I might do it myself if it's not going to take a whole weekend (which I don't have the time for ) or have someone else do it (which I don't want to pay for...). I'm just not going to be happy, am I??
This is on a '85 F150 4X4.

thanks..
Stan

 

It's a simple job........... except it all depends on how much road grime and rust is holding the bolts on.


The swapping is fast and straight forward, it is getting the old bolts off that is the challenge. Start soaking it now with the liquid wrench or break free and hit it twice a day from now until you start.

When doing it, just make sure you have the truck supported really well because you might be doing some tugging and jerking to line things up as you put in the new ones.

Also, don't be laying under the truck when you release the old springs. Depnding on how perfect you balance the load, they can just come loose or they can come off hard and fast and knock you unconcious or worse. You want to find the most neutral point you can but it is hard to tell sometimes.

Are you putting in the same kind of springs or upgrading from 2 1/2 to 3" springs?
If so, you will need to change the shackles and that involves grinding off the rivets.

Good Luck,

Lee

 

Also if the bolts don't want to come out of the spring eye's, you can heat them up and the spring eye should expand enough to get the bolt out (i learned this the hard way when i installed the drop kit in my 82 flareside)

 

Make sure to either order the proper spring eye bolts, or replace with respectable grade 8 hardware. Also, a change to polyurethane bushings is a nice touch as well. Moog makes a decent replacement spring. Energy suspesion makes a great polyurethane bushing for all your bushing needs. Link here. http://www.performancesuspension.com/polymainpage.htm

 

I'm staying stock and only replacing the one side that is broken. Is this going to cause issues? Also, I think this being a 4X4 has the 4" springs. I'm going to look into that site!

thanks.
Stan

 

Well, those springs have been supporting the weight of the truck for 19 years now; if you just replace one side, I'll bet that side rides a little higher than the other. It might even affect handling a bit too. I would replace both at the same time, doing one side at a time. Replace the U-bolts as well--you'll probably have to cut them to get them off anyway. Soak the eyebolts with PB blaster and drive the truck around for a few days--hopefully this will break the rust seal that will make them nearly impossible to get out otherwise (sorry, repeating what Lee said). If they give you trouble, I would just cut them off. They only cost a buck or two to replace, but they can be hours of frustration trying to remove them intact (no need to ask how I know...). No need to worry about the bushings, as the new springs will come with them already in place.

Btw, 4x4s have 3" springs.

Good luck, and as Lee said, be careful when doing this job. Even 19 year old springs will surprise you with how much they'll jerk up when freed.

 

instead of replacing the whole pack, I would take the pack off, and replace the broken leaf. that would keep the truck fairly level.

the trouble with taking off the springs isn't getting the nuts off, it is the bolts getting rusted into the metal spring bushing. They won't come off unless you burn or cut them off.

You can burn them, but I cut mine off with a cut off wheel, but a sawzall would work too.