Well long story short, my dad took his 04-FX4 F150 extended cab, to a shop for oil change and they told him that the front driver spring was broken, so they replaced both front springs with new springs, and told him it needed shocks all the way around... Its got 105k on it so was time... I bought a full rancho kit, and since they just replaced the front springs, just bought the front struts, and tried to compress them today and had a hell of a time.. I used the set of spring compressors I have, which is pictured (actually bending in pic) and i tried the autozone OEM brand spring compressors and they dont even fit between the coils... Ever since the shop did the front springs this truck has road like total ****, and im wondering if they put the wrong springs on, I see the fit in the perches nicely but the amount of load on these springs is kinda making me cautious.. Just wondering if anyone has any input on this, because I cant compress these with a spring compressor... and there is a ****load of preload on these... wrong springs maybe? Thanks- Scott

 

Hard to tell by a photo. Anyway you can check with the shop and see where and what type of spring they installed?

 

Your not supposed to compress them with those. Shops use a wall mount type system made for those kind of loads. The amount of load on those springs should be a lot. Trying to compress with those things is pretty unsafe.

What kind of shocks did he get?

 

Im not sure what exact ones he got, but just basic rancho's.. From what I have seen on a search of this forum is people have had good luck with the spring compressor... I know the shop use wall mount units but a search shows people have had good luck with your basic part store spring compressors...

The reason I assume wrong springs, is the truck rode fine before the spring install, and now rides like its got no suspension in the front at all,, which makes me think these are for a heavier duty truck

 

Well anyways, the shop is ordering hte right springs, and installing them on the ranchos, and on the truck for free..