[dataway]

First ...is there a way to tell the difference between left and right, 68 GTO drum brake spindles? I've got mine mixed up while painting.

Next: Is there a preferred front spring compressor that works well on a 68 GTO ...went to test fit the new front coils and there is no way I'm getting them in without a spring compressor ...the old OEM springs I could wedge in using jacks, pry bars and vehicle weight ...not going to happen with these new (supposedly OEM style springs).

Last: Do most of you consider "Inline Tube" to be trustworthy? I've gotten a few things from them in the past with no complaints. But I notice on ebay they post MANY items that are absolutely, obviously Chinese reproductions and they call them OEM NOS in the description. Seems like a heck of a way to damage your reputation ...assuming they care about that sort of thing.
JohnnyB

[moparcolt]

The spindles are the same. The steering arms are different.
You need a compressor that goes up inside the spring it will come out through the hole in the control arm when your done.

[indymanjoe]

just went through all this as well.Moparcolt is correct,and inline has done me very well. However i have the opportunity to go to their store and compare parts.

[HWYSTR455]

Where did you get the springs? It's rare that aftermarket replacement springs are the correct rate and/or standing height. One's that state they reproduce using 'factory blueprints' you need to run from. The 'blueprints' are generic, and wrong 99% of the time. My guess is that you will be dealing with an uneven ride height when done.

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[indymanjoe]

Hard to tell on the ride height,body is off.spring removal was no fun with a bare frame and no engine LOL i got mine from NAPA,they came with one marked for A/C (pass side).i'll let ya know in afew weeks when th body is put back on,motor in.Also autozone is where i rented the spring compressor.Lube the bolt well before use,it wont bind as easily.

[dataway]

These are probably the generic standard replacement springs for a 68 GTO, auto with AC, I think "S327" from Ames. But they seem awful tall compared to the stock springs.... going by memory as I don't have the OEM spring anymore.

I just remember with OEM springs you could, if neccessary, jam them in between the frame and the lower control arm...put a jack under the lower control arm and (with engine installed) jack up the lower arm far enough to get the nut on the lower ball joint. .... No way with these aftermarket springs, they are going to need to be compressed about 4" at least.
JohnnyB

[gto4evr]

I've got some old spring books with specs from my counter days in the 80's. The TRW book calls out CS5394 for 68 GTO hardtop v8 no AC free standing height on that spring should be 16.68". With AC, should be CS5386, which is 17.10". if you've got a vert, no ac is CS5390 16.8, vert AC calls out the CS5386 again.

nowadays, they tend to group springs into a more one size fits all thing but back in the day, there were different size springs for every nuance and they used to be left and right springs as well, with stickers on the coil to tell you which side was which because the rates were different (left side springs were stiffer because of the weight differential of the driver, the added weight of the battery and starter on that side, etc. looking through this book they call out different spring numbers for Lemans vs Tempest vs GTO, I don't think any modern replacement companies bother with that level of difference!

anyways, I'd check your free standing height of your springs against what I listed above. If your springs are that tall that there's no way you can install them without a compressor, then I think you're going to be upset with the car standing too tall up front and it riding like a mack truck when you hit bumps and knock your fillings out of your head! I've replaced quite few front springs in my 68-72 Lemans/gto's years past and never used a spring compressor once. My standard installation method was a tire iron in the hole for the stabilizer link pivoted under the spring, whack with a hammer while lifting on the iron and slid it down into the pocket. All my coil springs came from TRW or Moog back then. I haven't done a spring job in the last 20 years to say what's out there now.

[dataway]

Thanks for that spring height info, just what I need. I got these springs from Ames about 20 years ago ...they are probably still selling the same thing. I wonder if off the shelf replacements from Moog or whatever might be more correct.

I'm hoping to make my own compressor (I have a small welding/fab shop) using some acme rod and nuts ... I'm too slow a worker to rent one I hate the pressure of having to do something quick so I can return a tool

JohnnyB

[dataway]

Just measured the height of the new (20 year old new) springs from Ames. 16 7/8". So within the height range I would expect.
Now I'm going to buy some acme rod and make a spring compressor

JohnnyB

[HWYSTR455]

You know, it might be safer to buy a properly rated spring compressor, they're only like $40 or so....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/coil-spring-...3482d2&vxp=mtr

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[dataway]

That would be too easy.

