HF Hydraulic Strut Spring Compressor thoughts...

[DARK AGE 53]

I posted this awhile back http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=79395, as you can see there's nothing but negative replies.
Well even after all the negative replies I bought one a few days after posting that, I finally got a chance to try it out today. HF has where you can do a "Add Your Review", you choose between 1 to 5 stars for a rating ( 5 being the highest), now you guys that had negative replies are thinking "I told you so". I'm glad to say you were wrong, I gave this tool 5 stars , for the price I paid I'd give it 10 stars if I could.

 

[StinkyBunny]

Seeing as how I almost had my nuts ripped from their moorings by their regular compressor I'd have to say stay away from it. FAR FAR AWAY!!! Seriously, look on tooltopia for one or look on any of the online for sale ads for one. I got a Klann and wouldn't trade it for anything!!

 

[Stephenw]

It looks like a decent tool to me. It certainly looks safer then my Blue-Point compressor that is always scary to use. There is a lot of energy stored in a strut spring.

 

[DARK AGE 53]

Seeing as how I almost had my nuts ripped from their moorings by their regular compressor I'd have to say stay away from it. FAR FAR AWAY!!! Seriously, look on tooltopia for one or look on any of the online for sale ads for one. I got a Klann and wouldn't trade it for anything!!

by their regular compressor, and that would be which one, have you even seen the HF Hydraulic Strut Spring Compressor in person? Lets see your Klann Strut Spring Compressor, how about a price also.

 

[DARK AGE 53]

It looks like a decent tool to me. It certainly looks safer then my Blue-Point compressor that is always scary to use. There is a lot of energy stored in a strut spring.

I've used similar compressors like your Blue-Points and you're right, it can be scary.

Bottom line on my compressor is it's sold by HF so it must be junk right, wrong, if I didn't think it was safe I wouldn't have used it.

 

[wafrederick]

Brannick makes a good strut spring compressor,bolts on the wall and is $600.00.Lot of times it is better off buying the whole strut assembly and some auto parts stores sell them all assembled which is cheaper than buying the struts,springs and strut plates seperatly.

 

[DARK AGE 53]

Brannick makes a good strut spring compressor,bolts on the wall and is $600.00.

Several years I found a good deal on a slightly used one but the guy wasn't interested in shipping it.

 

[Daedalus]

I bought one of those almost 10 years ago (~paid $60 new!) and have rebuilt 20 struts with it so far. I would give it 5 stars too, on a price-conscious scale.

 

[mrholeshot]

Just some places I won't take the risk.

 

[DARK AGE 53]

I bought one of those almost 10 years ago (~paid $60 new!) and have rebuilt 20 struts with it so far. I would give it 5 stars too, on a price-conscious scale.

Good to hear you're happy with it, when I bought mine at the end of October they were on sale for $120 plus tax, with my 20% coupon it was $101.?? out the door.....they cost $70 more now then they did in October.

 

[moserjj]

I have one of these I purchased a few months ago for around $99. I changed 4 struts so far, it works but its not the greatest. It's all bent around the arms but didn't come apart. Biggest gripe is having to take the tension off the spring to get the strut out, such a hassle. They have a more expensive one that I would get instead next time, if not a Brannick unit

 

[DARK AGE 53]

I have one of these I purchased a few months ago for around $99. I changed 4 struts so far, it works but its not the greatest. It's all bent around the arms but didn't come apart. Biggest gripe is having to take the tension off the spring to get the strut out, such a hassle. They have a more expensive one that I would get instead next time, if not a Brannick unit

Post a pic when you can of the problem area, the part about taking the tension off spring I've heard before. I'm just not getting what's all hassles about when releasing the pressure from the spring, once the spring no longer has pressure on it to push down on the base of the compressor it takes all of what 5 or 10 seconds to push the base down by hand to release the strut. Is this the more expensive HF compressor you're talking about http://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-air-hydraulic-strut-spring-compressor-65549.html , if so call HF and see if you can just buy the upper and lower pieces.

 

[moserjj]

Post a pic when you can of the problem area, the part about taking the tension off spring I've heard before. I'm just not getting what's all hassles about when releasing the pressure from the spring, once the spring no longer has pressure on it to push down on the base of the compressor it takes all of what 5 or 10 seconds to push the base down by hand to release the strut. Is this the more expensive HF compressor you're talking about http://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-air-hydraulic-strut-spring-compressor-65549.html , if so call HF and see if you can just buy the upper and lower pieces.

