Building your own spring compressor is possible, if done carefully

Table of Content

• Building your own spring compressor is possible, if done carefully
• Can you retension a spring?
• How do you make a spring compress easier?
• BMW Strut Spring Compression Tool – The Correct Choice for the Home Mechanic
• Do you have to get new shocks with lowering springs?

Once the spring is compressed, you can remove the old strut, install the new strut, or perform whatever other maintenance you need to do. When you are finished, loosen the compressor and allow the spring to expand back to its normal size. Once all the bolts are loosened and removed, the strut assembly should be free to come off. Generally, these shorter lowering springs lower the ride height and provide a more responsive and sporty feel due to their stiffer design. Continue to slowly jack up the LCA until you see the bolt start to protrude through the top strut mount.

Once you have reinstalled the strut onto the car, you can place the wheel back and tighten the lug nuts. You can then move to conduct the same procedure on the other side’s strut assembly. This process requires you to pay close attention to how the lowering springs are placed on the strut perch. If they are placed incorrectly, the holes are unlikely to line up when installing these lowering springs onto the strut assembly. The plates are pitched to match the slope in the helix of the spring.

Building your own spring compressor is possible, if done carefully

This is necessary when replacing the strut or performing other maintenance on the strut assembly. There are several different types of strut spring compressors available, but they all work in essentially the same way. The correct tool for performing a BMW front strut replacement is the plate, or “fork”, style compression tool. Unlike the hook style tool, the plate compressor uses only one threaded rod to retract two plates that “squeeze” the spring from top to bottom. Therefore, if you are simply replacing the entire shock assembly, then you can remove the three top mount nuts , and this will disconnect the strut assembly from the body.

As the spring settles, ride height decreases and causes undesirable changes in wheel alignment. Springs typically last a long time and, in some cases, can even last the lifetime of the vehicle. However, that doesn’t mean springs don’t wear and become worn out over time.

Can you retension a spring?

The ones I own are probably 40 years old, high quality, American made, and the claws are plenty long enough to wrap around the spring and hold it. I see that some of the new ones now being sold address the slippage issue by having pins that lock the claws in place around the spring. Use the strut spring compressor to compress the spring.

This Warren, Michigan company produces top-notch automotive diagnostic and repair tools. This OTC Clamshell Strut Spring Compressor is a simpler approach to MacPherson compressors. Slowly twist the rod or piece of wood until the coil is fully compressed. Now, take a ratchet and thread it onto the end of the rod or piece of wood. Compressing a strut spring without a tool may sound like a daunting task, but it is actually quite easy to do. All you need is a few household items and a little bit of patience.

How do you make a spring compress easier?

I figured that, for that price, it was worth it just for the adjustable shocks, and if the springs turned out to lower the car, it was gravy. So I bought them, and when they arrived, I had 14 days to build a spring compressor and disassemble and test all four shocks. Those springs are beefy enough that they support the weight of the car without bottoming out. And you need to compress the spring even further in order to remove the nut or retainer. For these reasons, you’ll often read that compressing springs is an inherently dangerous activity best left to professionals. Once the spring is seated, you’ll want to compress the spring using a vise or clamp.

This professional strut spring compressor is made of drop forged steel and has locking pins for safety. It's designed for use on most passenger vehicles, whether domestic or imported, as well as light trucks. Replacement parts are available, and it comes with bilingual instructions. To disassemble the pair, the spring must first be compressed. With MacPherson struts, there’s a housing with an integral bottom spring perch, and an upper perch plate and a bushing at the top that looks a bit like a man’s hat. The bushing contains a bearing, as the whole point of the design of a MacPherson strut is that it absorbs the shock as well as rotates when you steer the car.

Strut Spring Compressor Pricing

Then, simply tighten the clamp until the spring is compressed. If you don’t have a C-clamp, you can try using a length of pipe. Place the pipe over the spring and then use a wrench to twist the pipe, compressing the spring as you go. Using a pry bar, compress the spring by pushing down on the lower control arm. Place the floor jack under the vehicle and raise the vehicle until the spring is compressed. Once the spring is compressed, you can remove the jack and the spring will stay compressed.

