2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Coil Spring 20% Out Of Tower Cup

[TBora]

I was just crawling around under my "new" 1996 4X4 and noticed that the drivers side coil spring is 20% out of the upper shock tower cup! Looks like it happened 2 years and 5,000 miles ago when the previous owner had some cheapie Monroe shocks installed.



The coil is being held from further movement by the shock.



Will I be able to nudge the coil back into position (and centered properly into the rubber cup) by removing the upper shock nut and unloading the spring by jacking the body?



I just got the truck on Sunday..... it's a baby... ... 70k California miles, never off road and full maintenance records. I had been bummed out because I couldn't find anything to tinker with on the truck..... looks like I found something!



Thanks

 

[Rebel Ram]

Easy fix. Just block up the truck on the frame and pull the front wheels. Keep a jack under the axle. Remove the top bolts from the shocks and lower the axle. Reposition the springs and jack the axle back into position. Just watch the brake line. Dont let it go tight when you lower the axle. Hopfully your rubber spring pockets are still usable.

 

[TBora]

So I should unbolt both shocks. Good idea, I guess the axle won't drop properly with only one shock disconnected.

 

[n7gxz]

The axle will only drop as far as the trailing arm will allow. The trailing arms will start to bind up against the mounts on the axle before the springs are full released. If you have some chain that you can put around the spring before the axle is lowered it will release much sooner.



Kevin

 

[TBora]

The axle will only drop as far as the trailing arm will allow. The trailing arms will start to bind up against the mounts on the axle before the springs are full released. If you have some chain that you can put around the spring before the axle is lowered it will release much sooner.



Kevin

So you are saying that while the spring is still compressed with the weight of the truck on it, I should pass some chain thru near the top of the coil and then down under the bottom of the coil to keep it in compression when I have it jacked up... ... ... Thanks for the suggestion.



I think all the chain I have laying around is too large. I might buy some steel cable and some fittings to make a loop... . I could then finely tune the tightness before doing the jacking.

 

[n7gxz]

Yes that is exactly what I'm saying. I did that when I put in a Tuff Country leveling kit. The cable and a couple of clamps should work good. May want to use a couple pieces of 1/4" since the springs have quite a load on them. As said early watch for brake lines and trailing arms binding.



Good luck,

Kevin

 

[NHays]

some more tinkering

When you have everything apart, take the brake lines off and the calipers off. then flush the lines and put new fluid in it. Just another little tinkering project, won't take much longer and makes a big difference, especially when you put synthetic fluid in. have to take rears apart too though.

 

[Nate]

Undo the shock and let the axle drop all the way, there's hardly any pressure on the spring and you'll be able to move it... . or even pull it out. That's how I did the 2" budject boost on 2 trucks so far.

 

[TBora]

The Spring is Back Home

I just finished coaxing the spring back into the tower cup. I was going to do the chain/cable method..... But while at Harbor Freight Tools (A local tool outlet - lots of Chinese stuff) I saw a Coil Spring Compressing tool. ($15)



I wouldn't trust it to do a full compression..... but I figured that it should be strong enough to hold the spring as I unloaded the axle. So I installed the compressor, cranked it down only enough to have it firming bite the spring. Then I jacked the frame rail up..... didn't even have to get the wheel off the ground and the spring was free enough to nudge back into postion.



The rubber cup doesn't look perfect... ... I will replace it when I install new shocks.



Next project is new EGR brakes lines... ... the line by the bad coil has a big gash thru the rubber... ... hoses arrive Thursday.

 

[MrDiesel]

The axle will only drop as far as the trailing arm will allow. The trailing arms will start to bind up against the mounts on the axle before the springs are full released. If you have some chain that you can put around the spring before the axle is lowered it will release much sooner.



Kevin

That is extremely dangerous! There is so much pressure in the springs if that chain lets go you could loose an eye or more. Get a good coil spring compressor it's worth it, Snap On ones can be found on ebay used for less than a $100. It will pay for its self many times over if you lift trucks. On 99. 9% of stock 4X4s the trailing arms won't bind before you can pull the coil out even when they are completely released. That is if you have both shocks out and un-bold the brake line retainers... .