Actually the acme rod and nuts would cost me more than that. I'll see if I can find that same thing locally. Last one I looked at said max spring length was like 12" though.
JohnnyB

[gto4evr]

There's no room inside the front coils for those internal compressors. it won't fit out the shock hole once you're done with it. External coil compressors get hung up in the frame when you try installing.

Jack the car way off the ground and setting on a jack stand on the frame at the fender heel, get your sway bar off and out of the way, step on the lower control arm to push it down as far as you can go, get the spring started up inside, take a prybar and work the bottom of the spring as close to the pocket as you can go, put a jack under the lower control arm. using the prybar, walk the spring towards the pocket. As soon as it's seated jack the lower control arm up until the car lifts off the jack stand, pull the steering knuckle down to get lower ball joint nut started. Finish up the reassembly and you're done.

[salem1912]

Originally Posted by HWYSTR455

You know, it might be safer to buy a properly rated spring compressor, they're only like $40 or so....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/coil-spring-...3482d2&vxp=mtr

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That looks like a nice compressor.

[salem1912]

Originally Posted by gto4evr

There's no room inside the front coils for those internal compressors. it won't fit out the shock hole once you're done with it. External coil compressors get hung up in the frame when you try installing.

Jack the car way off the ground and setting on a jack stand on the frame at the fender heel, get your sway bar off and out of the way, step on the lower control arm to push it down as far as you can go, get the spring started up inside, take a prybar and work the bottom of the spring as close to the pocket as you can go, put a jack under the lower control arm. using the prybar, walk the spring towards the pocket. As soon as it's seated jack the lower control arm up until the car lifts off the jack stand, pull the steering knuckle down to get lower ball joint nut started. Finish up the reassembly and you're done.

I think he dealing with a bare frame at this point(no weight). Done it your way lots of times but with the whole car complete no problem.

[dataway]

Exactly, I've done it that way before with a fully assembled car, but this is a bare frame. I've got to get this spring pulled up into the frame pocket and compressed about 4". At that point I can come up with a method to pull the lower and upper control arms together to get the ball joint nuts on.

I've yet to measure the upper shock bolt hole ...but if I can get a 5/8-3/4" acme threaded rod through there I'll make the lower plate and pull the spring up into the pocket far enough to get the ball joint nuts started.

The car is sitting in my fairly well equipped metal fabrication shop so I can bend, weld, and machine whatever I need to compress the spring ...but yeah, I'd rather not spend a bunch of money and time doing it if an off the shelf compressor will do the trick.
JohnnyB

[gto4evr]

Originally Posted by dataway

Exactly, I've done it that way before with a fully assembled car, but this is a bare frame. I've got to get this spring pulled up into the frame pocket and compressed about 4". At that point I can come up with a method to pull the lower and upper control arms together to get the ball joint nuts on.

I've yet to measure the upper shock bolt hole ...but if I can get a 5/8-3/4" acme threaded rod through there I'll make the lower plate and pull the spring up into the pocket far enough to get the ball joint nuts started.

The car is sitting in my fairly well equipped metal fabrication shop so I can bend, weld, and machine whatever I need to compress the spring ...but yeah, I'd rather not spend a bunch of money and time doing it if an off the shelf compressor will do the trick.
JohnnyB

okay, I can see that, but I own both internal and external spring compressors and I remember being VERY pissed off after my first (and only) time using the internal compressor (the one shown in the ebay link) and after installation, not being able to get it back out of the damn spring so I had to get it hooked back in, and get the spring back out of the car. I can't remember how I did the front springs in my 69 vert, that car was a bare frame as well. I'm thinking I might have used just one side of an external compressor that ended up trying to bend the spring into a U shape but it was enough to get it in maybe? externals should be used in a pair normally, one on each side of the spring, but again, the frame's in the way.

[dartman003]

I just finished doing my 68, it is a pain, but with a lot of cussing possible, remove the loose side of the internal compressor, run the bolt from the top of the shock hole down to the threaded side in the spring, compress, make sure you have it indexed right, install lower ball joint, its a tight fit, but it will come thru the hole in the control arm.

[dataway]

Thank you sir, that sounds doable.
JohnnyB

[dataway]

Anyone know where I can get the upper control arm shaft to frame nuts? The original bolts in the frame are in like new condition, I'd rather not remove them, so I just need the nuts. All I'm seeing are kits with both the bolts and the nuts.

Also ...anyone know the factory spec for the distance between the two upper control arm mounting points on the frame? Assume there is such a spec?
Thanks,
JohnnyB