Finally, reinstall the front end links to the steering knuckle and hand-tighten these snug. The lower ball joint to lower bracket nut needs to be reinstalled and torqued. Begin by disconnecting the front sway bar end links from the axle on both sides of the vehicle.

Also, it may slide a little bit more than you like, and there have been some complaints that on some larger vehicles it can't grab the spring with both hooks. The OEMTOOLS MacPherson Strut Spring Compressor kit is our pick for the Best Overall Strut Spring Compressor. This is an externally-mounted kit that locks onto the coils of a spring and compresses it for easy removal. Considered "the standard in the industry," this all-steel, premium product does not require any adapters and uses heavy-duty acme thread. It features versatile mounting options and multi-position hooks. It's easy to use, and the safety pins keep everything locked in place.

There are two sets of threaded rod, each with two hooks and pin detents to latch onto the spring coil. You have to work slowly and tighten each side a little at a time, but they can help you safely compress a spring’s height. These compressors are most often seen in repair shops, but they can be affordable for someone who does enough suspension work in their own garage. These strut spring compressors work with threaded handles on large bolts to compress springs for suspension work. These compressors only work on struts and springs that are not installed in a car. They can’t be used on a vehicle, so if you have to compress your spring inside of a wheel well, these are not for you.

Press up on the shock and move the LCA down so that the lower mount hole lines up with the LCA mount. Then insert the lower mounting bolt through and hand-tighten; you still torque this after the strut assembly is reinstalled. This will allow for articulation of the lower control arm , which will allow the LCA to rotate and provide additional room to remove/install the front shocks/springs.

You can leave the end link connected to the sway bar as you are mainly concerned about separating the sway bar from the steering knuckle. Changing the stiffness can be done by changing any or all of the variables that control spring stiffness. One easy way to do this is to add a second identical spring in series with the existing spring. Next, you will need to find something to use as a lever. Once you have the lever in place, simply apply pressure to the top of the strut with the lever.

How To Compress Strut Spring Without Tool Tire Hub A Quality One

Table of Content

• The Safe Way to Compress a Strut or Coilover Spring
• Diy spring compressor
• Lower the Opposite Side of the Car
• How do you compress springs to lower a car?
• What are three things the coil spring must do?
• Building your own spring compressor is possible, if done carefully

Therefore, you can’t compress the spring anymore, even if you still have more to compress. This strut spring compressor from 8MILELAKE has drop forged jaws that have a minimum jaw distance of four inches and a maximum opening of 14 inches. The jaws and lead screws are heat treated for optimal performance, and the zinc-plated tool fits most Macpherson struts. The first is the ubiquitous style with a pair of threaded rods, each of which have pronged “claws” at the top and bottom. You place one of them on each side of the spring, then tighten them evenly with a wrench or a socket on the nut at the top of the rod. Because, structurally, there’s not much to them, and because if they break or slip the results can be catastrophic, these claw compressors have gotten a bad rap over the years.

Also, check that the tips of the spring are still lined up with the top and bottom perches as you are jacking up the shock assembly. As you do this, you can go back to the wheel well and make sure that you guide the top shock mount bolt through the top opening. If you don’t guide it through this opening properly, you’ll basically be pressing the top shock mount bolt right into the strut mount . There’s always some level of risk when working on cars, but I feel this supplemental warning is warranted when dealing with springs.

The Safe Way to Compress a Strut or Coilover Spring

Slowly jack up the floor jack and you will see the LCA begin to lift the shock assembly into place. Remember that prior to raising the whole assembly with the floor jack, the bolt that comes out of the top of the shock is sitting right below the level of the top strut mount. Therefore, when you raise the whole assembly with the floor jack, you need to do it very, very slowly with very slight increases in height. Remove the large center nut and this will disconnect the spring and shock from the upper shock mount. Therefore, when you bring the LCA down along with the spring and shock, it will be supported against the upper shock mount when decompressing the spring.

