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Preparing to Replace Front Springs - Any other parts I need before I start?
Getting ready to replace my front shocks and springs on my 78 F100. This is the first time I have ever replaced springs before, but I have searched here and found a few threads which have provided me some guidance, so I think its not going to be very difficult.
I have the springs already. Got the best ones that NAPA had. I can already tell that they look a lot thicker than the originals. Hoping that's not a bad sign.
Anyway, Do I need to pick up any additional parts? Does the spring sit in any sort of cradle or on a vibration dampener that I probably should replace?
Also, while I am down there, should I knock anything else out? I am not familar with exactly what the names of each and every part, but I found this diagram, which looks pretty similar to my truck, minus the steering bits. I do have a picklefork that I used once on a toyota, and I am not afraid to use it again.
Here are a couple pics of what I saw when I jacked up the truck and stuck a camera down on the driver's side. I plan to get some pics of the passenger side tomorrow.
Well, you'll definitely need a jack, a couple of jackstands, and a torque wrench. You may want to borrow an external-type spring compessor or at least put a safety chain through the spring to keep it from exiting it's home in a most violent manner when you let the LCA droop...those things pack a LOT of energy and can seriously hurt you when they unass themselves.
Seems like a good time for ball-joints and radius arm bushings, but those can always be done later and are projects unto themselves unless you don't mind having the front end blown-apart til you can get it all done. If it's a daily driver I'd tackle one project at a time....you can always come back to it once your knuckles have scabbed-over (less risk of infection that way. SAFETY FIRST!).
Well, you'll definitely need a jack, a couple of jackstands, and a torque wrench. You may want to borrow an external-type spring compessor or at least put a safety chain through the spring to keep it from exiting it's home in a most violent manner when you let the LCA droop...those things pack a LOT of energy and can seriously hurt you when they unass themselves.
Seems like a good time for ball-joints and radius arm bushings, but those can always be done later and are projects unto themselves unless you don't mind having the front end blown-apart til you can get it all done. If it's a daily driver I'd tackle one project at a time....you can always come back to it once your knuckles have scabbed-over (less risk of infection that way. SAFETY FIRST!).
A 2WD Dent doesn't have ball joints.
The spring can be removed without a compressor. It is retained to the spring bucket by a retainer clip. At full droop, the nut can be removed and it will slowly release compression as the nut is loosened. Then the spring will hang there until the retainer clip is unbolted... not a whole lotta drama involved.
Well, you'll definitely need a jack, a couple of jackstands, and a torque wrench. You may want to borrow an external-type spring compessor or at least put a safety chain through the spring to keep it from exiting it's home in a most violent manner when you let the LCA droop...those things pack a LOT of energy and can seriously hurt you when they unass themselves.
Thanks for the reply.
Seems like a good time for ball-joints and radius arm bushings, but those can always be done later and are projects unto themselves unless you don't mind having the front end blown-apart til you can get it all done. If it's a daily driver I'd tackle one project at a time....you can always come back to it once your knuckles have scabbed-over (less risk of infection that way. SAFETY FIRST!).
I've put about 3000 miles on this truck in about 10 years. So it's hardly a monthly driver. She spends most of her time in my garage half apart. I have the truck up on jacks right now, 3 ton truck ones. And I have a couple of nice jacks. So no issues there. I was planning on using a chain as well for a bit more safety.
I also plan to pickup a 1 1/8th socket and wrench.
Was definitely thinking that I would tackle the radius arm bushing at the same time. After watching this video it does not seem to bad
The spring can be removed without a compressor. It is retained to the spring bucket by a retainer clip. At full droop, the nut can be removed and it will slowly release compression as the nut is loosened. Then the spring will hang there until the retainer clip is unbolted... not a whole lotta drama involved.
What else should I replace while I am down there? The steering bits (not sure what they are called) look a bit nasty. See below.
