I tried searching the archives about this but I couldn't find anything. I need to go pick up a spring compressor so I can do my shocks and coilovers today. The guy asked me if I needed one that goes on the inside or outside. I'm assuming one that goes on the outside right?

 

hmm we encountered this problem when I tried to do the springs and shocks on a members car... they gave him a compressor that slipped in from the outside to hold onto the coils and had a push/slide lock.. but the problem was that the compressor jaws were too large to fit into the coils while they were still on the shock... we had to end up going to buy a spring compressor from pep boys because the one from autozone wouldnt go in the coils.. they said thats the only one they have but it wouldnt work...

good thing for having another car... I think I would have been really pissed off if I rented a spring compressor expecting to do a spring and shock install.. then took my car apart.. and it doesnt work.. then end up having to put it back together to drive to the part store again..
the only we bought had like U hooks that went inside/around the coil.. and attached to the compressor on the outside..

 

Ask for a strut-type spring compressor.

Should come with a couple of claws/clamps and then a threaded shaft that screws in through the claws.

Here's a pic of the kind that I got from Autozone:

 

where can I get this strut-type spring compressor? for rent or for sale.

thanks.

 

F&*K the bulls&%t of renting a spring compressor
just butt the spring up against a tire and shoot it off

 

Go to Autozone and rent one...it's free, with the exception of the gas and time you spend.

Regardless, it might or might not be quicker w/ or w/o the spring compressors, but the real time saver is to have an electric impact wrench or an air-powered one handy. If you're doing suspension, 14mm, 17mm, and if you have Koni's - 19mm impact wrench sockets are all you need...aside from regular hand tools. Takes about 20 minutes to pull out all the strut assemblies.

 

thank you for saying that....glad somebody said it.

 

Has anyone else ever encountered this problem? i was planning on installing my ground control's tomorrow, and i rented the auto zone spring compressor. however, if this is going to be a problem, i might have to put it off for a little bit. please let me know.
thanks.

 

Autozone has the right one. I rented it from them today. Just ask for the strut type compressor.

 

I went to autozone and rented their crappy spring compressors. The thing is they wont fit our thick coil springs in our Integras. The hook that holds the springs at the top and bottom wouldn't fit in the springs. There was not enough gap.

The only ones that fit were the ones they sell at pepboys. I ended up buying it because the pepboys I went to didn't have 'em for rent.

 

Actually, I'm in that predicament right now trying to install my KGM DR Race springs. I've never looked at the one from Pep Boys, but I'm hoping that it's the one that my friend used once w/ the small/thin, rubber-covered claws...which would hook into the tighter coils.

The Autozone compressor can still squeeze into the ITR coils just fine (edit: which are tighter than the GS-R springs - shown in the pic). You just have to put one piece in at a time in the direction that I have it in the pic. Top piece by itself first by angling it in, and then thread the other half on. A 19mm socket and impact wrench will make it a quick job.

As for the GC's, can't you just put the spring all the way down? The standard 8" or 9" spring should fit onto shock w/o any spring compressing necessary. We never needed any spring compressors to install the GC's on KYB's...only to take the stock spring off.


[Modified by IN VTEC, 7:13 PM 6/1/2002]

 

yeah i wasn't talking about using the spring compressor to put springs on, i need it to take off my stock springs.

 

The spring compressor sold at pepboys will fit the stock springs on the integra.
I'm not sure if the spring compressor from autozone will fit though.

I've rented the autozone one and realized later that it wouldn't fit. The coils were too thick for the hooks to get into.

So try to rent a spring compressor from pepboys just in case.

 

I'm seeing what you guys mean when you say that it won't fit. I put my ITR springs back on my Koni's and could only use the clamps on the lower half of the shock. Any higher and it would interfere with the dust cover and cause problems. The clamps are just too damn fat.

I finally got them in after a couple of tries, and everything came out ok. From now on, I'm gonna find some other clamps to use because tonight wore me out.

 

I'm thinking about getting this one, my Spoon springs are coming this week...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=3980
Instructions to use it are here:
http://www.harborfreight.com/manuals/3000-3999/3980.pdf

 

I think those are the ones that Autozone used to carry a long time ago. Still heavy, but they work.

I'm still trying to find the ones that are light and have the rubber boots over the clamps.

Can't beat that $9.99 price tho.

 

These may work since they are not bulky. I had the same problem witht he compressor getting stuck and not fitting correctly. I took them to a local shop and they swapped everything (fronts only) for a couple bucks.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=43753

 

When i replaced my stock shocks with Konis I used a bulky spring compressor like the one shown at the top of the thread. It took forever and was a pain in the ***. When it came time to upgrade my springs I forgoed using a spring compressor. I used something one of my buddies recommended, and thats using lots of zip ties. Not too much pressure is on the stock springs of an Integra and when you disassemble the shock/spring unit the spring only pops out like 2-4 inches. By putting 6-7 zip ties on the spring you can keep it from decompressing.

A few months ago I helped a friend replace the springs on his WRX and those springs were even easier to swap out. All that was needed to control the spring decompression was holding down the spring assembly with your foot while you undid the main bolt.

I'm not trying to sound wreckless, but in many instances spring compressors are not necessary and just add time to the work.


[Modified by Dawsonb17a, 12:15 AM 6/18/2002]

 

i used it and ended up screwing up my stock springs. also scratched illuminas shaft which had to be polished down. by the one from sears or western auto. same one it has ubolts that secure the spring.

 

I went into sears (Glendale store) a few days ago and they said they didn't have spring compressors.... do you have the part number? maybe I can ask them to order it..

 

Was this a Sears Hardware store? In CT they have Sears and then they have Sears hardware that sell nothing but tools and crap. The normal Sears around me doesn't have spring compressors but the Hardware stores do.

 

Branick Rules

 

So I guess the stack of 2X4s inplace of jackstands is out of the question?

ROTFLMAO !!

 

naw it was a normal sears.. where they have the tools and electronics downstairz...

 

so the autozone compressor will work?