The tool requires very little effort to use, and the jaws securely grab onto the spring. The design also allows you to have something to hold onto while you're doing the job, which is very convenient. This compressor comes in a carrying case, which is a big plus. The Branick is expensive, however, and you should be aware that it may be more compressor than you need before you purchase it.

Diy spring compressor

When disassembling the front struts on your BMW, the springs must be compressed with a tool to relieve the pressure on the strut mount so the top lock nut can be removed . Removing the lock nut allows the strut to be disassembled so all of the parts, including the spring, can be transfer over to the new strut. The tricky part for the home mechanic is compressing the spring.

If you do need to disassemble/reassemble the shock assembly, you can go about it several ways. This process doesn’t involve snipping pieces of your springs off, just heating them up enough to compress the coils tighter than they already were to lower your ride height. You just need to remove the wheel, heat up a portion of the spring to make it malleable and compress it, heat and repeat. The process is not difficult, so anyone with garage access and a little know-how can accomplish this modification. Since lowering springs are designed to work with your existing factory suspension, they can simply replace your coil springs. Always check your strut spring compressor before using it.

Lower the Opposite Side of the Car

The ones I own are probably 40 years old, high quality, American made, and the claws are plenty long enough to wrap around the spring and hold it. I see that some of the new ones now being sold address the slippage issue by having pins that lock the claws in place around the spring. Use the strut spring compressor to compress the spring.

The best way to do this is to compress the strut spring continuously in tiny increments, switching back and forth between both sides. You should do this until sufficient tension has been relieved from the strut spring. The ABN 9210 MacPherson Strut Spring Compressor takes tension off to safely remove strut and spring assembly.

Are coil springs under extreme pressure?

With the proper tools and procedures, spring compression and removal can be performed safely, but if you jury-rig it, you’re courting danger. I’ve been wrenching on my own cars for 40 years, have pulled apart a lot of shocks and springs, and have never even come close to having a mishap. I more think about it the same way I do jacking up a car and working under it—something with risk that needs to be managed with proper tools and practices.

Place the socket over the top of the spring and ratchet it down tight. The first step requires you to raise the front section of the vehicle. 2.1 The first step requires you to raise the front section of the vehicle. My goal is to provide helpful articles and tutorials based on my experience and research related to car maintenance and automotive detailing. When I'm not writing and not working my day job, you can find me spending time with my family and working on home and car projects.

The other three nuts that surround the center nut hold the shock assembly to the body of the vehicle. When the spring needs to be be compressed again, the floor jack will be used to push up on the LCA and in effect the spring will be compressed into place. The center upper shock nut will then be tightened to complete the installation.

This will be the same position in which you lowered the LCA previously with the floor jack. Eventually, the spring will be fully decompressed and you no longer have the danger of spring under compression that can shoot out at any moment. You should be able to move the spring around and be able to feel that there is no compression on the spring. The center nut may need an additional wrench or allen wrench to keep the bolt from turning while you loosen the center nut. These steps are essential to getting your LCA to be able to rotate down and out of the way.

How do you compress springs to lower a car?

People generally don’t have this tool in their garage, but garages/shops will generally utilize such a tool. I believe this to be the safest method of assembly/disassembly of the shock assembly. Handing off this work to a trained mechanic with a heavy duty tool such as this one, will offer the least risk for this type of work.

BMW Strut Spring Compression Tool The Correct Choice

Table of Content

• How do you make a small spring tighter?
• How hard is it to change springs on a car?
• Cabin Air Filter Replacement: 2nd Gen Acura CL (Including Type-S)
• The Safe Way to Compress a Strut or Coilover Spring
• How to compress a small spring
• Types of Strut Spring Compressors

The other three nuts that surround the center nut hold the shock assembly to the body of the vehicle. When the spring needs to be be compressed again, the floor jack will be used to push up on the LCA and in effect the spring will be compressed into place. The center upper shock nut will then be tightened to complete the installation.

