How to install door check springs?

[sikner51]

This is my first post here.... glad to meet ya!

I just did the springs on my 72. Although it took an extra set of eyes, hands and a flashlight.. it worked quite well. I had a flathead screwdriver with a notch taken out of the middle of the blade. I normally use it for assisting with throw out bearing clips in VWs. Anyway, I put the screwdriver down the middle of the spring catching the other end in the notch of the screwdriver. I hooked the other end of the spring onto the outer hook near the hinge. With the second guy looking up into the door jamb with a flashlight being my guiding eyes, I pushed the tip pf the screwdriver toward the inner spring hook until it was close enough for the second guy to assist with another screwdriver by guiding the spring to where it needs to be. Hope this helps.

Glad to meet ya to my man and its interesting to me to see the different ways to get something done.

[xanthias]

Similar to the washer technique that was suggested, I used popsicle sticks in alternating coils of the spring to expand its overall length. Then, after hooking it over the rear hook, I used a drum brake spring tool to pry over the front hook. Those drum brake tools are expressly meant to help you get on and off stiff springs and it worked perfectly. Once the spring is installed, just pull out the popsicle sticks.