This is very cool I found a link this evening to build a spring compressor for my 1977 Corvette when I install new bushing and MOOG Springs.

Most of the problems with a spring compressor is to get it in and out of the very small hole where the shock is installed. From all in my research this takes that problem away.

Very Simple to make and less expensive then the $45.00 to $75.00 buck professional compressor you buy at a store.

It only requires about a 3 foot long 3/8 inch threaded steel rod, 2 washers, 2 nuts and a 2 hand built to fit 1 inch thick and 2 inches wide steel cut to length with a 1/2 inch hole drilled in the middle of both pieces of them. The top end can be about 3 inches long and 2 inches wide and the bottom has to fit the lower control arm shock mount which I have not measured yet.

You remove the front shock and run this rod down through the shock mounts and can run the nut down from the top side to compress the front spring.

most spring compressors require the work from the bottom end of the shock mounts and from my research very difficult to install and remove afterwards.

I will be using this method for about $15.00 to $20,00 bucks of parts instead of buying a complex spring compressor which is $45.00 to $60.00 bucks when I perform my front end repairs this winter on my 1977 corvette

 

Spring compressors and Corvettes don't go together well at all. I ended up not needing one when I did our front end rebuild. It will depend on the springs you are installing. Either way, be safe, and take your time with it.

Adam

 

Interesting. Where's the link?

 

Be safe and go with at least 5/8" rod. Even with a lot of grease on the threads, the 5/8" nut gets hot and the rod threads take a beating. I've done it.

 

Was this the link?

Corvette Spring Compressor on a Budget. . Ugly Tricks to the trade 1963-1982

 

Yes it was Wilcox and thanks for the article. I did have a typo in the post after reading this again not to use a 3/8 threaded steel rod but a 5/8 threaded steel rod my bad At least I bought the right stuff today to make this spring compressor. I am using a 2 inch wide 1/4 thick U Shaped Channel Iron doubled up and the channels stuffed with washers facing each other for additional strength so it will be the equivalent of 3/4 inch thick steel since Home Depot did not have a 3/8 inch thick steel plate. I cut the 2 bottom plates 6 inches long after taking a measurement and the 2 top plates 3 inches long then drilled the hole in all four plates.

After preforming a lot of research prior to rebuilding my front suspension I found out is near impossible to get the store bought spring compressor in and out of the spring fitting up through the lower shock mount.

Since safety is my main concern I will also be using it when I reinstall the ball joints onto the spindle assemblies. The floor jack is going to do most of the work for me and once I get the ball joints seated I will crank down on the nuts to hold it all tight in place.

I will be going back in with new stock springs on the front of the car. Rebuilding the front suspension this winter and the rear suspension winter of 2015/16

 

I like the whole idea but must admit I don't know how I would come up with the steel plates etc. Not sure I have tools to even cut 1/4 inch steel U's to size.

 

Here's another way to skin a cat-

This was GM's idea many years ago-

The tool is NLA- and haven't seen on for sale- so I made one up w/ scrap steel.


P1010250.jpg~original by richardhayes454, on Flickr

P1010249.jpg~original by richardhayes454, on Flickr


P1010251.jpg~original by richardhayes454, on Flickr

P1010248.jpg~original by richardhayes454, on Flickr


P1010244.jpg~original by richardhayes454, on Flickr

P1010245.jpg~original by richardhayes454, on Flickr

 

I used this...


Worked like a charm.

 

Very cool thanks for the pictures. My finished product looks like this after seeing the picture above I could notch and modify the lower control arm bracket to be a X instead of just strait. I could cut out a notch on both channel irons to create an X so that it holds better and is safer.

The top of the compressor has 2 nuts on it just to hold it together for the picture and does not reflect on how I will use it.

[/URL]

 

Why risk your life over a cheap tool ? The threaded rod in the spring compressor is hardened and the threaded rod that you buy at the hardware store probably comes from China. I would never trust safety to a cheap threaded rod. There is a lot of force in those loaded springs.

