For everyone who has done on of these: I'm having a heck of a time getting the left front spring in. It looks as though the lines for my breaks are going to snap if I push down on the axle any more, and as it is the front driveshaft is sitting on the center skid (so it really can't go down any more). How did you guys get this spring in?

 

Place a second fllor jack under the opposite side of the axle. Jack it up. This will cause the axle to be forced downward (flexed) on the side you need it. Should give you room to squeeze the spring in. Also, you can (and really should) remove the center skid during your install. You definitely don't want you driveshaft contacting it and it will give you more room to work.

 

What he said!!! Make sure to remove that tranny skid so you don't do any damage to your driveshaft. You really only need to unbolt the center and one side, then loosen the opposite side. That will enable you to just pivot it out of the way so the driveshaft has more room to come down.

 

or you can do what I did......run to NAPA and borrow a set of spring compressors.....made the install super easy.

 

X2 on this. will make the job a lot easier and safer

 

First choice is the spring compressor. Autozone will let you buy it, then return it for a refund when you're done (They call it their loaner program).


Not as safe, but we put a bar clamp (the kind that tighten up when you squeeze the handle) on each side of the spring & compressed the spring with our weight, then set the clamps. Just be careful when you let the pressure off the clamps.

 

I didn't remove anything other than the sway bar bolts and the shocks. Didn't see the need to fool with skid plates. I let the whole front axle drop freely and jacked up the opposite side a tad when working on the other.

There was a bit of a struggle in popping in the last spring but I used a pry bar after getting up to the furthest point that I could by hand. Pretty much on the lower control arm just before the spring perch.

Just keep an eye on your brake/ABS lines (like you seem to be doing now).

Strangely, now that I think of it I found it easier to go from the front side on the passenger spring and from the back on the drivers side. Don't know if anyone else did it this way

 

Bigg, do you have a 6 speed or an auto? I is pretty easy to beat up your driveshaft forcing a spring in if you don't remove the tranny skid on an auto. The axle dropping will cause it to make contact after only a few extra inches. If you are pushing against the spring with a pry bar, and the driveshaft is contacting that skid, you are likely putting quite a bit of downward pressure on that axle which in turn is putting a lot of pressure on the driveshaft.

 

My front was the same way....I just used a jack on the opposite side to simulate max flex and worked it up there! I got me alittle upset but stepped back and had a beer or 2 and thought about it!

 

I can't belive all the cool ideas about getting the springs in. Pretty clever. All I did was use a flat wreaking bar and lever them in. Pretty easy I thought.
It was on an unlimited. Maybe the skids wern't in the way on them.