Do I need a coil spring compressor?

[EB Bauer]

This may be a stupid question but I have to ask. I want to install a lift myself istead of letting another bone head do it for me. I don't trust the shops here in NM. I was wondering if I put in the superlift 5.5 will I need a coil spring compresser? I am trying to figure out if I can do this myself or if I would need to take it into a shop. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Maniak]

As long as you let the suspenion drop enough you won't need a spring compressor to get the old ones off.. or get the new ones on.

When we did the Duff 2.5" lift we found that it is best to do the springs last. You may need to loosen up the Radius Arm bushings to get the extra flex you need to get them in but a spring compressor won't help putting them in..

 

[RobbieJ]

Hey Scott you don't need one and if you need a hand I'd be glad to help I'm planning on up grading from my james duff 2.5 to the 5.5 or 6 real soon. I have experience. I live in Albuquerque. Let me know. Robbie J

 

[EB Bauer]

RObbiej - I could definitly use the help. I know nothing other than what I have read here about the lifts.

I am wondering if it would be posible to knock out this lift in a day? My luck I will get it into the garage and get it all together in a day and then find out that the lift was to big to get it out of the garage. It prolly won't happen but that is my luck. I am in the planning stages right now. If I can't afford the package I may get some parts here and there and do the lift in about a month. We shall see.

 

[rpenner54]

Not gonna happen in a day. It will take at least two full days to get one done. Your best bet is to start by un-bolting everything you can on the front end. Then attack the rivits. Then pull everything out and then start working on replacing everything. The rear is simple compared to the front. The front rivits will be what take you the longest.

 

[EB Bauer]

Rivits? Do I have to drill them out? and are they replaced with bolts? Does the instructions for the lift cover all of this?

 

[RobbieJ]

The rivets are the hardest part of the lift, if you don't have a torch, It took me olny a few minutes to cut off all of the rivets. I here that It takes most people quite a while to grind them of use an air chisel. What do you have in mind as means of getting parts for the lift? I was planning on ordering the front brakets from rocky mountain susp and doing the back my self all that I really need is spring perches and shocks.

 

[EB Bauer]

Well I was hopeing that If I didn't have enough money I could start getting the parts for the from and then rear at differant times. That way It wouldn't hit the pocket book so quick. I figureed it would also give me some time to find a place to do the lift. I have a few options but I will only have access to them for one day. In whick case I would prolly go in eairly in the morning and remove everything and then maybe have some one help me with the rivits. I don't have a chisel but I could get ahold of a torch or die grinder. I assume a torch would be better but me and fire don't mix. Long story on that one. I just want to know what I can expect or if I should just bite the bullet and take it to southwest 4x4 and have them do it. Is there anything else that I will need to expect?

 

[Brian1]

Scott, I am willing to help too. I have a torch, air tools but little experience with lifts.

 

[EB Bauer]

I sure could use all the help I can get. Seeing is that I will only have a shop availible for a day. I will need help with all the hard parts like cutting the rivets. I am hopeing that with all your help and a very long day for me I can get it done in a day. I am going to call superlift now to get a price quote. Once I get the lift I will let you all know. I will definitly take you up on the offer though. Thanks again!

 

[RobbieJ]

Hey Scott I would call Rocky Mountain Suspension they have the best prices that I've ever seen and I've been doing research on this topic for along time. I remember that desetrat quoted me around 4 or 500 to install the 5.5 super lift. I know that one of the guys there John can do it in one day. Robbie J

 

[SteveVB]

EB,

You can cut out and replace the radius arm rivets with bolts ahead of time to save time on the "lift" day if you are doing the rad arm mounts. I used a sawsall, a punch with a BFH , and a drill and it took less than a half an hour to get the four driverside drop bracket rivets out. Get a new 14tpi saw blade or two and slice the heads off from the crossmember side not the bracket side. Pound the rivet and bracket out, if it wont move add some penetrant pound again, still wont work drill into the rivet and then pound it out.

I think Ryans right I would plan on two days if you can.

Start putting some liquid wrench on bolts a few days before you start.

 

[Goober]

You won't need a spring compressor, but you may consider finding a shop that does welding for your spring perches in the rear. I installed the 4" Superlift with the help of one other guy in a full day( new springs, no welding). I had already replaced the radius arm bushings, which made it faster, but with a good grinder, it wouldn't have extended it that much longer. With 3 guys wrenching, you can get it done in one full day( 2 on the front, one working on the rear). Plan for 2 days, just to be sure.

Drink plenty of fluids, don't get in a hurry and when you get upset, walk away. Oh yeah... check to make sure you have everything that is supposed to be there before you start.

 

[EB Bauer]

This sounds very exciting and a big pain all in the same time. From the looks of it I sould just go in and set it up on stands and then rip everything off rivits and all then have the help come over and show me how it is done. I figure if I can get most of it apart before hand then it will make the install go really fast. I just don't want to end up knee deep in explorer parts saying "what's next?" It should be fun though. Thanks for all the help everyone.....if you have anything else that is going to prepare me for this I am all up for more!