Now some people debate whether a spring compressor is necessary when disassembling Honda shock/spring assemblies. Now I was wondering, what if you removed the nut on the shock rod before raising the car (car still on ground, weight still on springs), and then raise the car w/o the nut on the shock rod? Would that be feasible? Surely it would be safer than just trying to remove the nut w/ the whole assembly off the car and have the upper spring seat go flying off somewhere, possibly injuring someone or damaging something. Thoughts?

 

You don't wanna do that. It could potentially put a dent in the shock tower. On top of that, the front assembly will not wanna drop out if the springs are uncompressed. You can leave them in there to at least break the nut loose, but do not completely remove the nut.

Besides, it's easier to remove the nut with the spring compressors anyways b/c it takes the tension off the spring hat.

 

How would it dent the shock tower? When the car is on the ground, it's compressing the spring more than if the spring/shock were not on the car, so the way I see it, you could remove the nut, and as you raise the car, the shock and spring would lower, while the upper spring seat is still bolted to the shock tower, and then you could just remove everything. Anyone else?

 

That's true to an extent....but a stock spring will extend quite far. Once you jacked the car up, you would see that it has room to keep going.....thus it'll be very tight against the drop fork. And once you loosen that and try to pry it out....WHAM!....it'll decompress the rest of the way and you could hurt yourself.

If you really want to do it without a compressor do it outside.....cover the shock with something heavy like a piece of carpet and let it loose. It'll just shoot into there. Hehe. My friend did that and even stood on the carpet....it shot the carpet right out from under his feet and he fell on his @ss. Hehe.

 

just rent the spring compressor its free at auto zone or 6 bux at kragen

 

Agreed, Just do it the right way... When you get hurt by a flying spring, i dont wanna hear about it


[Modified by nfn15037, 1:02 AM 2/14/2002]


[Modified by nfn15037, 1:03 AM 2/14/2002]

 

Yeah I know, but I've lowered Hondas w/o spring compressors before, not that big a deal, but my friend that's helping me install my stuff tomorrow won't do it w/o compressors. Oh well, just a thought anyway.

 

You can always use my shock launcher method. While pointing the bottom of the shock in the direction of your target, stand on the spring, then reach down with your impact wrench and undo the nut.

My best shot ever is a garbage can at about 100 feet. It was with a VW shock, they have very little droop and very long springs. I can get about 60 feet with a honda shock.

 

You could try this...I've done it.

Jack up the car, remove the wheel. LOOSEN the 2 bolts that mount the shock to the chassis. Up front, remove the forks, in the rear, disconnect the LCA's and move them out of the way.

Now, put a towel or something underneath the shock. MOVE THE BRAKE LINES OUT OF THE WAY. Now, start to loosen the nut that holds the spring/shock together. When it's almost off, move your feet away from the wheel well and turn the nut till the shock/spring separate. You'll hear a big THUD as the shock shoots into the ground and is caught in the towel.

**I can't say that this method is really that safe or smart. I've done it plenty of times and it works. I used this method because I hurt my thumb using one of those compressors that slipped off when I was uncompressing a spring

 

Did the compressor you used have the little safety latches that are supposed to keep it from slipping off?

 

just rent the compressor from autozone or pep boys.. i think i put down a $50 deposit.. and they said i could use it for 10 days.. if i didnt return it w/in those 10 days.. they consider that u purchased it... or if u bring it back w/ missing parts or whatever..

anyway i brought it back all dirty and they didnt care.. gave me my money back... its free and its safe.. i'd rather go this route.. you dont want the spring/shock tower to pop out and shoot you in the nuts.. or in the head..

its FREE u cant argue w/ that..

 

hey guys:

sounds pretty dangerous the method you guys are using to do a spring/shock install to save a buck! you can proabably loosen the nut and release the spring on the car when unbolting the original springs/shocks but, you will eventually need a spring compressor to put back on your new springs/shocks and that requires compressing the spring so that the top bolt can be threaded back in. i've tried various spring compressors that are sold or rented in stores like the 10 dollar and up ones with or without the safety latches rented/sold at kragens/pepboys/snap-on/etc...the problem with these is that they usually don't fit or grab the side of the coils since they are made for domestic or other import springs which are more loosely wound than the honda/acuras. the problem with these is that they usually start bending the coil halfway w/ the compressor when using a ractchet or power tool to the base of the tool. so far my solution has been to remove the original setup and bring it to a shop to have them use their wallmounted hydraulic spring compressor do the job then i would then reinstall it back into the car. however, i would like to find a good spring compressor like in the shops so that i can do more of these jobs in the future...have done enough in the past and its a hassle having to wait and have someone else do it all the time...so if anybody knows of a quality compressor please share with the rest of us.

thanks guys!

 

I've only used a spring compressor once.. when I did my first set of springs. I never use them now and there is no need to IMO. The impact gun method works fine, I just shoot them into one of our car shells or into a metal trash can that's against something else (something unmovable, at least by a shock). ITR shocks/springs you don't even need that, just press down on them and remove the nut. Most aftermarket springs will go in by just pressing against the strut top until the nut is threaded on a little, then impact gun it a little more. If you can't do that than simply install the strut top inthe car, put the shock in the fork, and jack up the fork.