Today I was trying to change my struts when I realized that the spring compressor I rented from Pep Boys did not fit between the coils of the spring. Any suggestions? Where can i rent/buy a lower profile spring compressor?


I did a search and learned advanced auto parts apparently has one that might work, but ive never seen one of those around my house. Any help?

 

autozone if there is one near. They charge you like a 40 deposit but you get all your money back when you return it.

 

went there, saw it... same size...

 

well i dont know man. I went into autozone and the one i got fit.

 

i wish i was as lucky as you - luckily the guy that owned the car before me some how did it....

anyone else got any suggestions? thanks in advance

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by variablevalve &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
anyone else got any suggestions? thanks in advance</TD></TR></TABLE>

Screw the whole spring compressor thing. In several of the cars that I've changed the springs out with lowering springs, I've NEVER once used a spring compressor.

Call me crazy? Maybe. Here's my method:

- With the shock and spring assembly still in the car, loosen the top center bolt as far as possible while leaving it secured on a few threads.

- Remove the assembly from the car as a whole.

- Wrap the assembely up in a very large blanket or towel (nothing your mother would kill you over if you got dirty). Wrap this up very tightly, but leaving the end with the top center nut exposed just enough that you can get your wrench and allen key in there.

- Low the assembly on it's side, preferably outside, near a wall or a some type of blockage, but keep about 10 feet away. Have a friend stand on the side of the assembly.

- With your friend standing on the assembly, slowly loosen your top center nut, watching were the nut shoots off (just in case).

You're all reading this, thinking I'm nuts. But believe me, the blanket or towel that you've wrapped around the spring as well as your friend's body will absorb the released energy as you loosen that top center nut.

NOTE: I have yet to see any damage come of this, but perform at your own risk.

 

^ same here. money saving method

 

you guys are way more careful then me.....haha...
Get the impact gun out, stand on the spring with one
foot, and loosen. The nut usually stays in the socket,
and the strut will pop out of the spring about 2 ft.

Works like a charm.

 

Or you could jack up the oppsite side of the car and use the car to compress the spring lossen the nut then jack up the side you are working on. Then to put it back together do it again.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by cappa &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Or you could jack up the oppsite side of the car and use the car to compress the spring lossen the nut then jack up the side you are working on. Then to put it back together do it again.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I was gonna post that. Just pop the top nut off the whole assembly then as you jack the car up you're going to be using the car to release the spring pressure. Once it's all the way up you might have some fun trying to get everything out but at least you won't be shooting a strut across the garage.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by IslandSi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Once it's all the way up you might have some fun trying to get everything out but at least you won't be shooting a strut across the garage. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Those springs are not compressed that much. If you do what I suggested, it wouldn't even at all be like that - at least on a Honda.