Spring compressors

[tmike14400]

I forgot to add...whatever compressor you use, beforehand, run a loop of heavy duty chain through the spring and connect the ends with a screw type removable link. If the compressor fails and the spring pops, the chain will help contain it...Kinda.

 

[03protege]

My 2 cents... If you are going to buy the outside hook ones, you're honestly waisting your money. You can borrow them from Advance (they say it's a rent, but you get 100% of your money back if you bring it back in working shape so it's a borrow) and use your $50 towards something better. Personally I've done struts about 6 different times and 3 of those times I've just rented the tool from Advance. Twice I've taken the strut to a local place to break em loose, but the local places started asking $50 to do pull em apart so I just decided to do it myself from then on out. The other time was actually the first time I every really dived into doing a set of struts. I was helping a buddy of mine at the post auto shop (when I was still in the military) and we used one of those to Strut Tamer tools that the shop had for folks to use to swap the springs onto new struts for his early 1990 Japanese something or other. I forget what car was but still remember that tool worked slick as anything. I can't imagine they are cheap though and for as often as I do struts I'll just rent the generic compressors.

My thoughts too, I really want my own strut compressors but if I am just going to wind up with the ****** loaner tool type I will just stick with the ****** loaner tools.

I have my eye on this one http://www.tooltopia.com/otc-tools-6494.aspx

Yeah it cost 3-4 times more, but from the videos I have seen it works soo much better. You don't have to wrestle with the entire loaded strut trying to loosen each side in steps until enough tension is off. You also don't have to worry about one side being over tightened which can equate to more problems when trying to reinstall it.

 

[MTRD3]

Great thread, although it's old, searching turned it up and it already answered a number of questions I had prior to buying a set of spring compressors. Few things I noticed...

Here is my spring compressor, I wrote a short review on it. Check it out, I love it!
http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=147390

Those look like what I'm considering buying but I can't figure out how that Schwaben kit fits on different size springs/coil springs because the 2 sets of plates pictured look to be the exact same size. Am I missing something? I'll attach a picture of a very similar set I found which says it is for various size springs/coil springs/makes & models of cars, but it includes three different sized sets of top and bottom attachments which made me think that the size differences is what allows it to be versatile.

I bought this style, though not this brand:

U-bolt grabs the spring and can't come off.
It would be a pain to use every day with the extra bolting and un-bolting.

This thread is the first time I've seen these U-Bolt type spring compressors.. the idea makes a lot of sense and has me wondering if I want to go in this direction with my purchase instead.


Any comments on the set I've found (pictured here) are greatly appreciated as well. What is the general consensus on this style? Cost for this set that I found is about $110.

 

[dankicksass]

The U-bolt type are a pain. There are hook type with safety pins. I think the rental at Advance is usually a Powermate of that design.

Any way you cut it though, this is a dangerous type of tool. Be careful, pay attention and you'll be fine. One day you might like to upgrade to a pro-style portable compressor or a freestanding model.

Any comments on the set I've found (pictured here) are greatly appreciated as well. What is the general consensus on this style? Cost for this set that I found is about $110.

Where did you find it for $110? They're great. I wish I paid $110.

 

[MTRD3]

The U-bolt type are a pain. There are hook type with safety pins. I think the rental at Advance is usually a Powermate of that design.

Any way you cut it though, this is a dangerous type of tool. Be careful, pay attention and you'll be fine. One day you might like to upgrade to a pro-style portable compressor or a freestanding model.


Where did you find it for $110? They're great. I wish I paid $110.

Thanks for the advice... I'm leaning towards purchasing that kit style (pro-style portable as you referred to it) which I attached the photo of. Here in Germany I've seen them from a few sellers/distributors for the standard price of about 79€ (110USD). With the 3 variations/sizes of attachment plates it makes sense that they would/should fit most variations of springs and/or coil springs.

That was actually what I contrastingly referred to when I said that I couldn't figure out how the Schwaben set that TJMonsen5 picked up could fit different size springs because the photos in his thread only showed one size of attachment plates.. I imagine it has something to do with the comment he made about the plates having different size lips:

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=147390

I could easily be missing something though as I've never looked into spring compressors until this month when I decided to do some research before considering investing in a good set.