Remove Axle From the Springs

[johnr9q@yahoo.com]

I do have the red book and find it very helpful but sometimes not helpful enough. I still have the front axle and the springs on the car. (I am doing all this so I can sand blast and paint). I want to leave the springs installed. The Front end is in great shape, nothing is loose, so I don't need to replace anything except the greese retainers on the connectors (unless one of you tells me otherwise) I see from the red book that I am supposed to somehow use a block of wood, which I don't understand and a video shows them using a hydralic spreader bar. Bottom line, I don't know what to do.

 

[WHN]

I don’t understand something here.

If you have gone this far, why are you not completely disassembling the complete front end? Take it out from under your car. Than you can be assured that everything is right.

You most likely will need to spread the spring to get it off the axle. If not, your spring is going to need some work.

 

[nkaminar]

Use two lengths of 2 X 4, about 6-inches long. Jack up the car on the frame so that the spring moves up away from the axle. Put the 2 X 4's under the ends of the spring on both sides. Lower down the car until the shackles are loose enough to push out of the springs and hangers. Of course, you have to remove the nuts on the shackles first. You can jack up the car some more to remove the 2 X 4's and remove the axle. Installing is the reverse.

The weight of the car on the ends of the spring spreads the ends enough to remove the shackles. Do not try this on the rear end, the spring there is too stiff.

If you decide to remove the spring later you can do so.

Remember to use some good quality jack stands under the frame on both sides.

 

[johnr9q@yahoo.com]

WHN: I am removing everything but the springs.

 

[johnr9q@yahoo.com]

nKaminar: You said: "Jack up the car on the frame so that the spring moves up away from the axle". I don't understand, if I jack up the car on the frame, the front axle and springs are all going to go up with the frame.

 

[johnr9q@yahoo.com]

Actually, The shackles were loose without doing anything so they came off easily. Thanks again

 

[nkaminar]

What I meant was that the shackles will rotate so that the gap between the ends of the springs and the axle will increase. When you set the car back down the ends of the springs will move out. But I am glad that you got it apart without using the wood.

 

[katy]

Use two lengths of 2 X 4, about 6-inches long. Jack up the car on the frame so that the spring moves up away from the axle. Put the 2 X 4's under the ends of the spring on both sides. Lower down the car until the shackles are loose enough to push out of the springs and hangers. Of course, you have to remove the nuts on the shackles first. You can jack up the car some more to remove the 2 X 4's and remove the axle. Installing is the reverse.

The weight of the car on the ends of the spring spreads the ends enough to remove the shackles. Do not try this on the rear end, the spring there is too stiff.

If you decide to remove the spring later you can do so.

Remember to use some good quality jack stands under the frame on both sides.

This method can be used on the rear, one just needs to add more weight to the vehicle, like a few hundred pounds, maybe more.

 

[rotorwrench]

Jacking the frame requires either two jacks or a strong yoke to apply force to a central location under the engine. Basically it unloads the spring. Jack stands under the frame allow the axle to lift the car initially. The wood blocks between the spring eyes and the axle allow a way to apply pressure to the spring only so as to control the distance between the two eyes.

I have a porta-power so I use it to control distance between the two spring eyes but I have the front frame on jack stands. The screw operated spring spreaders available from model A parts sources don't really cost all that much or a person who welds steel tube can copy one pretty easy. Alignment on the shackle to the spring eye & perch bores can sometimes be in a bind so it pays to have a way to work those spring eyes to make the job easier A person has to contend with the shock attach balls on the spring perches too but that more a matter of scratching paint if a person is not careful during the process.

It's not an easy job if your by yourself but if I can do it then I know it's possible for others. I think I would just remove the whole axle & spring myself. That allows work on the front crosmember. A lot also depends on how tight the spring fits into the front crossmember too. Some aftermarket springs are pretty tight in there.