Thread: Spring change with just ramps and a trolly jack?

Won't need ramps.
Jack and stands has always worked fine for me

Spring compressors make it much easier.
regards PhilipA

I think it'll depend on a few things.

1. how much length do you have on your brake lines?
2. what actual springs?
3. how much additional work do you want for yourself?

I recently did the bro's TD5 with Les Richmonds(LRA) springs all round, and Bilstein shocks.

Previous owner had +2" springs, but were old and rusted(and turned out a bit sagged) .. but they never bothered to get extended brake lines.
I found this out when I first fitted the shocks. The brake lines ended up tightly stretched just fitting the shocks, and zero wiggle room left for the springs to come out.

So I just fitted the shocks first, and springs would have to wait for the newly ordered extended brake lines to come. In the mean time I also got myself a pair of spring compressors(just in case, and need them for a peugeot that needs shocks soon too).

Extended brake lines came, old ones removed, and whilst out I checked the droop of the spring. With the shocks still connected a spring compressor is definitely required for LRAs springs, but not for the old springs that previous owner had fitted.
With the shock disconnected at the bottom end, axle was forced lower against the resistance of the bushes and could be wiggled out. Had I used my noggin, I could have used the std jack to pull the axle lower just a bit more to get the LRA springs in.
In the end, and only because I had them.. I used the spring compressors lightly just to get them on a bit easier(but had I used the jack to extend the axle a tad more(maybe half inch) would have ended up same difference.

So, as said, what you will 'need' will depend on what you get, and how much extra work you don't mind doing. If you haven't done a full flush on the brake fluid for a while .. maybe go that extra mile and do it at the same time. Undoing one nut to release each shock to allow that little bit more flex in the axle isn't too much more work.

Keep in mind too, if you do get an extra 50mm of lift, be sure to check the front end. Get it to the point of full flex downwards, and check to be sure you have clearance between the front cross member and the front prop shaft too.
When I got my stuff from LRA, I didn't initially get the cross member spacers. He's not far from me, so I had the intention that once the new suspension had been fitted, check the front for prop spacing. Sure enough with the car lifted up for full front axle flex, the prop just rests on the cross member. LRA sell two spacer kits. One that is more expensive(just over $100) and the other is about $50. He recommended just to go with the cheaper one. Cheaper one just drops the cross member with spacers, the more expensive one drops it a bit less so, but angles it for the additional clearance.

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Spring compressors make it much easier.
regards PhilipA

I managed without them, but only just. Had the axle jacked down to its hard stop limit. I'd think that with standard rate +2" springs there'd be no way without compressors. The HD front +45mm dobinsons only just got in, rear are standard rate +45mm - no problems. Rears are easy.

Also found out my underbonnet jack is a useless pile of leaky goop, so at least I discovered that the easy way


Cheers

Originally Posted by AK83

I think it'll depend on a few things.

1. how much length do you have on your brake lines?
2. what actual springs?
3. how much additional work do you want for yourself?

I recently did the bro's TD5 with Les Richmonds(LRA) springs all round, and Bilstein shocks.

Previous owner had +2" springs, but were old and rusted(and turned out a bit sagged) .. but they never bothered to get extended brake lines.
I found this out when I first fitted the shocks. The brake lines ended up tightly stretched just fitting the shocks, and zero wiggle room left for the springs to come out.

So I just fitted the shocks first, and springs would have to wait for the newly ordered extended brake lines to come. In the mean time I also got myself a pair of spring compressors(just in case, and need them for a peugeot that needs shocks soon too).

Extended brake lines came, old ones removed, and whilst out I checked the droop of the spring. With the shocks still connected a spring compressor is definitely required for LRAs springs, but not for the old springs that previous owner had fitted.
With the shock disconnected at the bottom end, axle was forced lower against the resistance of the bushes and could be wiggled out. Had I used my noggin, I could have used the std jack to pull the axle lower just a bit more to get the LRA springs in.
In the end, and only because I had them.. I used the spring compressors lightly just to get them on a bit easier(but had I used the jack to extend the axle a tad more(maybe half inch) would have ended up same difference.

So, as said, what you will 'need' will depend on what you get, and how much extra work you don't mind doing. If you haven't done a full flush on the brake fluid for a while .. maybe go that extra mile and do it at the same time. Undoing one nut to release each shock to allow that little bit more flex in the axle isn't too much more work.

Keep in mind too, if you do get an extra 50mm of lift, be sure to check the front end. Get it to the point of full flex downwards, and check to be sure you have clearance between the front cross member and the front prop shaft too.
When I got my stuff from LRA, I didn't initially get the cross member spacers. He's not far from me, so I had the intention that once the new suspension had been fitted, check the front for prop spacing. Sure enough with the car lifted up for full front axle flex, the prop just rests on the cross member. LRA sell two spacer kits. One that is more expensive(just over $100) and the other is about $50. He recommended just to go with the cheaper one. Cheaper one just drops the cross member with spacers, the more expensive one drops it a bit less so, but angles it for the additional clearance.

I'll have to do something special with the front x member, 6 out of the 8 welded nuts on the chassis brackets are sheared off. (welds that is) My kid's good with a welder, might get him to fab up some spacers and weld them direct.

I'm still running standard length Bilsteins, It'll be a few more months before I can afford a new set.

The ramps will be of no use as you will need to remove your wheels to do the job.
Spring compressors are not required. You should be able to push the diff down sufficiently to just pull the old springs our and push the new ones in. You may need to disconnect the panhard rod (I had to for +3" and +4" lifts).

Originally Posted by twr7cx

The ramps will be of no use as you will need to remove your wheels to do the job.
Spring compressors are not required. You should be able to push the diff down sufficiently to just pull the old springs our and push the new ones in. You may need to disconnect the panhard rod (I had to for +3" and +4" lifts).

I was going to use the ramps to cross axle the suspension, maybe to force the opposing side down a little bit more, not sure if that would have worked anyway.
In the end a bottle jack did a good enough job of pushing the axle down. but there was certainly a hard stop on down travel just before the springs would fit in at their free height.

Originally Posted by Discosux

I was going to use the ramps to cross axle the suspension, maybe to force the opposing side down a little bit more, not sure if that would have worked anyway.

Being solid axels it's better/easier, in my experience, to do the both sides of a single axel together. Lift that end of the vehicle, disconnect, push axel down, pull old springs out, push new in. I've not required cross axel using ramps ever.

Originally Posted by Discosux

In the end a bottle jack did a good enough job of pushing the axle down. but there was certainly a hard stop on down travel just before the springs would fit in at their free height.

Assuming you mean for the front, you still had something connected stopping it then. I've fitted five sets of +2" springs, 1 x +3" and 1 x +4" springs into D2 and D2a's using this method. I've never had to compress the springs - they pull out and push in by hand easily enough.