Difficulty installing front coil spacers (1 Viewer)

[SpeedAgent]

Hey Guys, I'm stumped. I have followed Slee's instructions for installing their 2" springs thinking it would be just as straightforward, but with my spacer on top of the front spring it's just too tall to get over the bottom perch when trying to reinstall. I've lowered the sway bar in front and I'm at max distance on the hose that attaches directly to the axle, so without serious labor involved I'm at an impasse. I tried spring compressors, but they get in the way of getting the spring in place. Any ideas? I feel like I'm missing something.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[bhsdriller]

What hose are you maxing out on the axle?

 

[Rollinns]

You should be able to leave the brake hose connected but remove the bolt holding the hose bracket to the frame.

With the sway bar completely disconnected on both sides at the same time and the brake hose brackets unbolted from the frame, you should gain enough to be able to wrestle them in place.

My springs were quite a bit taller than the saggy stock springs, I think on one side my son stood on the end of the axle and the other side he stepped on a 2x4 jammed in there to lever the axle down enough. I can't remember exactly what technique ended up working. I had a floor jack under the center of the axle to prevent the brake hoses from getting stretched.

I do know I wrestled with it for a while until I disconnected the sway bar on both sides, that helped a lot.

 

[SpeedAgent]

There is a hose that when stretched is near vertacle and attaches directly to the axle, I don't have a pic handy.

 

[ppc]

Sounds like you may be describing the axle breather. What is the other end of the hose attached to?

 

[bhsdriller]

That's what I thought but didn't know if he meant brake line either. If breather just disconnect

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Loosen your lower control arms, panhard, disconnecting your shocks and swaybar. You will have more than enough room without any struggle. Once all back together and sitting at ride height re-torque everything.

 

[jjdeneen918]

I just added 1.5” Metal-tek spring spacers to my 4” lift springs.

All I did was:
Remove sway-bar attachments from axel
Remove bolt to brake line bracket at axle
Lower axle as far as it’ll droop
Place stock bottle jack between axle/frame to gain a little more clearance.

I was able to get 4” lifted springs & 1.5” spacers.
You should be able to get 2” springs in there.

 

[shocktower]

The stock jack is very useful for jobs like this

 

[450LX]

I think your shocks are holding you up, you need to undo them.

 

[MoJ]

Bottle jack between the axle and bump stop is the ticket.

 

[Arizona Jeff]

Go to auto parts store and borrow a spring compressor. I just added 1" spacers yesterday and that made all the difference in the world. Made the job easy.

 

[1911garand]

I just did this mod (but with OME 2" springs and 30mm spacers.

To get the front axle to drop enough for spring install, I need to:

-Unbolt or remove sway bar (I removed mine)
-Unbolt both front shocks (lower mounting point)
-Disconnect diff breather hose (replaced with a long one)
-Unbolt (one bolt) the brake line fitting thing on the front axle (then reattached after spring / spacer install)
-Unbolt the brake line bracket on passenger side of frame

I still needed to lever and hammer (rubber) the spring into place on the bottom mount. I did not have a spring compressor.

I also used a 5' lever to push the axle downward while I installed the springs.

It was a bitch, and required 4 beers. YES - I need longer brake lines.

Good Luck!

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Spring compressor and a jack how much room do you need. See post #7 above

 

[bicycleagent003]

Leave it to LCPhil to school us all. I did this job a few weeks back and also struggled. I had my wife stand on one of the hubs at one point...but got 'er done.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

Leave it to LCPhil to school us all. I did this job a few weeks back and also struggled. I had my wife stand on one of the hubs at one point...but got 'er done.

Your control arms and panhard have encapsulated rubber bushings this is where the spongy feel comes from. Anytime the angle of control arm/panhard changes it needs to loosen and retorqued at ride height. If you choose to take note you will never need a spring compressor, jack or require any additional help.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

I manage to get my 4” OME comp springs in with only the sway bar and shocks disconnected. I then push down on the hub with my foot giving me just enough to get the spring in/out. I have used pry bar also but foot seems to work just as well and I can always locate it.
Good time to add sway bar disconnects as it helps keep the sway bar out of you way during spring swaps.

 

[Hankg550]

Loosen your lower control arms, panhard, disconnecting your shocks and swaybar. You will have more than enough room without any struggle. Once all back together and sitting at ride height re-torque everything.

Awesome thanks!