Coil spring compressors?

[laser wheels]

Any experience or advice? I really want to crack on with the suspension but not sure what equipment would be best. I'm even tempted to splash out on one of the floor-mounted foot-operated jobbies they sell in Machine Mart for about £100.

 

This is the first time I've done anything like this and I'm a bit concerned I may end up with a fine red mist where my head used to be.

[lisbon_road]

I'm not an expert but no-one else has replied yet.

 

I've used them often enough.  They can slip round the coils which gets awkard and possibly dangerous.  I find it easier with more than two, either three or four and then the chance of slip is less and there isn't so far to go. 

 

No idea about the more expensive ones.

[jonny69]

You mean the long threaded things with the hooks at each end? Horrible things but I've never had one actually ping off. As lr said, they have a habit of shifting round which is unnerving.

 

I think I didn't bother last time because I was replacing the springs, and just undid the nut on the strut top while it was laying on the ground. There's just an almighty BAAANG when it comes free and the top cap is fired across the driveway.

[The Moog]

It can depend on the car as to how useful they are, as access on some is a pain. I have used the ones with hooks each end and never had any issues.

[messerschmitt owner]

I have a set of compressors - used them on the roadster when I lowered the suspension - wasn't too bad!

[cort1977]

As said above, depends on the car.   Awkward for me on an E36, a doddle on US spec Honda odysseys.

 

I was nervous and did my best to keep my head as far away as possible to prevent red mist interfaces but they are OK to use with care in my opinion.

[twosmoke300]

I can reccomend the Sykes picavant ones . They have 2 staggered hooks at one end and a bolt to screw into the spring at the other. These bits stop them moving round. The only ones that I don't like doing are fiat and Alfa ones cos they have so much preload and it gets scary. I must have done hundreds of springs with my set.

[brickwall]

I just used a heavy duty set and found no problems and they did not shift around the springs. Quite impressed really.

 

Avoid the ones with only one hook each end; disaster waiting to happen.

[Station]

Had one slip off and hit me in the knee (painful). Three seconds later, it was pointed at my chin!

Also had another one slip and slip off bouncing into a main road outside my house.

[lisbon_road]

I had a look on ebay and see what people mean about ones with two hooks.  They look really good and seem much less likely to move.  Also the hooks are thinner which would help.  Some cars have close coils, for example an FE Victor is very difficult.

 

Learn something everyday.

[forddeliveryboy]

Clean and degrease the old coils, find some soft old leather and slip that between the compressor hooks and the coil to prevent movement. Coils don't pin you against a wall if things go badly wrong, they go through you. Take your time and compress evenly.

[Asimo]

 

These are good, Sykes Pickavent from twenty odd years ago.

 

I have always made sure the strut / coilover etc was absolutely solid in the vice before trying to use them off the car. Aim the spring away from you at all times and strap it to the strut etc so it is restrained in the event of an off. 

Risk-averse, me.

 

[gordonbennet]

I think i've got those Sykes' too hiding somewhere, worked well whenever i've needed them.

 

Got to be careful so check before getting stuck in, some cars and some MBs, W124s in particular, you MUST use an internal spring compressor, and i've never laid eyes on one of those buggers, should imagine they are a pain the arse to do.

 

Apparently a serious possibility of injury or worse if normal outside compressors are use, don't ask me why, i'm only passing on widely known knowledge in MB circles, don't suppose they are the only make.

[forddeliveryboy]

I know one guy who sold his Merc having had to replace all four road springs, the two rear spheres and a rear strut. He was a good mechanic and loved the car, but said he'd prefer to be able to do all that in an hour, not two days. He bought a Xantia, then when he found that although the suspension was bomb-proof the rest of the car all Peugeot, bought a CX. Everyone asked why he didn't buy a 406 - his answer being that it was a Peugeot. And if a front spring went, it would catapult downwards and rupture the driveshaft gaiter and probably take out the brake hose.

 

Much to everyone's amazement, he adores the CX and wonders how anyone else can drive around in "things with more in common with an ox-cart than modern transport".

[gordonbennet]

Some MB jobs are nice to do, normal servicing is a doddle, brakes are a genuine pleasure to work on (except the bloody rear parking brake shoe hold down clips from hell, and avoid SBC as fitted to pre facelift W211 like the plague), but when the stuff starts to get complicated my MB indy gets the job.

[Stanky]

Coil spring compressors have always terrified me, so much so that any work involving suspension on my fleet gets farmed out to a professional mechanic - I have visions of the whole sodding thing escaping and taking my head clean off, then me being found days later by the postman/milk man in a mess of blood and brain kibbles, and having to be identified by my finger prints.

 

That said, PC ran a test a few years back on coil spring compressors and from memory the ones which had 2 'teeth' either end and did up with a hex bolt came out top on the basis they gripped well and were less likely to increase footfall in local funeral parlours.

 

They still give me the willies though.

[Sigmund Fraud]

I had a look on ebay and see what people mean about ones with two hooks.  They look really good and seem much less likely to move.  Also the hooks are thinner which would help.  Some cars have close coils, for example an FE Victor is very difficult.

 

Learn something everyday.

 

 

Mine are the two hook type, I bought them because I was paranoid that the single hook type would slip and cause me INSTANT DEATH.

