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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.
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.
The Safe Way to Compress a Strut or Coilover Spring
In theory, this has the advantage of allowing you to control the release of the spring tension by slowly letting down the floor jack. Plate style compression tool – new strut mount can be installed with lock nut.The plate style tool also creates a “safer” environment when compressing a strut spring. It is a much more robust tool than the hook style, and it does not give the user the feeling that it could slip off or break causing injury. The Shankly coil spring compressor is made of drop forged enamel and has double-ended jaws and attachable security hooks for safety and control. It's designed to compress struts and other coil springs on a variety of passenger and light commercial vehicles. It has an operating capacity of 300 mm and an overall length of 300 mm.
This drop forged enamel coil spring compressor can be used on various passenger and light commercial vehicles. The second is a big mechanically-cranked plate compressor that resembles an old-style tire-changing jack with two twisted plates on it. You crank it open, insert the plates between the coils of the spring, and crank it closed, pulling the plates together and thereby compressing the spring. I use this one unless there’s some reason I can’t, such as the spring being too big or small to fit between the plates. After a couple of disasters using cheap spring compressors, we bought this Branick 7600 wall/mobile-mount spring compressor to avoid future emergency dental work. To test it in a working environment, we went to Aldan American in Carson, California, where they've assembled thousands of struts and coilovers every year since 1981.
Diy spring compressor
Another problem is the safety clips may not fit around the springs on some vehicles. It might be too thick to fit between the coils and the shock strut. We like that this tool’s construction makes spring compression a safer job. The hooks are forged steel, so they won’t break or wear out easily after a few uses.
The whole shock assembly will have the shock and spring—still compressed with the center nut. However, for the No Spring Compressor Method, you will leave these three nuts in place and will be focusing on the large center nut. By doing this, you will be removing the shock and spring but the top perch/mount will still be connected at the top with those three nuts/bolts.
Lower the Opposite Side of the Car
How to Soften Car Suspension Install softer shocks and struts. As the primary component that affects your vehicle’s ride quality, shocks and struts have a very big impact. Adjust the shocks to a softer setting, if you have adjustable shocks. While you could take your car to a mechanic to have the springs replaced, this can be a costly repair. If you’re handy with tools, you can replace the springs yourself and save a lot of money. The process is actually pretty simple, and all you need is a few basic tools.
However, when you disconnect that top center shock nut, the shock’s top center threads are still sticking out of the strut mount. Therefore, it is still supported from lateral movement. The only way for the shock to go is down… that is what the floor jack is for— to allow the LCA (and shock/spring) to lower down with it.
Performing the No Spring Compressor Method will vary from vehicle-to-vehicle depending on the suspension components used on the vehicle. I performed this No Spring Compressor Method on a 2003 Toyota 4Runner which uses a double wishbone suspension up front. The fasteners should be tightened until the bushing expands to the same outside diameter of the metal washer. This allows for the proper amount of bushing squeeze so that the shock absorber can move properly in any direction.
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.
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.
The last thing you want is the spring-contact to break or the threads on the bolt to let go. Make sure that the compressor you purchase is forged steel construction and that the threaded rod is high-quality. In the middle of all this, I was researching new shocks and lowering springs. Unfortunately, the cost for such a set is about $1300, which was more than I was prepared to spend on my somewhat ratty survivor Europa. I found a guy on eBay selling a set of vintage Spax adjustable shocks with fixed perches and springs on them for $225 shipped. He agreed to a 14-day return period during which I could evaluate them and return them if the shocks were seized or blown or if the adjustable damping didn’t work.
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.
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