What spring compressors should I buy......

[sae70]

............?

Been looking @ the bewildering array of spring compressors that are available this evening with a view to buying a set

I've started to get spring compressor blindness know So though I'd ask what you guys have & think & would you buy them again

PS - They will be mostly for compressing the front springs on Fiery (98MY Collorado SWB)

WHY

 

[Gav Peter]

Was Gary (Stockton) looking into buying some of these?

 

[Gary Stockton]

Yep - still humming and hawing on this.

Essentially, get a decent sett hat have proper jaws top and bottom. Do not go for the clip-on variety - I've heard too many horror stories about them - they can ruin the springs due to inconsistent pressure if used often, and can let go and hurt you ...

I've been looking at these on tinternet:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Strut-Coil-Spring ... 5d2ae76c0d

Product Details

1000kg Foot Operated Hydraulic Unit
Quicker And Easier Than Using Ratchet Driven Spring Compressor
Plastic Coated Yokes Reduce The Risk Of Spring Slippage Or Damage And Are Suitable For Springs From 102mm To 160mm Diameter

Works out to about £120 including postage and VAT ...

These seem best bang-for-buck but are still pretty pricey, especially as I only anticipate using them twice - once for the left and once for the right

 

[Chris]

Bite the bullet and spend the cash. Get the sort of thing recommended by Mr Gary. You can always sell it on afterwards. Maybe you could find a second hand one. As someone who has done the old front spring shuffle on a 90 several times, I wish I had bought one from the off. Trust me, you'll wish that you had. Right tools for the job. Those screw threaded things are infuriating and rip the powder coating off the springs. AT the moment you'll be thinking "Yes, but I only plan to do this once". And that will be your first mistake!

Chris

 

[AndyCook]

i bought one of the clarke workshop compressors a few weeks back - very similar to the one shown above on link

I it used to replace the OME882 front springs with softer OME881 springs last week.
having originally fitted the OME882 using the screwtype compressors which was a PIG of the job, i bought a workstand model.

it was still a bit fiddly to use, and bent the upper arms a bit upwards on the unit, as the 882 springs are super stiff, but it definitely saved me a lot of time (hours), sweat, anger, frustration, swearing and worry about the screw compressor failing

 

[sae70]

Bite the bullet and spend the cash. Get the sort of thing recommended by Mr Gary. You can always sell it on afterwards. Maybe you could find a second hand one. As someone who has done the old front spring shuffle on a 90 several times, I wish I had bought one from the off. Trust me, you'll wish that you had. Right tools for the job. Those screw threaded things are infuriating and rip the powder coating off the springs. AT the moment you'll be thinking "Yes, but I only plan to do this once". And that will be your first mistake!

Chris

Mmmmmmmmmm.............but I'm only going to do it the once

 

[andyw]

This set look good http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/sealey-strut-and- ... 3f02c7e678

Wonder who lives nearby

 

[Chris]

Uhm, nope can't say as I have heard of the place. Sorry where was it again?

I could always bring it to Lincomb!

Not sure if I am Dartford bound in the near future. Although you never know.

Chris

 

[sae70]

I sent him a mail & he'll post 'em for £30

 

[sae70]

OK So suspension kit coming tomorrow meaning installation will be imminent So spring compressors did we ever get to the bottom of this then I am only going to do it twice

 

[sae70]

This does look good though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpOCbF7D ... r_embedded

 

[sae70]

OK I've prety much decided to buy myself a floor standing hydraulic spring compressor & as It happens there's a firm in Wickford not 20 minutes away from me that stocks them so no postage to pay But there is two different styles to choose from The first looks like this for £75

This one has a pair of adjustable hooks that hook over the spring coil & then the strut sits on top of the horse shoe plate @ the bottom & is then clamped in place with a 'U' shaped securing bracket


The second one looks like this for £95

This one has two horse shoe shaped seats that the spring only sits in leaving the shock free to fall off once the top nut is removed as the the youtube vid above This one would be my prefered choice as it looks slightly more robust They do say it will accomodate springs down to 102mm in diameter (Fierys spring is 110mm) so should be OK but I'm a little concerned that the shoes will not fit in between the coils as they are quite tight on the 90 spring

Can anyone help me make my mind up before next Tuesday when I'm going to pick it up

Has anyone used the second type on a set of 90 springs

 

[Chris]

Going purely on design rather than technicalities, I would go option B. That's the type I have seen before. The other look very bendy.

Does it not come with some filler pieces to even out the horseshoes? I wouldn't put the shoes into the coils. I would compress the whole tower from the isolation pad on the top to the bottom flange on the shock. With some filler pieces, the shoes would be flat. Wouldn't take any making really.

Chris

 

[Chas]

Going purely on design rather than technicalities, I would go option B. That's the type I have seen before. The other look very bendy.Chris

The top one is useless , I watched Greg trying to compress some springs and as you say Chris, it was very bendy, it just wouldn't do the job.
Chas

 

[AndyCook]

agreed - i got the top one whilst i got the job done, it was very bendy -
it was fine for my subaru forester springs, but not so good for HD landcruiser springs
i wonder if i can get the stirrups from the "B" model, as the rest of the system is the same, just the spring holders are different

will be interested to see how well the "horseshoes" fit between coils

 

[Henri Stofberg]

I made my own heavy duty ones. The ones you buy in the shops are just to light duty. The coils on the Prado are very hard to compress.

Don't try this if you are a novice. This exercise kills.

 

[sae70]

OK I have to put my hands up to having misslead you all a little as the video & the photo both show the Sealey RE231 coil spring compressor rated @ 1500Kg that is not easy to find for less than £150 & can be as much as £220 either way far more than the Chinese copy that I'm planing on buying rated @ 1000Kg for just £95 You can see from the photo of it that it is not as well guseted as the sealey model & is also rated @ 500Kg less than the sealey model I don't know what the spring rate of a standard front 90 spring is but even the Ironman ones @ +20% over standard can't be more than 1000Kg Can they

Also be warned 80% of the peeps selling the cheaper 1000Kg unbranded model show a photo of the Sealey RE231 in their adverts

Here is the photo of the unbranded item that I'm considering buying

I'm still a bit concerned abouit the yolks/horse shoe seats fitting inbetween the spring coils of the uprated 90 front spring though

 

[sae70]

Just been down & unpacked one of my new Ironman springs & the coil tightness isn't as bad as I thought I guess I was looking @ the OME (original manufactures equipment not Old Man Emu ) on Fiery old & sagging with weight on 'em

 

[sae70]

Does anyone know the spring rate (I think that this is the correct term) of an standard 90 front spring or a 'B' rated Ironman spring for the same vehicle

 

[sae70]

Ooops Look what just fell out of the back of my truck