How do you torque down suspension under load on a lowered car?

[Metz3020827]

I’m getting ready to order the steeda pro action struts with steeda progressive lowering springs with camber plates. I’m worried about the torque of the stuff with it under load. How do I possibly do that?

im spending a good amount on suspension I don’t want to ruin anything earlier than it should.

any tips? I’m going to be using quick jacks to take care of the suspension myself. Any tips? Ordering the kit tomorrow with steeda’s swaybar endlinks.

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[ORRadtech]

I've seen people with lifts put stands under the wheels and lower the car to tension the suspension. Perhaps wood blocks under the wheels and lower the quick jacks a bit. Or a floor jack under the wheels to lift the suspension. Obviously care should be taken to steady the car whatever you try.

 

[Skye]

You've got the QuickJack, so you're halfway there. I haven't done this myself, but I think...

After installing the suspension, lower the car onto wheel cradles, so you can then torque things to spec with the wheels on the car and the car resting on its own weight. Afterwards, the QuickJack will lift enough to remove the cradles and ultimately lower the car to the ground.

Q: Will the car clear the QuickJack once lowered?

https://quickjack.com/support/measuring-guide/

If not, I've seen people use two jacks, one on each side of the car, lifting and lowering one end at a time. For example, two jacks up front, raise front, insert/remove cradles. Now, the back.

As to the wheel cradles, you can purchase ready made or build them yourself. Companies like RaceRamps make them in 8, 10 and 12-inch (203 mm, 254 mm, and 304 mm) heights.

https://www.raceramps.com/c/cribs/?srsltid=AfmBOoofRBTUVyL-Lv8G9r_-pbjbVA6v5rJWAI0R01oTwx61q0Talli2

People also build their own, with 2x4s, stack them like Legos and secure them.

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/anyone-using-wheel-cribs-instead-of-jackstands.178778/

Edit,

This Steeda video has been referenced previously.

 

[txgt]

The Ford Service manual always shows the car on a lift with an under hoist jack stand to load the suspension. My version of that when doing suspension work on my car in the garage on jack stands is to use my floor jack to load the suspension.

While this doesn’t get the suspension at the exact same height as it would with the entire weight of the car on all four wheels, it’s close enough to work without damaging any bushings and my re-torqued suspension bolts have never moved as proven by the paint pen markings.

 

[barron64]

You could use the original, cheap and readily available wheel cradle...concrete blocks! My son and I used the old fashioned method to pull the transmission out from under his 08 GT.

 

[Oakley]

I just put a jack under the corner and set the car down on it until the body stops dropping if i can't use a drive on lift.

 

[Metz3020827]

You've got the QuickJack, so you're halfway there. I haven't done this myself, but I think...

After installing the suspension, lower the car onto wheel cradles, so you can then torque things to spec with the wheels on the car and the car resting on its own weight. Afterwards, the QuickJack will lift enough to remove the cradles and ultimately lower the car to the ground.

Q: Will the car clear the QuickJack once lowered?

https://quickjack.com/support/measuring-guide/

If not, I've seen people use two jacks, one on each side of the car, lifting and lowering one end at a time. For example, two jacks up front, raise front, insert/remove cradles. Now, the back.

As to the wheel cradles, you can purchase ready made or build them yourself. Companies like RaceRamps make them in 8, 10 and 12-inch (203 mm, 254 mm, and 304 mm) heights.

https://www.raceramps.com/c/cribs/?srsltid=AfmBOoofRBTUVyL-Lv8G9r_-pbjbVA6v5rJWAI0R01oTwx61q0Talli2

People also build their own, with 2x4s, stack them like Legos and secure them.

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/anyone-using-wheel-cribs-instead-of-jackstands.178778/

Edit,

This Steeda video has been referenced previously.

Steeda did mention binding when you torque stuff down not under load.

I did torque my steeda front control arms (their extended ball joint version) with it in the air bc I didn’t think it would be accessible on the ground but I just discovered I can get to the bolt through the wheel well on the ground.

can I just loosen it and retorque it back down or do I have to take the bolt out entirely?

 

[shogun32]

there's a sticky post about 'clocking bushings'. Loosen fastener is sufficient for bushings to unwind.

Did you buy the bump steer kit? The drop on those progressives is high enough it should be required.

A suitable flowerpot or 8x8 piece of lumber will suffice to weight the corners as you partially lower the QJ. Or get friendly with your neighborhood wheel-alignment shop and have them release/retorque stuff.

 

[17MagMetal]

Wood blocks.

 

[Metz3020827]

there's a sticky post about 'clocking bushings'. Loosen fastener is sufficient for bushings to unwind.

Did you buy the bump steer kit? The drop on those progressives is high enough it should be required.

A suitable flowerpot or 8x8 piece of lumber will suffice to weight the corners as you partially lower the QJ. Or get friendly with your neighborhood wheel-alignment shop and have them release/retorque stuff.

I have the bumpsteer kit on the car already.

my car sits lower currently than the progressive steeda springs drop the car.

 

[jloshotz]

Good old 4 post lift if you are able to gain access to one

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