compressing springs

[benjammin]

Has anyone ever tried to use the weight of the car to compress new springs? Maybe put a bottle jack under the control arm?...Just an idea.

 

[Toul]

Compress new springs? Like to get the strut assembly back in?

 

[SuperHO]

eh, ratchet straps work for me.

 

[Phoenix]

Anything less then these tools pictured below can be very dangerous.

Its like 10$ on ebay , its worth it believe me.

 

[K-Dawg]

Has anyone ever tried to use the weight of the car to compress new springs? Maybe put a bottle jack under the control arm?...Just an idea.

Some people do it like that.

 

[frosho]

I'd look for an auto parts store that rents out compressors. Autozone has them, at least around here. It's free too, you just leave a deposit and get it back when you return the tool.

 

[Shoaz]

Those springs store a LOT of energy, so however you do it, take it seriously. They can do some damage. Since spring compressors aren't very expensive and are generally easily obtainable (e.g., you can borrow them from AZ), I'm not sure why anyone would want to try it without them.

 

[Eric VerValin]

Anything less then these tools pictured below can be very dangerous.

Its like 10$ on ebay , its worth it believe me.

Those weren't $10... where did you get those? I want, I want.. Tired of those little "pins" that are supposed to hold the spring in... I like the looks of those... nice and beefy!

 

[benjammin]

I was just curious as to what people thought of that idea....Ill use a compressor. By the way...what all am I gonna need to do all my struts?...Ive got the sensa-tracs, the springs, the mount kits from monroe, and the strut rod bushings. Are there any other bushings that Im gonna absolutely need? And also, the struts didnt come with new boots like I thought they would...could I just use the old ones if they arent beat up? Do I need to get spring insulators?

 

[Phoenix]

Those weren't $10... where did you get those? I want, I want.. Tired of those little "pins" that are supposed to hold the spring in... I like the looks of those... nice and beefy!

Its a general pic from the internets , mine are flimsier (sp?) then that.

 

[rubydist]

Harbor Freight has them for around $10-15 and they look like those in the photo.

 

[shobote]

I have the same ones from Harbor freight and look just like those too. Some have suffered serious injuries by not using a proper spring compressor so it pays to use the right tool. AZ also rents them cheap.

 

[Eric VerValin]

Harbor Freight has them for around $10-15 and they look like those in the photo.

The old ones they had only had a little pin in them. Same for the Craftsman set I seen. I'll have to go back up there and look.