Front coil compressor tool tip....
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 16,978
Likes: 7
From: In Dreams There Is Truth Ohio
Front coil compressor tool tip....
Recently there has been a series of Q's how to remove the front coils...difficulty using the coil compressor...blah...blah...blah....
Anyway, thought I'd post the correct way to use this tool, and if used correctly, compressing and R&R the front coils is like taking a walk in the park.
1. The tool is designed to grasp a maximum 3/4" wire diameter spring...I don't think any coils are greater than 3/4".
2. Tool has 4 arms, two short and two long...the short arms installed, are on the same side of the spring, same for the long arms...this will prevent the coil from curving when compressing.
3. Rotate the arms so that the threaded rod is in a vertical position....
4. compress the spring just enough to remove it/install it....
5. DO NOT USE THE TOOL ON A GREASY SPRING
That's all there is to it...
Anyway, thought I'd post the correct way to use this tool, and if used correctly, compressing and R&R the front coils is like taking a walk in the park.
1. The tool is designed to grasp a maximum 3/4" wire diameter spring...I don't think any coils are greater than 3/4".
2. Tool has 4 arms, two short and two long...the short arms installed, are on the same side of the spring, same for the long arms...this will prevent the coil from curving when compressing.
3. Rotate the arms so that the threaded rod is in a vertical position....
4. compress the spring just enough to remove it/install it....
5. DO NOT USE THE TOOL ON A GREASY SPRING
That's all there is to it...
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 124
Likes: 1
Did my front end last fall. Removing the springs was easy by lowering the A-arm with a jack. Putting the springs back in with spring compressor was much more difficult and frustrating - in fact the hardest part of the whole job. Why? Number one I had to compress the spring all the way or nearly so in order to close the lower A-arm and clear the rim of the spring pocket. Secondly it was a pain to remove the comprsessor from inside the coil once I was done with it. The upper set of compressor arms was trapped in the tight upper coils of the spring. Had to tap it round and round the spring with a hammer until it got to an area loose enough to remove it. This was my first time redoing a front suspension and reinserting the coil and removing the compressor afterwards was the only part that was really a hassel. Would like to see someone do it that knows an easier way.
Rgds
Rgds
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
I just put 'em in with a couple big screwdrivers.
I've never used the 4-arm compressor, but I heard the troubles
getting the compressor out afterwards. I like the homemade
compressor of a large threaded rod and steel plate idea.
I've never used the 4-arm compressor, but I heard the troubles
getting the compressor out afterwards. I like the homemade
compressor of a large threaded rod and steel plate idea.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 6
From: Silver City NM
St. Jude Donor '05-'07
I saw this compressor and it looked pretty sturdy. I have heard horror stories of spring compressors popping off and the spring shooting through a chest. Ouch!! Is this the one that is difficult to use???
http://www.shop.com/amos/cc/main/cat.../adtg/05110566
Dep
http://www.shop.com/amos/cc/main/cat.../adtg/05110566
Dep
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,444
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
I've never used a spring compressor on my 79 vette. Why would you?
You jack up the frame and put it on jack stands. Remove both front tires. Then you use a floor jack under the front A-Arm to hold it in place. Take the shocks out. Take the cotter keys out and nuts off the ball joints. Mine have never rusted so just a few whacks of a hammer and the spindle drops loose. Just lower the jack and lift the spring out.
I have the shorter 550# spring so I don't even pull the calipers off the rotors. If you have a longer front spring you might not have enough length on the brake hoses. So you might need to pull the calipers off and wire them back out of the way. It's a two person job about one hour. You could do it by yourself. Just make sure that the spring is centered and in the holding slot on the end. I also managed to strip out an lower A-Arm shock threaded hole using air tools so be careful.
You jack up the frame and put it on jack stands. Remove both front tires. Then you use a floor jack under the front A-Arm to hold it in place. Take the shocks out. Take the cotter keys out and nuts off the ball joints. Mine have never rusted so just a few whacks of a hammer and the spindle drops loose. Just lower the jack and lift the spring out.
I have the shorter 550# spring so I don't even pull the calipers off the rotors. If you have a longer front spring you might not have enough length on the brake hoses. So you might need to pull the calipers off and wire them back out of the way. It's a two person job about one hour. You could do it by yourself. Just make sure that the spring is centered and in the holding slot on the end. I also managed to strip out an lower A-Arm shock threaded hole using air tools so be careful.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 2,609
Likes: 12
From: Massapequa Park NY
Originally Posted by DJ Dep
I saw this compressor and it looked pretty sturdy. I have heard horror stories of spring compressors popping off and the spring shooting through a chest. Ouch!! Is this the one that is difficult to use???
http://www.shop.com/amos/cc/main/cat.../adtg/05110566
Dep
http://www.shop.com/amos/cc/main/cat.../adtg/05110566
Dep
. Not sure how well it would work with the body on.
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
YOu will find that spring compressor won't work, you need one that goes inside the spring.
Interesting discussion on the spring compressor and let me tell you from personal experience they scare the crap out of me. I have had them let go twice now and have been lucky because both times the spring was already back insde the the spring pockets.
The is a tremendous amout of energy stored there and you would not stand a chance if it hit you. The problem is the bad design of the spring compressor itself, what can happen ( why it says above DON"T USE ON GREASY SPRING ) is the arms can get jarred and then the pressure of the spring will start them spinning until they are loose and bang you got a big problem. So be careful using them and never tap the spring when putting it in to get it in the correct position ( like I did )
Interesting discussion on the spring compressor and let me tell you from personal experience they scare the crap out of me. I have had them let go twice now and have been lucky because both times the spring was already back insde the the spring pockets.
