homemade coil spring compressor
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
homemade coil spring compressor
This is a $15 coil spring compressor that works:
It's a threaded rod with nuts and washers, the bracket is made from 1"X1/8" rectrangular mild steel - all available at Homedepot or Lowes.
I inserted the threaded rod through the hole that the shock mounts to (upper spring pocket), then aligned the spring in the upper pocket and inserted the bracket between the coils (2nd or 3rd from the bottom) and tightened the nut under the bracket hand-tight.... now I tightened the upper nut (above the upper pocket) with a ratchet and compressed the spring..... once the spring was 'short' enough I raised the lower A-arm..... done....
I highly recommend using Grade 8 material (except for the bracket of course) ... The cheap rod that I bought could actually break. I had a car jack (for a little safety) under the A-arm when I did this. It was a test to see if this "design" works. I'll build another compressor from better material, this galvanized China quality material is scary....
It's a threaded rod with nuts and washers, the bracket is made from 1"X1/8" rectrangular mild steel - all available at Homedepot or Lowes.
I inserted the threaded rod through the hole that the shock mounts to (upper spring pocket), then aligned the spring in the upper pocket and inserted the bracket between the coils (2nd or 3rd from the bottom) and tightened the nut under the bracket hand-tight.... now I tightened the upper nut (above the upper pocket) with a ratchet and compressed the spring..... once the spring was 'short' enough I raised the lower A-arm..... done....
I highly recommend using Grade 8 material (except for the bracket of course) ... The cheap rod that I bought could actually break. I had a car jack (for a little safety) under the A-arm when I did this. It was a test to see if this "design" works. I'll build another compressor from better material, this galvanized China quality material is scary....
Instructor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
From: New Port Richey FL.
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBr...compressor.jsp
Or free from Auto Zone, lone a tool. Just throwing out idea's.
Or free from Auto Zone, lone a tool. Just throwing out idea's.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,130
Likes: 3,938
From: Connecticut, USA
I made one but it cost $30. I used acme threaded rod and nuts with a 5/8 steel plate. I put the plate under the lower control arm and jack up the whole mess one shot. The acme thread is better suited for this application, has almost a sq thread- just like the car jack.
Gary
Gary
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by 007-8
http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBr...compressor.jsp
Or free from Auto Zone, lone a tool. Just throwing out idea's.
Or free from Auto Zone, lone a tool. Just throwing out idea's.
If the compressor looks like the one on the photo it may not fit as the claw seems to be too big.... but nice that AZ loans the tools with no charge...
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by rcread
The use of duct tape in this project is truly inspired. Duct tape just makes everything work better.
That tape is there to protect the powdercoating on the spring
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 445
Likes: 0
From: Newport News VA
I've always just used a jack, and let it down slow. Over here in OIF theater we sometimes have "bubbize" tools just to make things work. BFH, tape, bailing wire, oil, socket set, screwdrivers and a 5000lb tie down chain you can do allot of damage to M998A1, HET, 5-Ton, etc.
SGT Kirk
SGT Kirk
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,269
Likes: 54
From: Orlando Florida
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by big_G
Sorry, but that looks DANGEROUS!!!. That threaded rod is probably the lowest grade steel. Please rent or borrow a real one..
It works fine, used it twice... however... read above in my first post "I highly recommend using Grade 8 material (except for the bracket of course) ... The cheap rod that I bought could actually break. I had a car jack (for a little safety) under the A-arm when I did this. It was a test to see if this "design" works. I'll build another compressor from better material, this galvanized China quality material is scary...."
You're right, what I used is the lowest grade steel you can find in this country....at Lowe's... 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,045
Likes: 4
From: Yorktown VA
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Originally Posted by RedBad1979
If the compressor looks like the one on the photo it may not fit as the claw seems to be too big.... but nice that AZ loans the tools with no charge...
