Best Coil Spring Compressor

CzyKats44

CzyKats44

This is the way.
Joined
Jun 28, 2014
What do you have, use, recommend?

Best quality, most durable, safest, easiest to use ect...

I don't trust mine anymore and I am in the market for a new one.

Thanks
 
I rented one from Auto Zone , $50 deposit which you get back when you return it , so $0 & keep it as long as you need it . (y) I got a spring in it right now ! Sam
 
Since you have one you don't need the safety lecture. I too have rented from Autozone. Their tools are usually pretty new and I never had a problem. I got a spring compressor a few years ago and it was literally new in the box. Of course I rented a ball joint/bushing tool and some redneck ass used it in the yard and left it covered in grass and grease. Bastage. I returned it clean.
 
To add to the use of the spring compressor. I would lube the jack bolt on it before collapsing the spring .
 
I am convinced that the sole purpose in life of that spring is to kill you. Or die trying!
 
I'm putting my front springs back in here in an hour or two... this is my first time doing it, and overall the front suspension wasn't bad coming apart. I did the LCA bushings myself with the BJ press from Autozone and other than the steel bushings not being tapped, it was straightforward.

I'm going to try something getting the coil springs back in that I've done with other springs that were too small for a compressor (aka motorcycle coilovers). I am going to compress the spring on the rented compressor and once compressed enough to fit, I will wrap the coils with bailing wire. To keep it safe I'll only wrap one set of coils per actual piece of wire, and I'll wrap each one of those 3-5 times. Sounds confusing, but it's really simple and the way I do it would require multiple catastrophic failures of wire bundles for it to completely unload... the real nice thing about this method is that you can compress springs that are already on the car, bind them up with wire, chain, or any other safe way of taming the beast, drop the jack and the spring will come out compressed and ready to go back in the way it came out. Re install, put jack back under control arm, take load off spring and cut the bailing wire bundles.

Another trick that I learned from motorcycles was to use steel hose clamps as a spring compressor... I did a 550+lb spring with about 10 of them. Only had to compress it about 2in to get it on the coilover though, but the spring maybe had a 2in dia and was only 7-8in long... You just put the hose clamps on from coil to coil and install them evenly around the spring. Tighten them a few turns at a time until you reach the correct length. I'd never use the clamps for hoses again, but
 
Chuck Leeper said:
After 2 incidents of the hook type coming loose, we bought 1 off ebag, that has flat plates, and a large diameter rod/brg/nut bolt thru the center.
Wasn't cheap, but getting smacked in the kisser, is much more painful, than the hit in the wallet!:D
http://www.amazon.com/OTC-7045B-Fro...29&sr=8-3&keywords=otc+coil+spring+compressor
Click to expand...
If anyone uses a compressor with hooks,they're putting themselves in great danger. You can compress any coil spring to coil bind and throw it off of the top of the sears tower and it will not come apart with this compressor that Chuck is showing us.This is the cheapest price I can find for it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/OTC-Tools-7...hash=item4aeca99af5&item=321798118133&vxp=mtr
 
I use the two swing hook type spring compressor and have never had a problem. I only use it for installing I'm pretty sure I bought it from Northern tools. For the fronts I just undo the ball joint and drop the LCA with my jack slowly. I stick a large pry bar in there as a precaution and move to the front of my car when turning the jack down. Never had one fly out. Also had to cut the bolt length down to make it fit when I installed the spring. the hardest part is getting the spring in position when putting it back in the car.
 
TRICKSIXPA said:
I use the two swing hook type spring compressor and have never had a problem. I only use it for installing I'm pretty sure I bought it from Northern tools. For the fronts I just undo the ball joint and drop the LCA with my jack slowly. I stick a large pry bar in there as a precaution and move to the front of my car when turning the jack down. Never had one fly out. Also had to cut the bolt length down to make it fit when I installed the spring. the hardest part is getting the spring in position when putting it back in the car.
Click to expand...
Is it possible for the spring to come off of the hooks? Yes. Is it possible for the spring to come off of the plates? No.
 
I always replace factory springs with drop springs, no spring compressor needed :p

More recently I bought my el Camino and it has qa1 coil over's.:D

However, I've always rented from autozone too. (y)
 
I have used the hook style spring compressor and have had a scare or two. I will need to order a set with the plates for next time. BTW have any of you ever installed Moroso Trick springs in the front? Talk about needing a miracle to get those long ass springs in there.
 
getdowngranny said:
BTW have any of you ever installed Moroso Trick springs in the front? Talk about needing a miracle to get those long ass springs in there.
Click to expand...
These types of springs are the most dangerous to compress with hooks,but with the plates they are a piece of cake.
 
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