How to install front lowering spring step by step?

[Yuta]

Hi all

I want to buy a front lowering kit for my 93 mm 2wd. What is the steps to sucessfully install it? Do i need spring compression tool? Will Harbor freight one work?
First step should be removing shocks correctly?
Second step should be compress spring and remove it, correct?
Third, compress new spring and install it
Fourth, install new shock.

Anyone has done it? Please share your experience.

[pennyman1]

I usually do it this way: jack up truck and set truck on jack stand, remove shock, Take floor jack and put it under lower control arm and jack it up to where the truck slightly lifts off the jack stand. Using a pickle fork or ball joint tool, break loose the lower ball joint and remove the nut. Now lower the jack slowly, until the lower control arm drops down enough to remove the spring. once the spring is removed, swap the springs and reverse the procedure. This uses the weight of the truck and the jack to decompress and compress the spring without the fear of the spring flying out. Be sure to have the truck high enough to allow the lower control arm to let the spring come out. While the spring is out, it is the perfect time to replace the lower control arm and strut rod bushings - use urethane bushings that can be found on eBay. If you want to, you can use the spring compressor to hold the spring compressed, but it isn't necessary. Your choice on how you want to do this - this is just a suggestion on how I do it. You will also need to trim the lower control arm bump stop - cut the stop in half with a hacksaw. Do not totally remove it or cut it more that in half, or you will hyper extend the ball joints and blow them out. Should also think about replacing all your front end parts when lowering a truck to get the best possible outcome unless they were recently replaced - remember this truck is 25 years old and you are changing springs with different rates and working the suspension in new ways it didn't work in before.

[geezer101]

^ last part of that is worth taking extra note of. All of the bushes will have worn into a particular 'bed in' location and deviating from that will alter where everything is now currently sitting. Yes it's extra cost and work but you are pretty much halfway there and you'll get the most out of it if everything is fresh.

[Yuta]

I usually do it this way: jack up truck and set truck on jack stand, remove shock, Take floor jack and put it under lower control arm and jack it up to where the truck slightly lifts off the jack stand. Using a pickle fork or ball joint tool, break loose the lower ball joint and remove the nut. Now lower the jack slowly, until the lower control arm drops down enough to remove the spring. once the spring is removed, swap the springs and reverse the procedure. This uses the weight of the truck and the jack to decompress and compress the spring without the fear of the spring flying out. Be sure to have the truck high enough to allow the lower control arm to let the spring come out. While the spring is out, it is the perfect time to replace the lower control arm and strut rod bushings - use urethane bushings that can be found on eBay. If you want to, you can use the spring compressor to hold the spring compressed, but it isn't necessary. Your choice on how you want to do this - this is just a suggestion on how I do it. You will also need to trim the lower control arm bump stop - cut the stop in half with a hacksaw. Do not totally remove it or cut it more that in half, or you will hyper extend the ball joints and blow them out. Should also think about replacing all your front end parts when lowering a truck to get the best possible outcome unless they were recently replaced - remember this truck is 25 years old and you are changing springs with different rates and working the suspension in new ways it didn't work in before.


Thanks for the advise.

Do I have to pop the lower ball joint ? Looking for diagram the lower ball joint is bolted onto the lower control arm. Can I just unbolt it from the control arm and leave it on the spindle ?

[geezer101]

I personally wouldn't try to release the spring by undoing the upper control arm pivot. You are going to have a lot of metal trying to pivot out on the lower ball joint - bad for the ball joint and you'd need near superhuman strength to keep it from going wayward while trying to pull the spring out. Even have a scissor jack handy to support the steering hub and brake assembly - anything that makes it easier on you.