Front Spring Perch Angle

The new perch will work. It's straight because it isn't broken in like the old one. When you reassemble the front suspension place a floor jack under the spindle and carefully compress the spring without lifting the car off the jack stands. You are using those, right? Then release the sping compressor and install the shock. It helps to have the swaybar and strut rods disconnected/removed so the front suspension hangs lower. This makes it easier to install the spring. You may have to use a prybar and firmly "lean" the perch to the right angle to install the spring. You need three hands, so having a buddy help would be good unless you have a high degree of dexterity. Use a quality spring compressor and always wear safety glasses when handling a compressed spring. Treat it like a live bomb because theres a lot of energy stored in a compressed spring.

I doubt if this is your problem, but just to make sure, the tang that the bottom coil butts against should be on the inboard side.

Well I got everythng(99%) back together. Car is still on the jackstands with one side done, but no shock in it yet, the other(passenger) side is about done, wheel bearings have to be repacked and shock not installed. It was getting dark and while reassembling the bearings I mangaged to mess up the grease seal, so have to weight till tomorow. The spring is in the tower but still under compression. Those internal springs compressors are a pain to work with by yourself. When you draw the tapered endlinks and ball joints up, how tight does one normally tighten them?

Richard

You're supposed to torque them. 60 to 90 ft/lbs. Set the torque wrench to 60 ft/lbs, tighten, then check to see if the cotter pin hole is aligned. If it is, install a new pin and you're done. If not, set the torque wrench to 90, and turn the nut untill the next castellation lines up. If you don't have a torque wrench then snug 'em up goot-n-tight. (German torque), about a 60 lb dumbell curl, and stop when there's a sharp rise in resistance. I recommend the torque wrench method and for goodness sake, buy a maintenence manual. :)~