98 XJS

"be careful not to over extend the brake lines" yeah right! I have both front springs and shocks out, sway bar disconnected, and I still can't drop the axle low enough to get just 3" lift springs in, WTF! I tried lifting one side up to let the other hang lower, that didn't work, I can even let the axle hang with no jack and it still won't go any lower

I'd really rather not start removing steering components, LCAs, etc. or have to use a spring compressor... what am I missing?

caged

if you don't have a set of spring compressors, you'll have a hard time doing it without unbolting the track bar. i would unbolt it at the axle end.

unbolt the calipers so the brake lines don't hold you up there.

i also like to have someone stand on the end of the axle and grab the fender to push it down while the other side is jacked up.

but get yourself a set of spring compressors, it'll make life a lot easier for ya.

Sideways99

tip #1 tear down your front brakes so you don't tweak your lines
#2 the lcas kinda have to come off
then put a jack stand under one side up pretty high an have someone stand on the other to make room for the spring

98 XJS

I hate to use spring compressors, I had one fail on me once and a spring unloaded and cracked me in the hand.... guess I have to remove more stuff...

jfiedler

take your drag link off you pitman arm and drop all your steering linkage

this is whats holding your axle up

edit: oh and dont forget the jackstands or car jack under it!!

Sideways99

always use jackstands
think u got enough use 2 more

98 XJS

oh yeah! I got two jack stands under the body and a stack of bricks on each side just in case... they also work well for this

Sideways99

i can understand not wanting to pull things off to do the work but didn't you get new lcas with your kit?

98 XJS

i broke/cut quite a few things in the back since I had only PB Blasted about a half day prior, but the front has had PB on it for a week... so far no problems, but I didn't do the LCA bolts since I didn't think I'd be taking them off. I'm trying to decide if I want to chance possibly struggling and possibly breaking them (or having to cut them off) or just get a spring compressor and hopefully avoid having to do this.... but with my luck I'll get the spring compressor compressed and still have to remove more crap

Sideways99

do you have access to an impact?
lca bolts should be no prob
my rear was a pita too i feel your pain

98 XJS

no, not all kits come with new lca's... if mine did I would obviously be using them. if stuff has to come off, it has to come off, I just hate when some people and even the instructions that come with a kit tell you one thing and come to find out its something else all together. Its on me, I should have been prepared

98 XJS

yeah, rear sucked! I just want to be done with this already. I swapped an entire front suspension from a crown vic and installed it on my F100 in less time and with less aggravation than this. thanks for letting me vent!

Sideways99

no prob
at least your not in the salt belt
where'd your rig come from? you may not be in too much trouble

98 XJS

it spent half it's life back east and half in the desert so not too bad. the lca bolts actually came out no problem, don't know why I was so worried... just cause the back was so tough, but there's a big difference between 85 ft/lbs and 105! and being able to get to both sides of the nut and bolt with PB

I got the new springs in no problem after dropping those and the track bar. Trying to get the lca bolts back in is another story. With the springs now in, if I jack up the axle the whole axle starts to twist pushing the axle back and up (@ u joint side of diff) and I can't seem to get the holes lined up with the lcas. I called it quits for tonight... have to figure out how to get them back in tomorrow. thanks for all the help fellas. Any thoughts on getting those lca bolts back in?

caged

i use a punch or something long and strong enough to fit through the hole and still have enough sticking out that you can grab and muscle around so you can get a bolt started, once you have a bolt started, you can tap it through with a hammer, pushing the punch out the other side.