Remove front coil springs & not damage lower ball joint to install coil spacers?

[HeavyHauler]

I am going to install some 3/8 coil spacers under the bottom of my coil springs in the front of my 1968 Chevy C10 SWB. It is sitting about a 1/2 low in the front and rubs the tires a little on steep inclines. I have 2.5 inch drop spindles with 2 inch Western Chassis lowering springs. (Western Chassis does not sell a 1.5 spring)

I was wanting to know what things you guys do in order not to damage the lower ball joint when I separate it from the spindle?

[Ironangel]

I'm in process of doing the same spring swap again...In my first 72 C/10 I too had the same problem of rubbing in the corners and bumps. Like you I had installed Western 2-1/2" drop spindles with 2" drop coils. Upon removing the factory 1/2 ton coils I found that 1/2 of the bottom coil had broken off and was just laying in the spring pocket, that explained the 3/4" low measurement on the left side. I installed the 2" drop coils and with the 275/75R-15 TA/Radials the tires rubbed in the corners and bumps. I also noticed a spongier ride on the drop coils so, I cut 1/2 coil off the right factory coil and reinstalled them. That stiffened the ride and raised the front the 3/4" inches necessary to eliminate the rub. The truck steered like a Camaro or a Vette with no rub. To swap out springs and not hurt yourself or the shop floor, or the lower ball joint, you need to jack up the front of the truck high enough that a small 2 ton floor jack will fit under the lower control arm. You will need to put the front of the truck on jack stands located either on the frame rails or under the lower control arm pivot shafts. The idea is to support the front of the truck with the wheels hanging free and high enough for the smaller jack to fit under the control arm. The small jack will support the lower control arm allowing you to slowly lower the control arm once the ball joint is free from the spindle. Let it down far enough to remove the spring and reverse the process once the new spring in installed...Things to be aware of, make sure the new spring is clocked into the lower control arm properly, there is a divot stamped into the bottom of the spring pocket. There is also a locating divot stamped at the top in the crossmember, make sure the top of the spring swallows that locating divot as you raise the lower control arm! At the same time keep an eye on the ball joint keeping it aligned with the opening in the spindle. Once it's started simply jack up the lower control arm until you can get a full nut started on the ball joint stud and tighten the nut. Done deal! If you have a front stabilizer you will have to take it loose as well as the shock, don't forget those! Use the small jack for the shock alignment when your raising the lower control arm, let the jack do the work! I didn't say remove the wheels first but that's the first thing after the jack stands are located safely. Work one side at a time and the sway bar wont fight you once you have the small jack under the control arm...If you don't have a sway bar GET ONE!!! Just run the bar through the frame brackets and invert the mounts on a lowered truck...EZPZ "MY-KILL" is the ~Ghostrider~

[Ironangel]

I have just dropped an iron headed 454 block BBC motor in the truck and am yet again swapping out the Moog drag racing springs for a set of factory 1 ton coils. That 454 was to much for the modified 1/2 ton coils so I'll see where I'm at and then figure out how many coils to remove to get the front down where it needs to be...I actually had a set of those rubber coil boosters on the 1/2 ton coils and they worked exceptionally well when I just screwed them on from the bottom leaving them on the bottom coils to compress into the spring pockets. I've also used those aluminum screw in boosters to help stiffen the ride...Again, it's very important to make sure that the top of the new coils locate in the center of the opening of the upper control arm! You do that when you first begin jacking the lower control arm up...Good luck!

[Trash]

Question; Will coil springs fit into the upper and lower recessed areas if the frame doesn’t have any weight on it, engine/trans etc..

I recently took a closer look at my 2” drop springs I bought from brothers last year and both ends don’t seat all the way in the upper and lower recessed / indentation areas. During install I thought maybe because there’s not any weight on the frame but after re-examining the coils, both ends do look too small.

[mkmc69]

Originally Posted by HeavyHauler

I am going to install some 3/8 coil spacers under the bottom of my coil springs in the front of my 1968 Chevy C10 SWB. It is sitting about a 1/2 low in the front and rubs the tires a little on steep inclines. I have 2.5 inch drop spindles with 2 inch Western Chassis lowering springs. (Western Chassis does not sell a 1.5 spring)

I was wanting to know what things you guys do in order not to damage the lower ball joint when I separate it from the spindle?

Try this, to answer your question.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=624464