The spring can be removed without a compressor. It is retained to the spring bucket by a retainer clip. At full droop, the nut can be removed and it will slowly release compression as the nut is loosened. Then the spring will hang there until the retainer clip is unbolted... not a whole lotta drama involved.
I'm learnin' new stuff every time I come here...thank you. Are the 4wds much different? I haven't dug into the front suspension on mine yet...still vanquishishing vacuum leaks and unF-ing PO hackery. I may be a hack, but not this brand of hack...Holy catz.
Good Lord willing and the Creek don't rise I'll have El Toro Marrón on the road in a couple more weekends with fresh tags and a stamp of approval from the smog *****.
I'm learnin' new stuff every time I come here...thank you. Are the 4wds much different? I haven't dug into the front suspension on mine yet...still vanquishishing vacuum leaks and unF-ing PO hackery. I may be a hack, but not this brand of hack...Holy catz.
Good Lord willing and the Creek don't rise I'll have El Toro Marrón on the road in a couple more weekends with fresh tags and a stamp of approval from the smog *****.
All apologies to the OP for the momentary derail.
No problem. In my opinion, when one stops learning, one stops growing.
2x... hackery sucks. I'm still undoing residential hacks.. one time I got lazy and didn't turn off the breaker to replace a light fixture. I was up on a ladder and got zapped because the idiot who installed the circuit switched the neutral. Meaning, the black wire at the fixture was hot all the time!!!!
If you have the 3/4"-10 x 6" bolts loose from the I-beams/radius arms to swap springs, it's only two more bolts/nuts to drop the I-beams and two 3/4"-10 nuts to remove the radius arms --don't forget to unhook the flexible brake lines at the frame mounts.
If some suspension and steering parts are currently worn, good chance all the stuff has wear on it. New steering linkage, inner/outer tie rods, kingpins/kingpin bushings, I-beam bushings, radius arm bushings and new shocks will go a long way towards restoring the front end to handle and steer like the struck was when new.
Most of that stuff; springs ,radius arm bushings, shocks, is fairly easy to change. If you replace tie rod ends, make sure you have a front end alignment done. If the kingpins are tight, just grease them. If the bushings are worn and need replacing, save yourself a lot of headaches. Take the I-beam/knuckle assy. out and take it to your local machine shop and have them do it.
Most of that stuff; springs ,radius arm bushings, shocks, is fairly easy to change. If you replace tie rod ends, make sure you have a front end alignment done. If the kingpins are tight, just grease them. If the bushings are worn and need replacing, save yourself a lot of headaches. Take the I-beam/knuckle assy. out and take it to your local machine shop and have them do it.
A machine shop sounds like a good idea. I would probably only take one at a time however, as i probably would want one side together for reference. Sinc e I have limited time to work on the truck, I would probably forget how everything goes back together.
Most of that stuff; springs ,radius arm bushings, shocks, is fairly easy to change. If you replace tie rod ends, make sure you have a front end alignment done. If the kingpins are tight, just grease them. If the bushings are worn and need replacing, save yourself a lot of headaches. Take the I-beam/knuckle assy. out and take it to your local machine shop and have them do it.
Yeah, I am thinking I will do the ibeam bushings as well as tie rod ends. I not exactly sure what a king pin is (I know I have them instead of ball joints) so I hope they are fine.
My thinking is this, If I can knock it all out I will never have to do it again. I barely drive the truck, and it's parked in a garage. It was my father-in-law's truck, had it for 10 years, and will never sell it.
Here is a good video that I found that seems like it is pretty much a good guide on how to get everything apart. Seems like a bit later of a model with front sway bar, which I do not have, but I figure it's close enough.
So I had about 2 hours and went to town on the passenger side.
I need to pick up a deep well socket and wrench to loosen the i-beam axels. I believe that they are 15/16.
Regarding the ball joints and steering linkage. Does anyone know what each piece is called? Do I just remove the entire assembly and replace all the joints?
09-29-2016, 10:18 PM
