Tools req'd, jack, jackstands, 1/2 drive breaker, 9/16 wrench, socket, 1" socket, angle grinder, safety g's, pliers, 3/16 line wrench. with the front up on stands, I placed the jack under the lower arm, compressed the spring. removed the upper arm mount, 1" nuts on either end. wiggled the adjuster bolt thing out, undid the brake line then loosen the sway bar, remove the shock (i cut it out, faster) lower the jack, pull out the too tall spring. using the grinder I took 2 coils off. Remember to be safe!
put the spring back in place (now would be the time to freshen up the bushings, etc on the front end, but I'm lazy) jack the arm up, put everything back where it came from. I used monroe 31176 shocks, they are a perfect fit new sway bar links sourced from a nova, moog k6630 now back the "days of our lives" thread merced california must be a weak ass town.
I'm just getting a bunch of red x's so I'm gonna have to ask a stupid question: Are you running the straight 6, or do you have a 8. BTW: Thanks for the part #s on the shocks and sway bar link!
Nice Tech! When you lowered the jack the coil didn't want to spring out?? Did you secure it first with a chain? I'm wonderin because this is on my To-Do list on my 51. Right now I'm putting in the rear axle, then onto the front suspension. I plan on cutting 1-2 coils (V-8) on the front of mine as well.
I did the same last year while rebuilding my frontend... I have a few pics on the "Suspension" link here: http://home.insightbb.com/~t.coyle/ I didn't need to secure the spring but did use extreme caution letting the jack down very slowly to release the built up energy in the spring. I also cut 2 coils off mine before reinstalling...TC Nice job 53sled...looks great.
most of the spring is held in the pocket of the crossmember, and when i let my jack down it was slow enough that when it was all the way down there was nothing left. Much easier than doing struts on a new car, took me about 3 hours
Myself and Joefomopar (?) did this last night...A little different but we had it driving in 2 hours. Instead of undoing the upper arm, we unbolted the sway bar, lower shock and the lower a arm where it connect to the frame with 5/8" bolts. Cut 2 coils and reinstalled. Went very easy. Had to beat a little on the a arm to release when the jack was dropped but it was simple. I'll put up picks later. Larry
Same here- I unbolted the lower a-arm from the steering knuckle, sway bar link, and tie rod with a jack applying slight pressure right under the spring. Just lower the jack slowly and the spring falls out. That way, you don't have to screw around with the brake lines.
I did same with my Plymouth, except it's illegal here to cut coils, so I sent them out to be reset to the length I required.
Doubt it, rear shock are mount different than the front. Nice job on the 53. Taking care of the important things first, Like looking good! I hope to have my '54 back from the shop in a couple weeks, having Buffalo Disc Kit installed. I'm thinking maybe I should cut a coil or two while its apart.
two coils off the bottom resulted in a 2" drop with the massive stovebolt. the rear shocks are monroe 33049. there is no listing for the fronts, but in the back of the book, i had to look myself damn kids, the size cross reference has several longer, two shorter with the proper ends. there is one listing for rv shocks, 34 a piece but they would be best for stock replacement only 1/2" longer. need to replace the mounting area in the back, shock mount is all rusted to hell. i'm using 1/8" fire door kick panel, that should hold.
The Jalopy Journal
