Some questions about springs

[1988mgm]

Guys I have a 1988 grand marquis ls without the towing package. I've been wanting to upgrade the springs to a stiffer and taller ride height. So my questions are;

I know Wagon springs will work on the rear to make my stance taller but what would be the best for the front?

Should I use Wagon springs in the rear or will it cause any unwanted handling problems?

How hard of a job is it to change the springs in the front and on the rear?

Will I need to get the front realigned after I do the springs?

What other things should be addressed while doing this job?

[1990LTD]

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?4073-Suspension-Brakes-FAQ-Please-Read-First!&p=158894&viewfull=1#post158894

Replace shocks while you do the springs. It's barely any extra work.

[1988mgm]

I have already done the shocks a few years back so they are alright

[1990LTD]

Changing the ones in the back is easy. Jack the car up by the pumpkin, put jackstands on the frame rails, and let the rear axle hang free....take out the lower shock bolt on one side, put your jack under the opposite side and jack it up until you get enough room to wiggle the spring out of the side w/o the lower shock bolt. Rinse, repeat.


For the front springs you can use a compressor. It's not the only way to get it done but it's the "right" and safe way...the quick way involves jacking up the lower control arm, unbolting the ball joint, and releasing the jack SLOWLY. Google that one 'cause I don't wanna be responsible for giving someone advice that took their head off when a spring decided to take flight.

[GM_Guy]

If you want stiffer in the front (to go with the wagon spring), 1998 police front spring (moog 80090), but you will want to cut at least 1/2 a coil off it to bring the nose down. Brand new, wagon and cop spring will sit level, as they age, the wagon spring is going to go soft faster and the car will have a nose up look. If you like the old 60's tail dragger drag car look, you can put them in as is.

How many miles have you put on your shocks? A few years on a daily driver = wore out shocks. I get at most two years out of shocks when I start to notice things getting too soft for my liking.

Alex.

[zoomie]

limo spring work too!

[BerniniCaCO3]

I actually found changing the front springs very tricky.
Removing, I did like 1990LTD says: put a jack under the lower control arm and lowered it down. Hey, it had worked for me on other cars.
Thing is, these coil springs are very tall, and compressed a large percentage in an arc. That control arm comes down a long way before the spring, bowed out, finally flies out. Not what I was used to from having done rear coils before on several cars, which seem to be shorter and stiffer and you only need to let the control arm down a little bit before they come free.
Removing still wasn't very hard; just pry out the coil while standing to the side or behind.

And reinstallation was therefore a bitch, because i had to put it in straight but get it to compress in an arc. I HAD to use internal coil compressors to install the new springs, and I had a lot of trouble getting the compressor set up right (with the arms staggered correctly to compress evenly, and the center threaded rod correctly centered), and then after the spring was in place, removing the compressor (as inevitably one of the arms would now be caught between two compressed coils at the top-- but if i moved it down further, it wouldn't have compressed enough, catch 22). So I let the compressor get stuck, then used a prybar to get it out again. And impact tools were very useful for using the coil compressor; wouldn't think of using a hand ratchet.

But I'm a noob with about a year and a half experience in automotive work: others may be better at this. And it was my first time doing front coils on a setup like this (mcpherson dominates the market).

[pantera77]

I love how short the speedway motor front springs are. I've never had to use a compressor to put them in.

[turbo2256b]

The only way heaver springs are goint to wear out quicker is if the shocks used are not heavy duty enough. My waggon springs have been in 3 cars over the last 15 years.

[turbo2256b]

12.5 inch 900 950 or 1000 street stock circle track front springs work well drop the front a bit. Then use Afco 1020 shocks in memory is working. A lot of this stuff is in stickies do some searching.

[1988mgm]

I like the raked look on these cars so that is what I'm looking for.

[GM_Guy]

limo spring work too!

Who makes them. (I've never seen a "limo" entry in the spring catalogs)
What are their full specs?

Alex.

[1988mgm]

I love how short the speedway motor front springs are. I've never had to use a compressor to put them in.

Is that what is on the 89 box in your signature picture.

[1988mgm]

Will the HD springs from Autozone work or are they worth a dang

[packman]

I love how short the speedway motor front springs are. I've never had to use a compressor to put them in.

Awesome! I was wondering if I was going to have to use a compressor on those or not. Once I get the quirks worked out on the Ranger, I will have my mom drive that truck so I an change out the front end. Since everything is set up, I am hoping it will take a weekend to swap out.

At least for Putter Project, I had to put a spacer in the compressor so that the threaded rod wouldn't hit the top of the front spring upper perch. I think that was the problem I had with the CV when I test fitted the Speedway springs. Probably a design flaw with the compressor that I am using.



Packman