 

Unfortunately, while they're GR8 for safety, they're far too large to be used with the strut still fitted to the car, especially in small cars. I found this out when I tried to replace the struts of my MX5, and realised I could only fit one of the pair of compressors. Being a certified idiot, I went ahead either way, which caused the spring to distort quite impressively and was far, far more dangerous than if I had just used a couple of the single hook type.

[TimothyClaypole]

I've used mine once so far on my BMW and just took my time and kept to one side as it were while tightening them up - wouldn't fancy using the single  hook type at all.

[fordperv]

I presume its for your sierra laser wheels, I have used the thread and single hook type on many sierras (and other vehicles) for the front without damaging myself, on the back the compressors are of no use anyway

[derskine]

I try to not use them, but not possible on all setups.

Much prefer undoing the top nuts with the axle/strut jacked up and then lowering the jack down.

[dieselnutjob]

604 springs are so long that you need two sets really.  Another solution might be to start with the weight of the car still on them but I didn't think of that until it was too late.  I ended up compressing them as far as I could, keeping them there with bits of unistrut bracket and angle iron that I had lying around, and then compressing them a bit more.

[spike60]

When I did the front springs on my Merc 320 Clk I borrowed these compressors from a friend who used to be in the trade, they work like a car sill pillar jack. The springs are very powerful and hook type ones were not an option, just not man enough. These are a bit big and numb but very secure, I had to drop the ARB to get them in. The spanner in the pic for scale is a 24mm.

 It was only after taking the pic I noticed one of the spring seats was not seated properly in the compressor!

[laser wheels]

Coil spring compressors have always terrified me, so much so that any work involving suspension on my fleet gets farmed out to a professional mechanic - I have visions of the whole sodding thing escaping and taking my head clean off, then me being found days later by the postman/milk man in a mess of blood and brain kibbles, and having to be identified by my finger prints.

 

That said, PC ran a test a few years back on coil spring compressors and from memory the ones which had 2 'teeth' either end and did up with a hex bolt came out top on the basis they gripped well and were less likely to increase footfall in local funeral parlours.

 

They still give me the willies though.

 

You pretty much nailed it right there! This is really the only job that I do have some doubts about safety wise - perhaps I should just take that as a sign! Problem is I did pop into my local indie this morning before work and the woman on the desk said that I would have to come back in a week so that the mechanic could check my nuts weren't rusty. Only then would he be able to quote on if he could even do the job. Sadly, I envisage much sucking of teeth forth coming.

 

I presume its for your sierra laser wheels, I have used the thread and single hook type on many sierras (and other vehicles) for the front without damaging myself, on the back the compressors are of no use anyway

 

That it is, Mr Fordperv, that it is. Out if interest what would I be needing for the rears? Everyday is a school day for me!

 

This is what I have found on the Machine Mart site -

 

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cht224-3piece-coil-spring-compressor?da=1&TC=SRC-coil%20spring%20compressor

 

These get decent enough reviews.

 

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/strut-compressor?da=1&TC=SRC-coil%20spring%20compressor

 

This is the standy-uppy one, but on further inspection it appears to be much the same as a £15 two-hook jobby off off Amazon but attached to a big foot-pump.

 

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/clarke-cht747-1000kg-professional-coil-spring?da=1&TC=SRC-coil%20spring%20compressor

 

This appears to be best option but is £200.

 

Does anyone know the going rate for this job is anyway? Can supply parts just need the labour doing.

[laser wheels]

When I did the front springs on my Merc 320 Clk I borrowed these compressors from a friend who used to be in the trade, they work like a car sill pillar jack. The springs are very powerful and hook type ones were not an option, just not man enough. These are a bit big and numb but very secure, I had to drop the ARB to get them in. The spanner in the pic for scale is a 24mm.

 It was only after taking the pic I noticed one of the spring seats was not seated properly in the compressor!

 

Yes, they look similar to the £200 Clarke ones I have been looking at.

[spike60]

Think they were £300 from the Snap On van so £200 elsewhere sounds about right, might be worth looking for 2nd hand though. I was well impressed, very secure. Came with 3 sets of jaws/seats and a posh case.

[fordperv]

On the rear make sure you have it on axle stands at a good height, just before where the axle side mounting plates bolt to the car so they clear, you undo the shock, take the handbrake cable out of its metal tangs on the Swing arms, then one side at a time, undo the 3 bolt mounting plate lower the axle a bit to give clearance, a bit of levering and swearing the spring will come out, you will probaby need a jack under the axle to help you get it high enough to get the centre pin back through the bush and into the chassis rail, then as the Haynes bol says refitting is reversal of removal, hope this helps

[laser wheels]

Think they were £300 from the Snap On van so £200 elsewhere sounds about right, might be worth looking for 2nd hand though. I was well impressed, very secure. Came with 3 sets of jaws/seats and a posh case.

 

Just had a quick look at ebay and second hand ones are fetching strong prices it seems - not that much cheaper than new, really.

[320touring]

We have a floor mounted one at the unit- much safer, and pays itself back quickly

[spike60]

What look like cheap(er) copies on Ebay for £71.80 inc P and P. Tried to post a link but I am too stupid it seems.

[stuboy]

i used the long threaded rod types with no problems