Did I do something wrong with front suspentoin

[marenick]

I had 2 frames.and took the best of both and put together a good frame and suspention. The PO had cut the front coil springs so i used the springs from the second frame. I put everyting together and the springs had almost no give what so ever. I thought when i put the engine , cab, and front sheet metal they would compress but they didn't i can jump on the frame and there is no bounce in the front of the truck

I will get a picture of the way it is sitting now.I have none on this computer

any ideas??????????? Thanks in advance.

[ERASER5]

With out any front clip or engine in place, you would have to jump real hard to move the springs. Did the A-arms move freely before they were attached to the spindle?

[Boyd]

It's hard to tell from the first picture and the other two appear to be assembly pics.

It could be a combination of things...you may have tightened your upper and lower cross shafts too much. Have you greased the new cross shafts and ball joints yet? Are the springs seated properly? They may be 3/4 ton springs. Did you cut the coils? Is it sitting on the bump stops?

[my67c20]

Had the same thoughts after i rebuild my front. Trust me you want the suspension to be tight. However you want the a-arms to move freely, but not too much. Once you get it all together it will be good, just make sure you get some shocks before you road test it.

[marenick]

eveything is lubed and upper and lower control arms moved freely before compressed springs. there is no upper rubber bumpers in place. i have the cab engine and front sheetmetal on the truck now and i still no give. i don't think the truck will a able to be aligned the way it is now . I am doing my rebuild at a auto club any everyone who looks at the truck asks whats wrong with the front tires. i figured somebody might have aome advice.

[low'n slow]

I may be wrong, but those don't look like the correct springs. All the front springs I have seen don't have the pigtail on them. They are straight and don't taper like the ones shown in your picture.

[88fordf150]

Need to post more pics, the way it is now.

[Hawker7]

I had the exact same thought after I put mine back together...I never did get them to move much at all even with everything back together, but it drives great so I assume that is just the way it is.

[1LoC10]

are they 1 ton springs in a 1/2 ton truck?

[90\87Formula]

Originally Posted by low'n slow

I may be wrong, but those don't look like the correct springs. All the front springs I have seen don't have the pigtail on them. They are straight and don't taper like the ones shown in your picture.

Springs look normal to me.

[marenick]

They could be 1 ton i don't know they cam in a frame that i bought . I was thinking of getting a aftermarket set of springs from NAPA .the upper control arm is hard against the crossmember and it has no upper rubber bumper in it.

[Zeke]

I would double check to make sure the spring is seated correctly in the cross member. I put new HD springs on when I put 81 control arms and disc on, even with my fat a$$ they wouldn't budge and were hard against the upper bumper. When I put the original springs back on it was the same?? Found out there is one certain spot up inside the crossmember where I had to hold the spring to keep it place while jacking the lower control arm.

[88fordf150]

I'm working on finishing up my spring install today, I posted a few pics that might help. You can see the upper spring pocket that the spring has to go into.

[marenick]

thanks for the help people. i will take a look at them today and get some pics

[my67c20]

You are starting to panic about nothing. The upper control arm will be against the crossmember, it is the movable part in the puzzle. I would, to prevent chipping up you paint, install the upper bump stops. Worst case is if you get it all together and it still is an issue all the parts are new and easy to remove the lower balljoint and replace the spring.

I just did this 6 month ago and i felt the same way. As you see from the picture i uploaded in that condition it still barely moved enough for me to install the upper dump stop.

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by my67c20

You are starting to panic about nothing. The upper control arm will be against the crossmember, it is the movable part in the puzzle. I would, to prevent chipping up you paint, install the upper bump stops. Worst case is if you get it all together and it still is an issue all the parts are new and easy to remove the lower balljoint and replace the spring.

I just did this 6 month ago and i felt the same way. As you see from the picture i uploaded in that condition it still barely moved enough for me to install the upper dump stop.

X2!

And that big block is a bit heavier than a mouse motor, but I still had a bear of a time with the upper bump stop.

[raycow]

Does anybody else besides me think that spring looks kinda thick?

Ray