 

While I partially agree with your thought the lower control arm will be lowered with a floor jack not using the tool I have built. In the procedure I will be using the tool is built to keep the spring from flying out from under the car as the floor jack does all the work. I will lower the control an inch or 2 at a time and do the same thing when installing the new springs and this tool will be used to hold the parts in place on reassembly while I reassemble the ball joints.

I do not go into what I am about to preform lightly and safety is my main concern.

I have read many stories where people have not used a compressor at all and just lowered the control arm with just a floor jack. I do not trust my floor jack to lower it slowly enough to be safe. So I will lower it then move the nuts to a safe position than do this multiple times.

The store bought spring compressors like this one are near impossible to install and remove out of the small hole at the lower shock mount.

http://htsmall.ecklerscorvette.com/a.../88-0152-1.jpg

The newer style outside spring compressors cannot be used because of clearance issues. Read this article from someone on the web that did a frame off and the problems he had to overcome. I will not have these problems because before I perform anything on my car I read about what others have done before me then use what they learned. If I can enhance it to fit my build I will because I am smart enough to look at it and say I can do it better than also safer.

http://mycorvetterestoration.com/196...p#.VCoNKvldXJc

 

Where did you find it? I like the style of the lower mount but do not like the upper bolt assembly with just washers on the upper shock mount. As I said above I will modify my homemade compressor to create an X with a few notches on the channel iron. But really like the lower mount because it will hug the round end of the bottom shock mount. Is that 1/2 inch threaded steel?

Did you lube the 2 washers to make the nuts easier to turn?

 

By the way if anyone would like to harden the steel rods you bought from China all you need to do is heat them up with a Map Gas instead of propane gas on the same type of plumbing torch until they are really hot they do not need to be red hot or you will catch the oil on fire and dip them into conventional SAE 30W motor oil that you use in your lawn mower heck the used oil will probably work better since it has already been burned. The oil creates a hardened Carbon Coating on the threads which will change any Chinese made steel rod into a hardened steel rod or at least harden the threads I learned this stuff in High School Shop Class 30+ years ago

 

Thanks for the pictures that is a really cool way to perform the task of lowering the lower control arm safely. Wish I could build that mount you have. My jack has a separate taller jack mount a Pickup/SUV adapter I have to lift Pickups and SUVs Hmmm does not look hard to make but I am removing more than the springs and have to remove the control arms then also replace the complete bushings in everything from the control arms to the sway bar so it requires a complete dis assembly of the front end.

 

Mako style tool and jack worked well for me:-)

 

The GM tool cradled the a-arm by the outer bushings, not the rod, if you look closely. Lou.

 

Might as well throw this in for future reference as well

GM style tool mounted to floor jack works exceptionally well, with no kicking, prying or other type of thing I hate doing while the car is on stands
Problem is when there is no engine, your just going to lift the car. Here's the tool in location showing how it would fit / work



Guide to help align everything as it comes up (this would normally be up from the bottom when the motor is in)




With no motor, I use the threaded rod through the shock hole
Plate mounted to the bottom of the a-arm and bolted to the lower shock nuts





Can't see it in this pic but under that washer is a smallish tapered thrust bearing which prevents the washer from marking up the frame if it spins


M

 

Exactly why we did the article Mooser.. When doing body off restorations you don't have the engine to use as a tool. So we put our hollow heads together and devised a better holla hoop and it works. I can assure you the all thread we used was USA made.... it was 30 years ago when we started using this tool.

The funny thing is that there really is no danger when you are working it from the top side vs. the bottom where if something breaks it can hit you.

 

and as always, a great job

I'm also not concerned over the strength of the All-Thread, the tensile on even the lowest grade POS you could find far exceeds the spring pressure. That said most of the stock I still use is/was all certified.

I like using the plate on the bottom since it allows the spring to come in straight rather than pivoting, makes aligning the spring ends into the socket so much easier. Once it's partially loaded, I start using the bars to bring it into the frame.
The rolling pin/saddle version of a lower plate is even nicer but I didn't find the angle changed that much as to make it for this one-time deal I needed while the engine was out.
M