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Topic: At wits end - A-Arm bolt will NOT budge :( (Read 5157 times) previous topic - next topic

At wits end - A-Arm bolt will NOT budge :(

Reply #15 –
The bottom of the spring is pretty crusty. I am gonna wire wheel it, but is cutting off some OK? What are the rules? 1/2 increments or??? (never cut a spring before)
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

At wits end - A-Arm bolt will NOT budge :(

Reply #16 –
If you cut your spring do it in 1/2 coil increments. Re-assemble and see if you need do cut more. It's a PITA but safe. Some springs start out taller than others.

I lopped a full coil off of some TC front springs once and it dropped the front a little too low. However, with my sport springs I did it 1/2 coil at a time and ended up at a full coil anyway and it still wasn't as low as the TC springs.

I think on the rear springs you have more leeway though. Here's a pic of a rear ST spring next to a TC spring.

[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
86 5.0 Turbocoupe (Katrina), 87 5.0 Sport (Rita)

At wits end - A-Arm bolt will NOT budge :(

Reply #17 –
How would you cut the rear spring while allowing it to sit flat in the perch (like stock)?
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

At wits end - A-Arm bolt will NOT budge :(

Reply #18 –
Good question. Anyway, I didn't cut the spring. I did rent a spring compressor. The one side is together after 20 hours of labor :(

Now the spring compressor will NOT come out of the spring. That ed wedge thing is in there for good :shakehead

This is the worst project I've ever had to do :shakehead :shakehead :shakehead :shakehead :shakehead :shakehead :shakehead :shakehead :shakehead
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

At wits end - A-Arm bolt will NOT budge :(

Reply #19 –
on the front springs? is it the tool with the 2 small hooks and big fork looking thing?
1979 Ford Fairmont
[/B]
5.0L/4R70W/8.8"/5-lug/3" Exhuast

At wits end - A-Arm bolt will NOT budge :(

Reply #20 –
Quote from: 32VFoxBird;176374
on the front springs? is it the tool with the 2 small hooks and big fork looking thing?


Exactly. My thought is to remove the strut bolts and lower the control arm until I can get the fork thing out. Unless I am basically effed - what do you know about this tool?
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

At wits end - A-Arm bolt will NOT budge :(

Reply #21 –
Well, it looks like I may have a shot using this compressor with the idea I had last night. It had cleared up from the overnight rain so I was getting out working. I was just compressing the spring when it started POURING rain. Things that make you go GRRRRR!!! :(
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

At wits end - A-Arm bolt will NOT budge :(

Reply #22 –
I don't suppose anyone knows where I can get a set of springs on a Saturday? Yep, the opposite side is missing one full turn :(

At least it will be easy to get back in!!

:D
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

At wits end - A-Arm bolt will NOT budge :(

Reply #23 –
Woohoo! It's done!

First side - 20 hours.

Second side - 4 1/2 hours - including spring cutting, rack re-mounting & A-arm bolt tightening and a backyard alignment!!

I couldn't even drive the car it was so bad - 2" tow in!!! I got it down to about 1/8 - 1/4" using a good sturdy tape measure - heh!

The car is lopsided with one spring missing one coil - I will post pics in another post for others to vote on ;) Should be interesting. Whew! What a job - it was so nice to be able to drive it now. The only thing not new or modified in the front end are the nuts for the wheel bearings, the struts and the steering shaft - lol.
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

At wits end - A-Arm bolt will NOT budge :(

Reply #24 –
Shoulda just cut the other coil the same amount the first one was broken.
Would have given the car a slight drop in the front end but hey, that's what i'm doing to mine when i convert to sn95.

At wits end - A-Arm bolt will NOT budge :(

Reply #25 –
Heh, well it was buttoned up nicely when I discovered the other side was broken & I am too tired to cut the other one today - so I'm gonna do a poll to see if people like the lowered look or the original look (I could get new springs). I already know the answer after taking pictures, but it should be interesting nonetheless!!

11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

At wits end - A-Arm bolt will NOT budge :(

Reply #26 –
More pictures of the install details for those who like pics.

Spring tucked just before raising the arm after compressing it with Autozone rental. This spring compressor can be used for a Ford, but you must jack the arm up and support it with a jackstand and remove the bolt through the hole in the a-arm (an air-wrench helps tremendously here). Then you must lower the a-arm enough to be able to get the wedge and thickness of the claw-hook block through the coils. It can be done - I'm living proof of it :D This was on the full uncut spring which we all know is quite long:


On jackstand waiting for me to remove the spring compressor bolt (you can see the head near inside the bottom coil there:


Back on the jack being lowered until the claw can be removed (you can see the claw at the bottom inside the spring):


TADA!


My GF is massaging me as I type this - man am I sore!!
11.96 @ 118 MPH old 306 KB; 428W coming soon.

At wits end - A-Arm bolt will NOT budge :(

Reply #27 –
looks good!!
RIP 1988 and 1990 Lincoln Mark VII LSC
I welcomed the dark side and currently am driving a 2000 Dodge Durango SLT plus, with a 5.9, Code named project "Night Runner"
Shes black on black, fully loaded, with headers, 180 tstat, e fan, straight exhaust into a cherry bomb vortex ler, full tune up, ported intake and T/B, MSD coil, and round aircleaner.
Mods to come: Fully rebuilt and heavily modded 46RE, and a richmond rachet locker.
my $300 beater ;)
R.I.P Kayleigh Raposa 12/18/90 - 2/24/07

At wits end - A-Arm bolt will NOT budge :(

Reply #28 –
The 11" brake upgrade is amazing.  I did my 88 and was dumbfounded by the increase in braking power.

Do you not run a front sway bar??
One 88

At wits end - A-Arm bolt will NOT budge :(

Reply #29 –
Not sure why you did it this way? I did my front end on my 88 a bit different. I didn’t use a spring compressor.
Instead attached the spindle and strut first with the strut disconnected at the top, (was changing to Mustang KYB gas struts)
then inserted the spring by hand (there was no pressure at this point) and
proceeded to jack the lower control arm up with a scissor jack guiding the top of the strut into place as I raised it.
It required very little spring pressure (was just barely loading) to get the upper end of the strut into place and attach the bolt.
Now with it all locked down (read safe)
Let the weight of the car down (this pushed the strut the rest of the way in and compressed the spring) bolted it all down tight.
I did it with stock T-bird springs and Mustang Struts. Was real easy.
 
Look at your second picture..

at that point of your process assume the strut is attached to the spindle and not the shock tower, assume the jack stand is a jack, shove it right in. simple!

Edit:
Sorry this info is to late for you, yours is done. But if anybody else does it...
:birdsmily:   Objects In Mirror Appear to be Loosing  :birdsmily: