Simple homemade piston ring compressor.

[kelpaso1]

After looking at ring compressors for atv's and motorcycles online I made this myself for nothing. Since most atv's and mc's have about 3 inch pistons I grabbed a piece of 3 inch abs pipe and cut about a half inch off the end. Then I split the ring in one spot. Now just spread it open and place over the piston and rings. Don't even need to use a hose clamp . Now makes setting the cylinder onto the piston so much easier without having fiddle with compressing the rings with your fingers while at the same time trying to push the cylinder down. After the piston is in the cyl just slide the compressor down the rod and spread it open to remove it from the rod

 

[2oolhound]

Slick! It's hard to find thin ones like that, gotta try some.

 

[Uncle_Charlie]

Neat! There's nothing like a homemade tool when "real" specialty tools cost lots o' money.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Simple and cheap.

 

[wornoutoldman]

Pretty Slick!

 

[kelpaso1]

And if you have a different size piston just use a piece of pvc or abs the same size as your piston. Also the abs or pvc wont scratch the pistons or rings like the metal band type of compressors.

 

[Murphy4570]

Neat trick. A good piston ring compressor set is pretty cheap though, so consider getting one if you work on engines a lot, especially if you deal with different size pistons.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=675642&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

 

[kelpaso1]

Neat trick. A good piston ring compressor set is pretty cheap though, so consider getting one if you work on engines a lot, especially if you deal with different size pistons.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=675642&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

I never liked using steel compressors on atv and m/c engines. They tend to scratch the piston skirt and rings. With the plastic compressor you just debur it, oil it, install it, and no chance of scratching. Some of these high performance, coated pistons and rings cost upwards of $400 or more, for 1
I don't want to mess one up.

 

[beatcad]

brilliant

 

[rharman]

When I saw the title, I thought "Jeesh, just use a hose clamp".

This is actually pretty cool if you have the right bore size.

 

[Harrison2]

i use a similar technique for fork seals, find pipe the stanchion od, voila!

 

[zcbauer89]

Great idea! Thanks!!

 

[DekeT]

And if you have a different size piston just use a piece of pvc or abs the same size as your piston. Also the abs or pvc wont scratch the pistons or rings like the metal band type of compressors.

Truly a great idea. thanks.

 

[arbadacarba]

I wonder if a combination of oversized PVC with a chunk out of it and a hose clamp might work for pistons that are an odd size.

I'll have to try that with my 2.5 inch ones.

 

[kelpaso1]

I wonder if a combination of oversized PVC with a chunk out of it and a hose clamp might work for pistons that are an odd size.

I'll have to try that with my 2.5 inch ones.

That would work but you don't really need a hose clamp. You can just squeeze the compressor pipe with one hand and push the cylinder down with your other

 

[kelpaso1]

Another tool I made at the same time to hold the piston up at TDC while installing the cylinder. Slip it under the piston and it holds the piston square to the block and holds it from rocking. Also free

 

[CNGsaves]

Great solution for ring compressor that works better than store bought !!

Add a big hose clamp only if piston is smaller and ABS plastic needs squeezed.

Brilliant.

 

[bob15]

Just be careful the rings don't dig into the PVC or scratch it. Then you will have plastic in the engine or ring grooves. This is one of the reasons they make them out of metal.

 

[kelpaso1]

Just be careful the rings don't dig into the PVC or scratch it. Then you will have plastic in the engine or ring grooves. This is one of the reasons they make them out of metal.

That's really a non issue. You don't even really need to squeeze the abs pipe as the tension of the pipe itself compresses the rings enough. With ATV's and MC's where you slide the cylinder onto the piston, the bottom of the bore of the cylinder has a pretty good chamfer to help getting the rings in. The ABS just compresses them enough to slide right in.

 

[volaredon]

I wonder if a combination of oversized PVC with a chunk out of it and a hose clamp might work for pistons that are an odd size.

I'll have to try that with my 2.5 inch ones.

did this work? I have an air compressor with 2-1/2" pitons that I am having a tough time finding a band for my pliers style ring compressor in that size, have to put the cylinder jug over the piston instead of other way around.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I love this site, always learning something new. Thanks

 

[thebreeze2012]

Ha, I could've swore I saw this on here, and just mentioned it in a thread before this one.



I think it's a great idea and will try this in the future, thanks for sharing...

 

[Amit]

Hi !
thanks for your post. It inspired me to build my own ring compressor, which is not available in my country(MAURITIUS). Total cost approx $5.25 !

 

[Arkansas COB]

Blast from the past.
Great idea and will definitely give it a try. I always use my fingers also to compress the rings.

Thanks Kelpaso1 for the idea.

Thanks Amit for pulling it out of the attic and reposting.


COB

 

[StevoTwees]

Another tool I made at the same time to hold the piston up at TDC while installing the cylinder. Slip it under the piston and it holds the piston square to the block and holds it from rocking. Also free

Hey, hard to tell from the angle in the photo. Is this just 1" deck board? I tried using a piece of scrap bamboo hardwood flooring and it was too thin

Great ideas, making the nightmare a lot more affordable! Thanks!

 

[kelpaso1]

Another tool I made at the same time to hold the piston up at TDC while installing the cylinder. Slip it under the piston and it holds the piston square to the block and holds it from rocking. Also free

Hey, hard to tell from the angle in the photo. Is this just 1" deck board? I tried using a piece of scrap bamboo hardwood flooring and it was too thin

Great ideas, making the nightmare a lot more affordable! Thanks!

Yes that's exactly what it is.

 

[sberry]

This is a super good idea. as for some of the smaller motors I also block up the piston and there is enough chamfer I can squeeze them with my fingers.
I think that was my helper putting the jug on one.