Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Good Morning All............

I'm looking for some help with the installation the new coil springs on my 1940 1803.
The amount of room on the upper side will not allow for the conventional spring compressor. The spring needs to be compressed about 4" So, I'm looking for some tips or method of how to install without damaging the paint.

I've looked at removing the lower arm and compressing the entire assembly, but that has it's own issues.
Maybe, someone with the experience can shed light on the subject.
Any help greatly appreciated!

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Is there enough room to use something like this in the middle 3 or 4 coils and instead of the long side bolts screwing in to compress the spring, use a hydraulic press to compress the spring the 4" and use shorter lengths of all thread that would fit the space available and some nuts & washers to hold the prongs together.

Instead of the commercially made hooked prongs you might be able to make something that would work similarly by using two 1/4 or 5/16 thick flat plates 2 or 3" wide inserted between the coils that spanned all the way across and then hold them together with the all thread on the outside again. The length of all thread needed would have to be long enough that you would have some control at the end when undoing the nuts holding things together once the spring was in the perches. If you used flat plates I think I would add a couple of smaller bolts thru each plate on the inside of the coil diameter so the bolts would catch and plates could not accidentally slide off the coils.

If you don't have access to a press you could use the flat plates with a third hole in the middle. Use the plates and longer outer all thread lengths to compress the spring. Once compressed, use another length of all thread in the middle hole in the center of the spring to hold the plates together while you remove and replace the outer lengths with shorter ones to fit the space available. Then remove the center length before inserting the spring in the perches. If you used the all thread to compress you would need to make sure plenty of lube and anti seize was on the threads so the nuts would not gall and I would probably use 3/4" all thread because of the strength of the springs.

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As impossible as it seems a spring compressor is not needed due to Packard's incomparable engineering. We recently completed replacement of front springs on a '37 120 using the guidance of the '37 Shop Manual. What is needed is to loosen the 2 bolts on each side that hold the lower inner pin assembly, retract the nuts almost all the way.
Just when you think it won't work, while juggling all relevant parts the spring falls out.
Going back in is easier as you already learned the tricks.

Thanks
James From
Kanter Auto Products

Gentlemen,
Thank you for the input...........James, I will try your suggestion first. I have a 37 manual, so I'm going to take a look at the instructions.
I'm somewhat concerned, because the spring has to be compressed at least 3" to fit into the perch. I just don't think I can get that amount by loosening the hardware, but I'
m going to give it a try tomorrow.

Howard, Thank you for the suggestion.

As a side note, I was able to get the rear springs and rearend installed today. So, I did make progress!
Regards,

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Howard/James ,

Thanks for the tips ......had to use all of them! I finally got both sides installed this weekend. All I can say is, if it took the PMCC as long as it took me they would have never completed a car!
It was a pain in the a....... trying not to scratch the paint and limited access but finally completed it.

Thanks again for the tips!
Steve