Tool Review - Coil Spring Compressor
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 32,987
Likes: 58
From: Houston, TX
Tool Review - Coil Spring Compressor I purchased this hydraulic coil/strut spring compressor off of ebay for about $85 plus shipping. Last night, I finally got to use it when lowering my '02 Firehawk. At first, I did a few things wrong and it didn't work as well as I had hoped. After figuring out better placement on the coils, it worked great.
The system comes with two smaller diameter forks and two larger forks. You will need to use the smaller ones on an f-body front coil strut. When you get the strut/coil removed from the vehicle, the trick is to put one fork underneath the spring perch, so that it goes around the shock. Then stick the other fork as far as possible away from the lower fork.
On aftermarket coils, like my Hotchkis springs, the coils are thicker and have less gaps between them compared to the factory coil spring. Getting the fork out of the spring required a pry bar to lift the Hotchkis coil up and over the securing "lip" inside the fork. No biggie.
I tried just sticking both forks inside the coil, that didn't work. I couldn't remove the damn forks once the spring was compressed. DOH!
So, the first strut/coil took me an hour to swap since I didn't have the method down. The second one took 15 minutes.
Anyways, I recommend this tool over those threaded rods with hooks. It works much better and quicker, probably a lot safer too.
Tony
The system comes with two smaller diameter forks and two larger forks. You will need to use the smaller ones on an f-body front coil strut. When you get the strut/coil removed from the vehicle, the trick is to put one fork underneath the spring perch, so that it goes around the shock. Then stick the other fork as far as possible away from the lower fork.
On aftermarket coils, like my Hotchkis springs, the coils are thicker and have less gaps between them compared to the factory coil spring. Getting the fork out of the spring required a pry bar to lift the Hotchkis coil up and over the securing "lip" inside the fork. No biggie.
I tried just sticking both forks inside the coil, that didn't work. I couldn't remove the damn forks once the spring was compressed. DOH!
So, the first strut/coil took me an hour to swap since I didn't have the method down. The second one took 15 minutes.
Anyways, I recommend this tool over those threaded rods with hooks. It works much better and quicker, probably a lot safer too.
Tony
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette, IN
Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I was wondering if anyone had tried this one?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=65549
It looks similar to the one Nine Ball reviewed, only it's floor standing. I had been looking for a used Branick or OTC one on Ebay that's just like the factory tool for the F-body, but they're too expensive.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=65549
It looks similar to the one Nine Ball reviewed, only it's floor standing. I had been looking for a used Branick or OTC one on Ebay that's just like the factory tool for the F-body, but they're too expensive.