The is a tremendous amout of energy stored there and you would not stand a chance if it hit you. The problem is the bad design of the spring compressor itself, what can happen ( why it says above DON"T USE ON GREASY SPRING ) is the arms can get jarred and then the pressure of the spring will start them spinning until they are loose and bang you got a big problem. So be careful using them and never tap the spring when putting it in to get it in the correct position ( like I did )
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 16,978
Likes: 7
From: In Dreams There Is Truth Ohio
Wow....reading all the stories above...it bewilders me why y'all are having so many problems with the tool...only thing I can think...improper use of the tool...for one, you don't have to span the spring with the tool, that is top coil and bottom coil...the middle of the coil is where you place the arms and all one has to do is compress the spring no more than 3-4 inches to remove and install...
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 124
Likes: 1
I like gkull's idea of putting the compresssor rod thru the top of the spring pocket with the nut and washer on the OUTSIDE. I can tell you there is no way mine would fit back in only compressed 3-4 inches. I had to tighten the compressor all the way as tight as it would go to squeeze the coil in. Seemed kind of dangrous to me. It is difficult to hold the spring while you are cranking the compressor tight also. Maybe I have extra long springs or I just don't know what I am doing.
Eventually it all went back together and looks and works great.
Rgds
Eventually it all went back together and looks and works great.
Rgds
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,838
Likes: 10
From: Austin TX
I'm about to tackle this myself. I've done this twice on old Camaros, using the 4-hook compressor (which isn't easy) and I'm thinking it should be fairly similar on the Vette.
I guess it's possible to remove an old spring without compressing it (I'd chain it up TBS...might save a trip to the dentist...or morgue), but I don't see how you could get a new one in, which is likely an inch taller, without compressing it...the lower a-arm would be at such an angle...I don't see how the geometry would work.
Please explain.
Wes
I guess it's possible to remove an old spring without compressing it (I'd chain it up TBS...might save a trip to the dentist...or morgue), but I don't see how you could get a new one in, which is likely an inch taller, without compressing it...the lower a-arm would be at such an angle...I don't see how the geometry would work.
Please explain.
Wes
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Quincy IL
Gdiana, you are right,only compress the middle part of the spring, so that you can get the arms of the compressor out. i replaced my springs in late 96 with 460 VBP springs, the only problem i can remember is compressing the spring, only to have the threaded rod sticking so far out the top, that it interfered with the upper a-arm, so i bought a bunch of washers, put them on the threaded rod to act as a spacer, this allowed spring compression without the threaded rod sticking out the top of the spring. i hope you guys can understand what i'm explaining, i can visualize it, having done it, but not sure if i can explain it correctly in print. much like how i rebuilt my rear bearings without special tools, i can do it, but not much good at explaining it. make sure that as you compress the springs the arms don't move into a position where they can pop off, if they move, loosen everything up, move the arms around and slowly compress the spring, keeping your eyes open for arm movement.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,435
Likes: 0
From: largo florida
I tried using the type of spring compressor GDaina is talking about, but couldnt get it to grab enough of the spring to work. I then used
It worked fine, but the rod would start to arch when compressing the spring. Needless to say, this is pretty scary. Now I just use gkulls method. Very easy and fast.
It worked fine, but the rod would start to arch when compressing the spring. Needless to say, this is pretty scary. Now I just use gkulls method. Very easy and fast.
Last edited by lostpatrolman; May 19, 2005 at 01:15 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 23,360
Likes: 1,059
From: Virginia USA
Originally Posted by 70BBvert
That's the one I used, but I took it apart & stuck the rod through the upper shock mount hole & compessed the spring up into the upper pocket. Just added a couple of washers & grease. Installed both sides in a matter of minutes. Of course I had the body off . Not sure how well it would work with the body on.
. Not sure how well it would work with the body on.
I would like to add that it works fine with the body on and the grease mentioned is for the washer/compresser bolt combination not on the spring as Gdaina pointed out.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Originally Posted by lostpatrolman
I tried using the type of spring compressor GDaina is talking about, but couldnt get it to grab enough of the spring to work. I then used
It worked fine, but the rod would start to arch when compressing the spring. Needless to say, this is pretty scary. Now I just use gkulls method. Very easy and fast.
It worked fine, but the rod would start to arch when compressing the spring. Needless to say, this is pretty scary. Now I just use gkulls method. Very easy and fast.
pretty much the only off-the-shelf compressor that works.
If replacing with aftermarket (460 or 550) springs, you don't need
any compressor to get them in or out, since they are much much shorter than stock springs.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 16,978
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From: In Dreams There Is Truth Ohio
Originally Posted by lostpatrolman
oh, i thought he was talking about something similar to that strut compressor.
No, the strut tool won't work on coil springs...the internal spring compressor, with two short and two longer arms is the one I'm talking about. Dep posted a pic of this tool
Drifting
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,439
Likes: 1
From: Hagerstown MD
I have a cheap spring compressor very much like the one pictured in this thread. I used it only to remove the old springs and to install the new ones. During that time, the threads on the center rod wore from a nice machined look to a pointy appearance. (And I used grease on the threads while I was using it.) I think this tool may not be safe to use again... is that a safe bet?