Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting q's]

[Mg_Bizzle]

Iv bought a lowring kit for my MGB (as its the rb model), this consisits of 2 front springs, lower blocks, U bolts and nylock nuts.

Whats the best way to go about fitting the blocks, do I raise the car and then the axel? In the work shop manual it tells you to tighten the bolts that go on the U-bolts one the cars back on the gorund, how much do you tighten them before?

And just to make sure the block goes on the bottom of the the leaf spring, yes?

Also with the front springs do I need a spring compression tool to fit them?

Thanks for any help in advance /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[Bret]

The rear blocks are simple (simpler still if you have air tools) just raise the car and support it with jack stands just before the front hard points of the leaf springs and allow the axle to hang free. Once you've done that use another jack to support (but not raise) the axle. Now disconnect the U-bolts.

Also do one side at a time this will insure that you don't have any problems or binding.

Install the blocks "in-between" the axle & the leafs.

As for the front coil springs. You don't need a spring compression tool. Like the rear get the car in the air by supporting the front clip at the frame hard points allowing the front suspension to hang free. Now using a floor jack and a block of wood try to raise or apply pressure to the bottom of the spring cup in the lower A-arms. This should allow you to remove the four bolts from the lower spring cup but you may have to adjust the height of the floor jack (raise or lower) to get the hardware out. Once its out of the way just lower (slowly) the floor jack and the spring should drop away with little effort. Install new springs by just reversing the procedure.

Good luck!

 

[Mg_Bizzle]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

Thanks for that little tutorial, made a good start on the job today and should have it finished early tomorrow.

Thanks again /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[Bret]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

Glade to help.

Thanks to my other "project car” I'm starting to really appreciate how simple my 78B is to work on and modify.

 

[Nunyas]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

Bret-
Simplicity has a certain elegance to it, doesn't it? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

If you haven't already, you should dissect a SU HS carb. Talk about simple! I recall 'field stripping' my HS-6 when I first got it and was shocked at how few parts are in it compared to a ZS.

 

[Bruce74B]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

Be sure to wrap something around the front spring when you lower it to remove it, so that if it hangs up and "pops" out, it will have something to keep it from flying out and hitting something (like you)...I used an end of a tow chain that was handy, but a sturdy length of rope will do.

Safety Fast!

Bruce

 

[Bret]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

I guess it wouldn't hurt to have something there to be safe as Bruce suggests. But I didn't have any problems removing the springs - but then I'm a Rebel & live life on the edge... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

 

[Nunyas]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

ditto what Bret said about the front springs. I just used a floor jack to slowly allow the stock springs to uncompress, and then just swapped them out once the lower wishbone assy dropped enough to let the stock unit to fall out.

 

[Mg_Bizzle]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

Well I got them all out fine, but I didnt bother removing the anti roll bar and its bolt that goes into the arm.

Now iv come to refit the spring pan and spring etc its impossible to do with out taking out that bolt that holds on the anti roll bar. It seems pretty stuck in there, iv tried hammering it, sprayed it with various oils (WD40 etc) etc and it doesnt want to budge.

Any tips on removing it?

 

[Nunyas]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

*shrug* my car didn't have an anti-sway/roll bar when I did my front sus. However, when I added one, I found that the bolt holding the linkages to the front wish bones also went through the spring pan on my car. So, how did you manage to get the spring pan out without removing this bolt?

If you can't remove the bolt going into the spring pan, have you tried removing the bolt at the other end of the anti-sway bar linkage?

 

[Mg_Bizzle]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

The force of the spring must have pushed the spring pan and I assumed id be able to force it back.

Which other bolt are you talking about? Iv disconneted from the anti roll bar so all im left with is a bar with a ball end thats attached to the arm.

I guess im going to have to heat it up some how?

Everythings been rusted on the car but normally penerating oil has sorted it! This isnt even held on with anything, just pure rust!

