spring/suspension installation problem

[doogles68]

I am in need of some advice and/or help with getting my coil springs installed on my hmmwv. I've had the frame disassembled for quite some time but have been putting it back together this last year very slowly and methodically. Well now I'm running out of time before I have to PCS to Nevada the middle of next month and I can't for the life of me get the springs to compress into the lower control arm completely (I have probably about an inch left before it is seated in the LCA). I have posted on here awhile ago (before I began to work on the suspension) about the best way to get the springs installed. I've tried everything that was suggested....- hand winch connected to the LCA and the frame- hydraulic floor jack with a chain around the frame (it wasn't a heavy jack...just your standard 2.5 ton - would just end up getting lifted off the ground with the frame)- heavy duty come-a-long used the same way as the hand winchNo matter what I try, I can't get the springs to compress that last bit to seat in the lower control arm. Not sure if I'm doing something wrong or if I don't have enough tool for the job. Everyone mentions that it isn't that bad of a job but it is kicking my butt. I'll post some pictures of where I am at tomorrow, but for now maybe someone can tell me if I'm doing something wrong. The lower control arms were all the way down with bolts loosened. Placed the upper portion of the spring into cast iron spring perch and then began to raise the LCA. Should I be doing the other way around, placing the spring in the LCA first and then raising? Like I said, I am moving in a little over a month and have to get this thing onto a trailer to be towed across country. If I can't get this figured out, does anyone know someone around the Kansas City area that knows how to do this? I'll pay for the time in beer, gas, money...you name it. Thanks guys...

 

[rosco]

Welcome. Hang in there. You'll get it - but your right. Some pictures will do wonders, especially for those of us that haven't moved up past the M37 yet.

 

[Action]

The purpose of the chain (or similar) is to keep the chassis from lifting. If your jack is lifting too, you are doing something wrong. You should be jacking up the outermost part of the lower control arm. The chain stops the chassis from going up and will let you jack up the control arm. Do not tighten the control arm mounting bolts until the hmmwv is together snd on the ground. I hung s crowbar down where the shock would be , as a bit of protection in case the spting fell out.

 

[porkysplace]

Auto Zone has coil spring compressors in their tool rental section.

 

[doogles68]

This is where I'm at now with the springs. I had the jack positioned under the jack point on the lower control arms. I can try moving it out to the outermost edge and see if that does anything. I've had the winches attached to the same ring area without any success so I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

 

[NDT]

Is that the correct part number spring? Looks too long to me. They don't compress very much.

 

[doogles68]

Yeah...unless someone can tell me otherwise, they're the progressive rate springs.

 

[DatGuyC]

Do you have the correct lower control arms for the progressive springs? I've heard there is a difference between lower control arms for the earlier and progressive springs.

 

[Action]

Those have the same amount of coils as mine do. There are 2 different upper spring perches. I had no problem putting mine back in.
Put the chain around the bottom of the hydraulic jack and over as high on the frame as you can get. It will be impossible to lift the jack off the floor.

 

[tanhmmwv]

is this photo, the rear of the truck? if so, the upper spring seats need to be the cast iron ones,(they are shorter) not the the stamped ones that look very similar to the fronts, these are too tall for those springs in the rear.

 

[tanhmmwv]

pictures worth a thousand words....

 

[86humv]

You need the upper spring bracket on the left....if you have the one on the right...it wont work.

 

[TOBASH]

You need the upper spring bracket on the left....if you have the one on the right...it wont work.
View attachment 679297

Awesome picture. Explains it all!!

Thanks.

T

 

[DatGuyC]

If you look at his picture it looks like he already has the cast perches.