If you’re replacing the entire shock assembly, you can remove the whole coilover without taking the shock and spring apart. You can then proceed with installing a pre-assembled coilover. Since compressors work by compressing your vehicle's springs, they handle a lot of pressure. As a result, you need to get a tool that is tough and strong so you don't hurt yourself or damage the vehicle. The spring compressor shouldn't bend or snap when the coil is fully compressed. But like many other compressors, it doesn't work on all makes and models.

How do you make a small spring tighter?

The hooks may be too thick to grab the springs on some vehicles, and it can be a bit awkward to fit fully in a tight space, but that isn't uncommon with this type of tool. Also, one user had to grind down the safety pins for a better fit. The Branick can handle nearly anything you throw at it. Aside from the heaviest-duty work, the Branick easily compresses struts and springs by use of a corkscrew bolt and handle.

No, cutting off some coils actually increases the spring rate, even for a linear rate spring. In principal, there is nothing really wrong with cutting springs. The problem is that often the cut springs are not paired with better dampers, which is a problem.

How hard is it to change springs on a car?

You will want to make sure it’s in good working condition and doesn’t have any damage that will affect your work or cause safety issues. This tool is durable, well made, and makes the job very manageable. It fits snugly on the spring, and the pins push over the spring to lock it into place, so it feels very safe to use. The compressor is heavy duty and a great option for individuals who do strut work once or twice a year, and it makes changing your struts a lot easier than you think it will be.

Finally, reverse the process and lower the car back down. Lift the front end of your car off the ground, securing it with jack stands. You should place tire chocks or word blocks near the rear tires to stop the vehicle from moving. You can secure your vehicle by using the parking brake as well.

Cabin Air Filter Replacement: 2nd Gen Acura CL (Including Type-S)

For the savvy home mechanic, removing the front strut assemblies from the vehicle is easy. The nerve-racking part of the repair is compressing the spring so it can be transferred over to the new strut. It is very important to choose the correct spring compression tool to accomplish this part of the repair. The other spring compressor tool is a hand tool that uses hooks to hold the spring, while requiring you to ratchet down the hooks to compress the spring.

You can leave the end link connected to the sway bar as you are mainly concerned about separating the sway bar from the steering knuckle. Changing the stiffness can be done by changing any or all of the variables that control spring stiffness. One easy way to do this is to add a second identical spring in series with the existing spring. Next, you will need to find something to use as a lever. Once you have the lever in place, simply apply pressure to the top of the strut with the lever.

Can you cut Springs while on the car?

This static energy can spell disaster if you don’t use a spring compressor to control the springs’ decompression. It handles the heaviest coil-over-shocks on light trucks and SUVs and has longer handles for extra torque. The corkscrew design makes it easy to compress, and spring tension aides in decompression. The compressor will not work on every vehicle and is intended for small cars and light-duty suspension. The pins may bend and may not retract after you're finished with the job.

If you’re noticing that your car isn’t as smooth as it used to be, it’s likely that your strut springs need to be replaced. If you’re looking to compress a strut spring without a tool, there are a few methods you can try. Place the jaws of the vise grips on either side of the spring, and then squeeze the handles together. Place the clamp around the spring, making sure that the jaws of the clamp are lined up with the coils of the spring. Once the spring is compressed, reconnect the strut to the lower control arm. With a little bit of effort, you can compress a strut spring without a tool.

The best way to do this is to compress the strut spring continuously in tiny increments, switching back and forth between both sides. You should do this until sufficient tension has been relieved from the strut spring. The ABN 9210 MacPherson Strut Spring Compressor takes tension off to safely remove strut and spring assembly.

Installing a Duralast Loaded Strut means a totally new assembly goes on your vehicle. This helps lower the chance of future failures, helps to restore like-new ride control, and helps to improve braking performance. This is a handy skill to have if you’re planning on doing any suspension work on your car. This is a less expensive option, but it’s a little more difficult to use. First, you’ll need to find a solid object to anchor the ratchet strap to.