 

[Bret]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

The sway bar bolts came out fine in my case. As Rob says it might be binding between the pan & the A-Arm. That said you might want to try to re-install the other bolts and use the jack to apply pressure to the A-arm & pan. Then put the nut back on the sway bar bolt to protect the threads with maybe a 1/2 inch of clearance and see if you can wack on the bolt with a mallet.

Again they should come free without any real effort.

 

[Mg_Bizzle]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

Il try the above but I cant refit the spring pan because of the bolt if all else fails I have had another idea.

Its only the anti roll bar bolt thats the problem. So if I cut the hole that holds this bolt out of the spring pan so its a C shape I can just slot the spring pan over this troublesome bolt.

Can anyone see a problem with the above idea?

 

[Bret]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

Gee this shouldn't be that hard. Honestly I still think the bolt is binding or is rusted into place between the pan & the A-arm.

But before you go cutting anything here are a couple more ideas to try first.

Take the floor jack & a small block of wood that'll allow you to raise the spring pan without affecting the A-Arms. Take some of the pressure off of the bolt and leaving you enough clearance to tap it out with a mallet as I suggested before.

You could also try a ball joint separator (tuning fork) on the outside to apply pressure to the sway bar ball link on the outside of the A-arm, as you work (raise & lower) the spring pan with the jack. Another idea is to disconnect the sway bar link from the swaybar and use it as leverage to see if you can get it to spin or break free. If you can – then it’s just a mater of getting it out.

 

[Mg_Bizzle]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

Sorted, was lining up the wrong hole /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/blush.gif

Bolt was rusted solid place though, and now I need remove the fulcrim pin to replace the bush that is rusted solid in place too /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/mad.gif

 

[Bret]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

Thats good news but if it's not too much of a big deal - could you expound a little? What hole where you tring to line up?

Also are you refering to the fulcrim pin at the top of the swivel assembly that links the lever shock to the trunnion or something else? If so are you saying that the swivel bushs are shot or the trunnion berring being rusted solid?

 

[Mg_Bizzle]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

Does your car have a front anti roll bar? Anyway this has a bigger hole then the normal spring pan bolts and I was trying to get that bigger hole to line up on both sides of the spring pan. If that makes sense? Il take a picture if not.

Yes I am talking about the fulcrim pin at the top of the swivel assembly the bit that connects to the damper, the bushes are shot and it appears to be rusted in place. Il take a picture of this too. I can also let you know how I get around it as a mechnic is going to have a go at it tomorrow.

Sorry if im a bit vague with my descriptions, still on the learning curve /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/blush.gif

 

[jlaird]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

Hmmm, biger hammer, sawzal, welding tourch? some of the more intresting possibilites.

 

[Mg_Bizzle]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

Welding torch is what I thinks going to happen tomorrow...

Sawzel? What is that?

Bret, just had a quick look on your website and wow that B looks tasy! It looks like you've lowered the suspension too, are there any other mods you've done to the suspension (Uprated dampers, springs etc?) or do you find the existing anti rollbars adequate?

 

[Bret]

Re: Lowering blocks and front sus [newbie fitting

Hey mg_Bizzle,

Don't go to any trouble taking any pictures I think I understand what happened. Good luck with the fulcrum pin I'd go ahead and soak it down with some good penetrating oil before you try to take it apart. But it shouldn’t be a big deal.

As for a Sawzall (proper spelling) it’s a recipicating saw that can handle just about any stubborn bolt or project if all else fails. But gain I’d try a good penetrating oil first before you employ such a drastic measure.

As for my 78B? Yes I retained both sway bars front & rear and have done significant suspension modifications. Lowered using 600lb springs up front that gave me about a 2” drop up front. In the rear I used a set of lowering springs and a set of blocks that dropped the rear-end about 1.5”. I also chopped the front bumps, installed as set of tube shocks in the rear as well and installed polyurethane bushing all around. All of that coupled with some basic brake mods (Teflon SS brake lines, uprated pads & as set of cross drilled rotors) make for a pretty sweet handling ride.