Installing front springs 108/111

[Tony H]

Does anyone have a method for reinstalling 108/111 front springs that they have personally used and would recommend? I don't think there is room for spring compressors. The whole process is a little intimidating to me.

[Tomguy]

Personally, I used a floor jack under the lower control arm to lower it as well as reinstall it. Not the safest route but I had a heavy (tow) chain strapped around the coil so even if it flew, it wasn't going to take me out.

[Tony H]

Yea I used the floor jack method when I removed them but I was concerned about the jack flying out from under the car. Getting my hands in there with a jack holding the spring is a little scary. Since I am converting the car to air suspension I may never need to install the springs but I want to keep my options open.

[cth350]

Last time I did that was about 20 years ago. The right thing to have is a V-shaped saddle for your floor jack. Use it to hold the inner bolt of the lower control arm and bring the jack up to the mounting point. A long extension rod that guides the bolt to the right spot should do it.

Don't be sitting in front of the car at the time, You can sit with the king pin between you and the spring if you jacked the car up high enough. The other safe place to sit is to have the other wheel between you and the spring.

I made the saddle with a piece of angle iron and some bar stock at the right diameter. I started with a V that was too deep and ground it down to hold the part without scraping the paint on the axle.

-CTH

[Tony H]

Thanks for the thoughts-I considered fabing a jig like you mentioned so the jack would have a better grip and restraining the jack so it cannot roll out from under the car. Also some tapered pins to guide the control arm to the subframe. I don't expect to put the springs back in unless I ever sell the car and put it back to original. The rears are no problem of course.