using a press to R&R struts (mcpherson)

[yevangelis]

sorry about all the rambling, and i probably got some things wrong but you get the gist of it?

this is the safest and fastest way i've come across.

 

[wornoutoldman]

Pretty slick!

 

[racingtadpole]

One of those ideas thats so simple that it makes you go D'OH, how come I didnt think of that.. Thanks for posting.

 

[DodgeMech]

Good idea...but you sure you compressed the spring enough?

 

[Debriefer]

He's compressing a spring but not wearing safety glasses.

 

[Lotek]

Seems ok on that strut, but I can think of several where the upper plate is at an angle and could easily pop out of there as soon as the shaft clears the bushing, lot of energy potential in there, think I will stick with something designed for the job...

At least keep the side of the press between you and the spring.

 

[Seanbev24]

Good idea, but the fastest/easiest/safest method is still a real spring compressor like the Brannick that's mounted on the wall at my work.

 

[greasemonkey44]

i would not have my hand in there
pretty smart way other wise

 

[snowman1981]

never seen it done that way but it looks fairly safe althought i would wear eye wear. thanks for making the video if i am every in need of doing struts at home i have a way to do it.

 

[chris fresh]

He's compressing a spring but not wearing safety glasses.

for one,he compressed it about a 1/4 inch,just enough to take pressure off the nut.

for two,if a coil spring that was loaded went wrong,the only thing safety glasses are going to do is hide the tears.

 

[chris fresh]

sorry about all the rambling, and i probably got some things wrong but you get the gist of it?

this is the safest and fastest way i've come across.

good vid man,simple,quick and as safe as your gonna get for a quick shop trick.but i'm sure the safety police will chime in with something.thanks for the post

 

[Lotek]

good vid man,simple,quick and as safe as your gonna get for a quick shop trick.but i'm sure the safety police will chime in with something.thanks for the post

You call it safety police, some would call it the voice of experience. That doesn't look as bad as some things as I have seen, but it isn't "safe" by any stretch of the imagination, a proper spring compressor holds the spring in place while the strut is swapped out, the tension isn't released and then reapplied. Funny things happen when you do that, stuff shifts, things you think are secure move. Nothing is keeping that strut and spring in place but friction, the strut is upside down, if it lets go, the strut becomes a projectile aimed up not down at the floor. I have changed hundreds of struts in my career, starting with a pair of clamps, up to the wall mount unit we use now. I have seen a spring get loose, (made a hell of a noise, but no one was injured) and I have seen jacked up upper bushings and mounts from improper procedures...You have to ask yourself "Do I feel lucky?"

 

[bert.]

also because it's being done upside down you wouldnt be able to bleed it

 

[Guns R Tools]

also because it's being done upside down you wouldnt be able to bleed it

What do you mean by bleeding it? It's sealed system.

 

[bert.]

ever read the instructions that come with shocks? un less american one are diffrent to australian ones they read something along the lines of remove from packaging and keep upright and push/pull them all the way in and out half a dozen times to sort out the oil/gas inside them from being stored/transported on the sides.
generally the first couple of pushes they feel like there not doing anything then they get stronger

 

[williaty]

ever read the instructions that come with shocks? un less american one are diffrent to australian ones they read something along the lines of remove from packaging and keep upright and push/pull them all the way in and out half a dozen times to sort out the oil/gas inside them from being stored/transported on the sides.
generally the first couple of pushes they feel like there not doing anything then they get stronger

I'm a professional mechanic and I've never had a single damper ever give an instruction like that. That being said, I only work on Subarus, so I haven't seen every damper out there. Almost all the struts do come with a warning not to compress or extend the piston unless the strut is fully upright or fully upside down. Never move them horizontally. All of them come out of the box with proper damping force as well.

I wonder what the internal difference between the dampers I'm used to and the dampers your used to is?

 

[rockchucker]

Cool trick but I will stick with my Spring Compressor...

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


I would have at least put the open end of the Strut around the Press Pin. This would help it if it decided to shift. Not really my cup of Tea though. To each their own though.

 

[jamesc]

If he wanted to make that safer he could loop a chain around the spring and the strut to reduce the distance it could possibly take off. I have done this on the branwick at work when you get a strut that just doesn't want to sit still and you feel the need for some more safety.

 

[yevangelis]

yeah you guys pretty much figured the rest out on your own, safety glasses wouldn't help in that situation, a chain would contain it, and the wall mounted spring compressor is probably the only next safest - fastest thing.

again you can always fabricate your own attachments to fit what you usually work on.

 

[njoenks]

The auto supply stores around my area, if they have a machine shop only charge 0-10$ to change the springs if you buy them there. Which makes more sense if I'm only doing my own or family veh.

 

[yevangelis]

sure if you buy them there, but I'm trying to squeeze every dollar out of that press!