Frame / Springs: Control Arms & coil springs assembly

[arts54LC]

Getting ready to assembly and install the upper & lower control arm kin pin assembly, coil springs etc... I read the coil spring installation page, seems this is the way to go with the doghouse assembly and the upper CA installed. Just looking for ways and step by step proceedures to make this job less difficult. Do i assemble everthing as a doghouse assembly? Start from installing to upper control arm first? What goes first and what's the last step? Got the inner bushings installed and ready to use my spreader tool.
Also upper inner CA shaft that i didn't mark as shop manual stated. Holes are offset, which way is the off set, bigger hump towards the outside or engine side??

Any asssistance is greatly appreciated...Thank you all for you feedback on my questions I had, much appreciated...Still have the engine and A/T on the car so compressing the spring is good to go. Also upper inner CA shaft that i didn't mark as shop manual stated. Holes are offset, which way is the off set, bigger hump towards the outside or engine side?? Only got one answer on this, is there any other opinions? How was this mounted from the factory?

[sweetolbob]

Here a shot of my 74 Avanti drivers side in position.




With every thing set to go, you can put the complete upper assembly or lower assembly on as you see fit. In the end you will need to place the spring and jack up the lower control arm and bolt the kingpin into the lower trunnion as final assembly. I'm waiting until the complete engine/trans assembly is in so I can use the weight of the car/engine assembly to compress the spring.

I had a quality spring compressor slip once and I won't forget it so I only assemble these type of suspensions with a floor jack.

Hope that's what you need.

Bob

[Mike Van Veghten]

I hope you didn't take this apart...
If you did, shame on you for not taking notes and or pictures...!

If not, the manual works fine. As Bob says, most any way works.
Me...one part at a time is the way I do it.

Mike

[sweetolbob]

I hope you didn't take this apart...
If you did, shame on you for not taking notes and or pictures...!

Mike

Yup!!! That too. Bob

[jackb]

1st...get the bushings pressed into the control arms. 2nd : install the kingpin into the control arms. Now you have the full assemblies ready. I have followed the shop manual procedure many times and have fitted the lower, inner control arms to the frame with lock washers. Get you a spring compressor from AutoZone and compress the springs at least 4 coils together. With the coils compressed, you don't need the engine in the vehicle. It might take a little prying to seat the upper inner shaft on the frame for insertion of a screwdriver or punch to set before placing the bolts down through both. Here comes the challenging part: You will need to have some light and a open end 3/4 wrench with the lock washer and nut secured by masking tape. Its a balancing act, but all you need to do is start the threads of the bolt by hand and then you can lock things up.....Takes one time to get it right....And I just realized that if you drop the nut and/or the washer.....it will fall out below in the frame cutout....GL

[gordr]

My take on it? Assemble inner control arm shafts and bushings to control arms. Install bolts, but leave them loose enough that the inner sleeves of the bushings are free to turn on the shafts, for now. Assemble upper outer pivot and kingpin, using a spreader. Bolt the upper inner shaft to the frame, and torque those bolts. The weight of the kingpin won't cause any trouble here. Assemble lower trunnion to lower control arm, using the spreader. Mount lower arm to frame, and torque those bolts. Loctite wouldn't hurt here, either. Slip steering knuckle onto kingpin, and wire it to the upper trunnion so it stays put. Install cork seal or "O" ring, using a dab of heavy grease to make it stay put.

Install spring insulators to spring, and tape in place using black tape. Put spring into upper spring pocket,and place lower end in lower spring pocket, with lower control arm resting on floor jack. Car must be on stands at the correct height for this to work, and engine must be installed! Carefully raise the jack, ensuring that the spring is seating properly in the pocket of the control arm. When the lower trunnion meets the bottom of the king pin, carefully guide the end of the king pin into the hole in the trunnion, making sure the key enters the keyway. A few light taps with a hammer may help the trunnion slip onto the kingpin. As soon as a few threads show out the bottom of the trunnion, put a nut on it and use the nut to draw the kingpin the rest of the way through the trunnion. Then remove the nut, install the washer, and replace and tighten the nut. Not until that nut is in place and drawn up is the system "safe". Stay at the front of the car, and don't put your body in the path that the spring would take if the jacks slips, say a 30 degree arc centered on the long axis of the lower control arm. Yes, you have to violate this rule to get the kingpin seated in the trunnion, but don't do anything so forceful that you risk upsetting the jack. Easy does it! If something doesn't fit, stop and ask yourself why; don't just try to force it.

The above assumes a complete car with engine and transmission in place, such that the weight of the car provides enough down force to compress the spring. With the engine out, or a bare frame, you will need a spring compressor. I have successfully used a rear leaf spring lower plate, combined with a length of 1/2" Acme-thread Redi Rod, and matching Acme nuts. And washers.

[SScopelli]

I used this tool to compress the coil spring, which were the HD springs from Dave.

http://www.tooltopia.com/otc-tools-7045b.aspx

The small semi circle end will be at the top.. It has a push pin to hold it on the rod and holds the plate from turning.
The bigger end is where it is tighten from to compress the spring.
Once the spring is in, loosen and remove the push pin at the top and the rod goes out the lower control frame shock hole. The plates just slide out..

Installed the upper control frame with the kingpin and pivot installed. This way you can get to the bolts easier.
Installed the lower control frame with the lower kingpin pivot installed.
With out the coil spring in, adjust shims for kingpin bearing free play.
Compress coil spring.. Install spring pad on top of the spring and insert spring into upper frame.
Raise lower control frame and align spring end in grove of lower control frame.
Slide kingpin into lower pivot and tighten the bottom kingpin nut, torque, and cotter-pin.
The spring compressor rod goes through the shock hole, so you can loosen it up.
Simple and basically a one man operation..