That is the one and it looks like you can leave the spring compressed. Having done many of these swaps in shops with the Brannick compressors, I'm previously spoiled by that luxury. Sure was nice but hard to justify the price now. I was concerned with the more expensive unit not fitting my different vehicles. I'll dig the one I have out and take a pic of the bent arms on the top. It's probably from not having the strut in the unit far enough but the fact it bent at all concerns me. I might try and weld some reinforcements into it before its next use.

 

[DARK AGE 53]

I might try and weld some reinforcements into it before its next use.

maybe form some 1/8" thick flat stock that's about the same width as the arms that are on there now, slot it out like the original arms and weld them on.

 

[DrkMtnDew]

i looked at the HF compressors and was really considering one, but having heard stories of flying springs, broken fingers, and worse, I opted to spend a little more money, just for peace of mind.

 

[eborcim]

I have a blue-point type of spring compressor. For the few times I use it it's worth the $$$ I spent on it. It's not a HF brand though. You just have to make sure the safety locks are in place and take your time. It's not made for a high volume shop b/c it takes too long to use.

 

[Daddy_Rabbit]

i have a golden rule with HF items ... if it's malfunction or failure can end up with me bleeding then I'm not interested.

but that's just me ...

 

[JayL]

It looks like a decent tool to me. It certainly looks safer then my Blue-Point compressor that is always scary to use. There is a lot of energy stored in a strut spring.

I have one of these spring compressor. However I'm also looking for a better one. How about this OTC kit?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002SRHU6/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Thanks

 

[DARK AGE 53]

I have one of these spring compressor. However I'm also looking for a better one. How about this OTC kit?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002SRHU6/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Thanks

I was thinking about one like that also, kinda hard to find an honest review about it, HF has one similar but it's not rated very well......I say find someone who has an OTC compressor and get there honest opinion.


DrkMtnDew, from the pic you posted it looks like at least one of the threaded rods has a slight bend to it, very common when using this type of compressor.

The best spring compressor is hands down to pay someone else do the job for you, but who in the hell wants to do that.......not me.

 

[JayL]

Our shop usually do 4 to 6 cars a month only so I would not want to jump to a more expensive unit for now. Currently we have a USA Made Calvan similar to the Bluepoint posted by Stephenw but would want a second one. There was a time when we had 2 vehicles that needed to be serviced at the same time and we only had one set of spring compressors.

For now these are my choices unless I get better recommendations in the max $200 price range.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...&group_ID=1634&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

or

http://www.tooltopia.com/otc-tools-6494.aspx

 

[Dewaynep]

I have the clamshell style spring compressor. I think it is made by Snap-On or Bluepoint. It is the cat's pajamas. I also have the blue point style shown above. The clamshell works much better and I feel much safer around it. A Brannick would be my next purchase if I can find one at a price I'm willing to pay. I've seen them go at auction for between $300 and $500. I'd pay $300 but not $500, I don't do that many struts to justify the price. That Snap-on that was linked above looks to be only for regular coil springs, not struts. That type goes in the middle of the spring and compresses it that way. You can't get that type of compressor on a strut.

 

[JayL]

Is this Bluepoint

better than this? (The one below is the one we have now)

 

[DARK AGE 53]

Is this Bluepoint

Those do look nice, I think where some people go wrong is by using an air impact wrench when loosing the tool. Check this YouTube out

.

 

[DARK AGE 53]

Here's a few pics, first pic with junk strut/spring, second one is of the hitch pins that replaced the bolt/nuts that came with the compressor....the pins make it easier to adjust upper strut support.

 

[nismomans13]

I have it, worked great on cars and light trucks. Didn't stand a chance on full size trucks though. I bend that backing plate with the set screw trying to do my rams front springs.

 

[DARK AGE 53]

I bend that backing plate with the set screw trying to do my rams front springs.

By backing plate do you mean the slotted flat stock behind the arms or the round part that has the set screw, if it's the flat stock part do you think if welding another piece of slotted stock would take care of that problem?

 

[JayL]

i looked at the HF compressors and was really considering one, but having heard stories of flying springs, broken fingers, and worse, I opted to spend a little more money, just for peace of mind.

What make are these spring compressors?

tks

 

[Danglerb]

Things like a strut compressor, I don't care who makes it, I treat it like it was a ticking bomb and stay away from the likely path it would explode in.

 

[Damian]

I bought the manual strut compressors from HF and it didn't last through 2 jobs before they broke. Those things are JUNK.

However that Hydraulic unit isn't bad. We've had one in the shop for a while as a spare, and use it when the Snap on compressor is *******. It works fine and has never failed on us. Those things are worth their weight in GOLD compared to the manual ones you have to turn with a wrench.