under the control arm in the front or rear and lower control arm slowly, dont stand in front of spring when you unbolt everything just in case you lower the control arm to quick the spring might fly out and kill you, other than that you will be fine. I have done it about 8 times on different year stangs.

[USMCstang]

Venom's right. FWIW, you can also rent a spring compressor from autozone. Here, it was a $50 deposit, and they return it in full when you bring the tool back.

The rear springs are easy...no need for a compressor at all, the fronts can be a pain...make sure you either use venom's method or a spring compressor.

[Ponyman460]

its pretty easy...I had my rear springs out last night in no more than 10 minutes ....all I did with the rears was support the car on jack stands with the wheels off...support the rear end SLIGHTLY with a jack, unbolted the shocks, and lowered the rear end SLOWLY. Its very easy!

[WaterDR]

I am doing shocks and struts and control arms when I do my springs. Still waiting for parts. I have 55k on the car, so it's time anyway. I figure, might as well do it all at once, instead of repeating labor.

[Sleeper Stang96]

Jack the car up and get it on 4 jack stands. take off the wheels. In the front, remove the brakes, support the a arm with the floor jack, and then the two bolts at the bottom of the strut to disconnect the strut from the steering knuckle, lower the a arm. Then use a pry bar, or your hands to force the a arm down, and pull out the spring. NORMALLY you do not need a spring compreesor to install lowering springs (I have done 5 sets now with no tool, but my friends eibach drag springs I had to use one). After getting the spring in place, raise the a-arm with the jack, and reconnect the strut to the knuckle, re attach the brakes, and mount the wheel.

The rears I simply supoprted the LCA with the jack, and unbolted the side connected to the rear end. lower it, let the spring fall out, insert the new spring, raise the jack and LCA and reinsert the bolt.

Should only take about 2-3 hours to do all 4 corners by yourself. I just did a friends car the other night by myself and it took 1 1/2 hours total. But I have also had cars that took all damn day it seemed because nothing wanted to be cooperative

[03gtmustang]

I recomend NOT using the spring compressor.

[USMCstang]

Originally Posted by 03gtmustang

I recomend NOT using the spring compressor.

Totally agree....BUT...you absolutely must be safe about it. The spring compressor can be a huge hassle. Just be careful when you lower that a-arm to full extension that the spring doesn't pop out violently and you'll be fine.

[MattJ]

If youve got a friend for a helping hand things seem to go faster and easier. Took me and a buddy about 2 hours to do mine and everything went smoothly and we took our time.

[venom]

If you have an air rachet then its a very easy job the hardest part is getting all the bolts off as some of them require you to get two box wrenches for leverage. The fronts you really just have to get it on a jack stand as high as possible, get the brake caliper out of the way by unbolting it and with a coat hanger tieing it somewhere so it will not fall plus not be in the way. Support the lower control arm with a jack. Unbolt the two strut bolts that is behind the brake rotor this is the tough ones so you might have to get two open box wrenches to work it loose. Next unbot the top nut of the sway bar end link after this there is nothing holding the spring tension but the jack. Move to the side and lower the control arm slowly. You will need a pry bar or the longest wrench you have to get the spring out,it will help to get someone to push down or stand on the control arm while you pry the spring out it has a little bit of tension but nothing bad so dont get scared it you hear it thump out. When putting the new springs in it will be easy as its shorter.

On rears you are doing the same thing with jack stands and jack except there is no need to mess the the brake caliper but you may have to unbolt the brake holder the runs along the side if it does not give you enought slack which is one bolt. The jack goes under the lower control arm,unbolt one side of the quad shocks. Unbolt the nut holding the shock to the lower control arm. At this poing there is nothing holding the spring tension but the jack, lower jack slowly. You may have to use a pry bar or long box wrench to remove spring, it will help to have someone press down or stang on the lower control arm while to get spring out. You may have to loosen the rear sway bar if you cant get the lower control arm to go down far enough.

As you can see after wheels are removed and caliper for the fronts you really only need to remove about 3 bolts per side . For the rears after wheels and either side of quad shock bolts are removed, only 1 bolt is removed plus you may have to loosen two nuts for sway bar if needed per side. It is not difficuilt as long as you dont remove things that are not necessary and have all the tools.