Front Springs Removal

[zyrtecx]

What is the proper way the remove the front springs on a BJ7? King pin and shocks are removed already…

 

[Bob_Spidell]

I use 4 pieces of all-thread, 3/8" coarse IIRC, cut to about 8" long. Use appropriate nuts with flat washers on either end, remove one bolt at a time and replace bolts with all-thread with nuts and washers, and cinch them up, with even amount of thread on top and bottom. Then, loosen each all-thread nut a little at a time, and drop the spring straight down, else the spring plate can get 'kinked' and stuck. Use of a driver drill or impact wrench with deep sockets removes some of the tedious work, but if you don't have them a ratcheting socket works well too. The spring will retain some pressure for most of 6" or so; since there are no 8" deep sockets, that I know of, using all-thread allows you to loosen both top and bottom nuts.

If this sounds like a lot of work, know that this operation is potentially dangerous, and I can guarantee that if you plan on keeping your Healey you will use these homemade tools again someday (no matter how well they're rebuilt Armstrong shocks will leak eventually).

 

[zyrtecx]

I use 4 pieces of all-thread, 3/8" coarse IIRC, cut to about 8" long. Use appropriate nuts with flat washers on either end, remove one bolt at a time and replace bolts with all-thread with nuts and washers, and cinch them up, with even amount of thread on top and bottom. Then, loosen each all-thread nut a little at a time, and drop the spring straight down, else the spring plate can get 'kinked' and stuck. Use of a driver drill or impact wrench with deep sockets removes some of the tedious work, but if you don't have them a ratcheting socket works well too. The spring will retain some pressure for most of 6" or so; since there are no 8" deep sockets, that I know of, using all-thread allows you to loosen both top and bottom nuts.

If this sounds like a lot of work, know that this operation is potentially dangerous, and I can guarantee that if you plan on keeping your Healey you will use these homemade tools again someday (no matter how well they're rebuilt Armstrong shocks will leak eventually).

Thanks for the Information!!!

 

[steveg]

I started with 4 of these but now only use 2. If you are uncomfortable with this, suggest 3 or 4 for a comfort level.

Support the car on jackstands by the frame rails. Use your jack to support the lower trunnion of the kingpin. The lower A-arm must be away from the frame rail in order to clear the spring pan as you lower it.

Remove 2 diagonal bolts from the spring pan and insert tools (with couplers at top) and cinch them up snug. Remove the other 2 bolts from the spring pan. Securing the couplers with vice grips or box-end combination wenches, undo the lower nuts a little at a time until the tension is off the spring and you can lower the spring out the bottom of the A-arm. As you undo the spring pan, raise the jack under the lower trunnion in order to keep the A-arm angle appropriately toward the horizontal.

With these you quickly undo the spring pan with an electric wrench or ratchet wrench.

MAKE SURE THE JAM NUTS DON'T COME UNDONE! I STAKED THE END OF THE ROD - WELDING OR A ROLL PIN WOULD BE BETTER.