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How hard is it to install springs

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Jeeperjamie

Jeeperjamie

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glad it worked out for you! Would you say the overland is level now?

also, the jack to drive the axel down like you said it what made it definitely easier for me!
I ended up dropping the axle then jacking up on the front frame, springs fell right out that way. Unhooked sway bar links and Trackbar, naturally removed front shocks since I was replacing them. At first I was trying to do it by just lowering the axle but with the 2.5" spacer it was almost impossible. Once I jacked up the frame the springs came right out.
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Jeeperjamie

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I have everythiing except a lift - I did it in my garage (shop was full) in 3-4 hours, taking my time in the humidity and running between shop for tools and jacks and garage where I was working. I have a whole thread on the process I used with pics.
I have an Overland. I put Rubicon springs up front - raised it about an inch.
I put max tow springs on the rear to handle the weight better, dropped it about half an inch. I put Fox shocks (Rubicon take-offs) all around. Ride is totally different, better.
I used two floor jacks, a bottle jack to shove the rear axle down. Two wrenches, 4 sockets, a cordless impact, impact swivel, breaker bar and torque wrench.
Watch the FAD wire up front- I have pics of what I did there - didn't even unplug it! Plenty of slack after taking one of the clips loose.
Rear - brake lines barely had length but it worked out. If I was adding lift I might have taken the rear calipers loose.
The front there was plenty of room - even with the Rubicon springs I had so much space there was over an inche above the springs and I had to hold the top spring isolators up in there and guide things back into place.
No big deal - I'm 63, about 25 pounds over-weight and have arthritis.
So I had a handicap going in.
Shop wanted over $600 to swap 4 springs and 4 shocks.
I could have saved time had I coordinated taking the things loose as I had the front wheels turned left or right. Instead I turned them left, took loose what I could, turned them right, took more loose, oops, need to go back left to take that loose, then back right. I could have shaved a few minutes off easily.
My bet - I could do it in 3 hours now, especially if I was in my shop with the AC and much better lighting and even floor with no rough spots.
It was easier than any car I'd ever swapped springs in or rebuilt suspension on.
The difference in handling, steering and ride - amazing and love the roughly 1" lift up front. Sticks to the road a lot better - like the results you had. The shocks, I shouldn't have waited so long to do it!
Totally agree, it's night and day. The job itself, definitely could tackle it a lot quicker next time and I definitely will be doing my own lift installs going forward. I didn't have time to out the spacer lift on at the time I did it or I might have tried to tackle that job but I felt like $350 was a fair price to let someone else do it. This time I'm wanting a new rear bumper as well so wife said it was time prioritize or do the job myself. Shop wanted $350 again to do the work, 4 shocks and two springs up front and then another alignment. There policy is if they have to mess with anything suspension related like track bars and things like that they have to do a alignment. Not on them and I still thought it was a fair price but I want a rear bumper and I'm right now kind a person. $350 will help me get a bumper a lot quicker
 

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Totally agree, it's night and day. The job itself, definitely could tackle it a lot quicker next time and I definitely will be doing my own lift installs going forward. I didn't have time to out the spacer lift on at the time I did it or I might have tried to tackle that job but I felt like $350 was a fair price to let someone else do it. This time I'm wanting a new rear bumper as well so wife said it was time prioritize or do the job myself. Shop wanted $350 again to do the work, 4 shocks and two springs up front and then another alignment. There policy is if they have to mess with anything suspension related like track bars and things like that they have to do a alignment. Not on them and I still thought it was a fair price but I want a rear bumper and I'm right now kind a person. $350 will help me get a bumper a lot quicker
Amen - that 350 can mean a lot - and sounds like you had your head on straight going into it.
In my case, 4 springs, 4 shocks - over $600.
The rear springs were a lot easier, BUT - if I had done a lift, either spacer or longer springs, I'd have had to taken the calipers loose to allow brake hose slack. It was pushing it getting the stock springs out. The front springs there was more to disconnect and work around but a lot more brake hose slack.
Took it out to church and back tonight, absolutely love the difference it made - solid on the road, better ride, not bouncy like the original Overland stuff was. So far the best thing I've done to it aside from the front receiver.
Glad it all worked out and you also got the results you wanted (and saved the cash, too)
 

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glad it worked out for you! Would you say the overland is level now?

also, the jack to drive the axel down like you said it what made it definitely easier for me!
More level than it was - about the right "rake" for me.
So not level, but close to what I was hoping.

I need to pull it out of the garage tomorrow and get a couple pics to compare to the "before" pics I have from a few months back. I can tell when driving it that the front it's as low as it was.
 
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More level than it was - about the right "rake" for me.
So not level, but close to what I was hoping.

I need to pull it out of the garage tomorrow and get a couple pics to compare to the "before" pics I have from a few months back. I can tell when driving it that the front it's as low as it was.
I'm ready to see your before and after pics asap!!!!:like:
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