i have done over 100 suspension installs on all types of vehicles over the years but tonight i scared the **** out of myself. i was installing a set of springs on a 99 acura 3.0CL when the spring compressors popped off the spring. i had just begun to decompressed spring the spring off the shock body when the compressors simply popped off the spring. the spring never left my grip but one of the compressors hit me squarely in the chest and landed a few feet away on the floor. the other one shot up in the air and got stuck on one of the bikes hanging in the garage on the wall. there were two people watching 2 feet away from me when it happened. i got lucky as **** tonight doing something i have done a zillion times before. all weekend warriors and do-it-yourself builders out there be please careful, no matter what it is you are working on or how many times you have done it before!!


[Modified by dogpile5, 9:47 PM 4/2/2002]

 

I hate spring compressors too! What kind were you using? The type that simply hooks over the springs? I have one that a big thick bolt bolts around a coil, and theres no way its going to fly off.

Glad to hear you're ok, those things are dangerous as hell.

 

wear a protective cup

 

they are pretty beefy spring compressors. they have seen a lot of action since i started installing springs for most of the kids in town. first time this ever happened, but now that i think about it, the springs on a 3.0CL are prob rated higher for the larger engine and weight of the car. its possible there is a maximum spring rating for the compressors. i'll check on that next time i'm in the garage!