help asap with spring swap
05-21-2010, 10:39 PM
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help asap with spring swap i'm trying to swap my springs. i'm using the same tool pictured in ls1howto's website. it worked great for removing springs however on the very first spring install the bolt broke. what is the proper way to do that. is there a special trick? someone help me please. please dont tell me to get the other tools as i dont have access to them and i dont have the time or $$.
05-22-2010, 04:47 AM
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You're compressing stronger springs than the ones you took out - put a little grease on the friction surfaces, buy some extra bolts and with a small hammer tap the tool where it is over the spring as you tighten the bolt. Good luck!
05-22-2010, 09:30 AM
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WAIT
Before you do anything differently make sure your valves are coming up high enough. I had the same problem, I was squeezing down my springs too far to try and get the retainer on (top dead center method). I broke off my first 2 bolts. I realized my valves were falling down just a bit too low. I made a neuce out of a piece of string and used it to catch the retainer groove on the valve. I'd hold it up while I tightened the spring down and didnt have to go down nearly as far.
Before you do anything differently make sure your valves are coming up high enough. I had the same problem, I was squeezing down my springs too far to try and get the retainer on (top dead center method). I broke off my first 2 bolts. I realized my valves were falling down just a bit too low. I made a neuce out of a piece of string and used it to catch the retainer groove on the valve. I'd hold it up while I tightened the spring down and didnt have to go down nearly as far.
05-23-2010, 12:48 AM
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x2. I didn't break any bolts, but noticed the valves would drop just a tad bit during the spring compression. Once I found out I could pull them up more with my fingers or with a magnet, it made the rest of my spring installs a lot a easier. You don't have to compress it THAT much.
05-24-2010, 07:10 AM
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ok...i came up with a method after some brainstorming. I'm not sure if its been done before. will update with some info and pics. it was suprisingly simple and quick. somethin to think about.
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05-26-2010, 05:53 AM
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ok well i haven't been able to get some pics however its not to hard to describe. prior to breaking a bolt, i was able to get a stock spring off(much less tension). i noticed that the "pry bar" tool was making contact with the edge of the head right where it curves up to the handle. what i did was i cut off the handle and threw it in the trash. i took a stock spring and cut off just enough coils to get a water pump bolt to be able to thread.(the stock spring is too long to let some threads stick out) i used a combo of a socket and a nut as spacers on top of the tool to keep the bolt from bottoming out in the head. pretty much, with the spring under the tool, the tool was sitting evenly on top of both springs. put a ratchet to the bolt and run it all the way in. it never got real tight so i wasnt worried about thread damage. once the bolt was all the way in, the valve locks just fell right out. and everything was nicely exposed. i couldn't imagine it getting any easier than that.
that being explained, before anybody tries that, maybe somebody with some more Know how can chime in and endorse this technique or give some reasons why its a bad idea. all i know is once the tool was fabricated, i dont see it getting any easier even with the heads off the car.
that being explained, before anybody tries that, maybe somebody with some more Know how can chime in and endorse this technique or give some reasons why its a bad idea. all i know is once the tool was fabricated, i dont see it getting any easier even with the heads off the car.
05-26-2010, 08:00 AM
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It doesn't help with your specific tool problem, but I bought a $15 overhead valve spring compressor from harbor freight. It took a little wile to learn how to make it work, but it is easy to use. Not the perfect tool, but it works, and you won't break any more rocker studs.
I just put the fingers down about half-way into the spring, and snug up the top screw-type handle. Then, I carefully rotate the tool, allowing the fingers that grab the spring to rotate further down on the spring (taking some pressure off the top screw handle while rotating...) Once the fingers are 1/2-3/4 of the way down on the spring, you can just crank on the top **** to compress the spring. It seems like once you have a good hold on it, there's no way for the spring to un-compress.
I haven't tried to install any of the new springs yet, but I don't forsee any problems with the tool not being able to handle the load.
I just put the fingers down about half-way into the spring, and snug up the top screw-type handle. Then, I carefully rotate the tool, allowing the fingers that grab the spring to rotate further down on the spring (taking some pressure off the top screw handle while rotating...) Once the fingers are 1/2-3/4 of the way down on the spring, you can just crank on the top **** to compress the spring. It seems like once you have a good hold on it, there's no way for the spring to un-compress.
I haven't tried to install any of the new springs yet, but I don't forsee any problems with the tool not being able to handle the load.
05-27-2010, 04:25 AM
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there was no patience involved. literally, you just thread the bolt in the rocker hole and go to town with a ratchet for 15 seconds and the valve is exposed. there was absolutly nothin to it with this "rigged" set up. the bolt that broke did so when i was trying to use the tool as designed with the pry bar. once i cut it up and rigged it which only took 10 min, my springs were done in a couple hours with some beer.
05-28-2010, 11:25 PM
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the only possible thing i could think of and i'm not a mechanic, is i use the divinci spring compressor and it sounds similar except you snug it down with 2 bolts in the rocker tap holes just lightly snug then there there is a second bolt u ratchet down it does 2 springs at a time and takes the load there. but the thing i was thinkin about your method is your using the threads in your rocker taps to pull down and compress the springs i don't know if this would be hard on the threads or slightly wear on them. just a hunch, but i prolly wouldn't do it myself wouldn't want my rockers to come loose. if it even matters.
05-29-2010, 01:54 AM
#15
i'm trying to swap my springs. i'm using the same tool pictured in ls1howto's website. it worked great for removing springs however on the very first spring install the bolt broke. what is the proper way to do that. is there a special trick? someone help me please. please dont tell me to get the other tools as i dont have access to them and i dont have the time or $$.
Is this the tool you bought & it broke? Just wondering cuz I bought one & I thought it worked great, especially with the heads on the car.
06-04-2010, 01:24 AM
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no..but actually thats what it pretty much ended up being after i modified it. the one i had looked like that with a handle on it to pry the spring down. i cut off the handle and what was left was pretty much that exact tool. guess i'm not all that smart and original