Will this spring compressor work?
#1
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Car: 92 Formula WS6, T-top
Engine: 5.7L T.P.I.
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: Limited slip, 3.23 10 bolt
Will this spring compressor work?
92 Formy WS6, stock setup--want to replace front LCA bushings.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Coil-Spring-Compressor-Internal-Coil-Strut-Remover-Installer-Suspension-Tool-/351463623436?hash=item51d4dd4b0c&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Coil-Spring-Compressor-Internal-Coil-Strut-Remover-Installer-Suspension-Tool-/351463623436?hash=item51d4dd4b0c&vxp=mtr
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Car: 88 GTA
Engine: Built 355 to install
Transmission: Built turbo 350
Re: Will this spring compressor work?
I couldn't get that style to work on my 88 GTA, the stud bottomed out in the spring pocket and would no longer compress.
May have worked had the hook arms been much shorter.....
May have worked had the hook arms been much shorter.....
#3
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Car: 92 Formula WS6, T-top
Engine: 5.7L T.P.I.
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: Limited slip, 3.23 10 bolt
Re: Will this spring compressor work?
Hmmmm, what DOES work then?
#4
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Re: Will this spring compressor work?
I tried that style, didn't work. Ever since Ive only used a floor jack under the ball joint. Never had any issues, and it worked good. Also never had a bad feeling with it. Never been worried it would come out. I have seen cheap spring compressors break and that aint fun. Using the weight of the car, common sense, and a floor jack worked best for me.
#5
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Re: Will this spring compressor work?
When doing suspension springs, trick is to jack A-arm up to compress spring til whole car moves up. wrap a chain around the spring coils as tight as you can and bolt the links together. Then let A-arm down all the way. Spring will be partially compressed from the chain holding it. Then use that compressor with stud length cut down to compress it enough to pry spring out. Simple and easy
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Car: 86 iroc, 02 v6 camaro
Engine: 350 HSR, 3800 V6
Transmission: T56, WCT5
Axle/Gears: 9in 4.11 posi, 3.23 LSD
Re: Will this spring compressor work?
I tried that style, didn't work. Ever since Ive only used a floor jack under the ball joint. Never had any issues, and it worked good. Also never had a bad feeling with it. Never been worried it would come out. I have seen cheap spring compressors break and that aint fun. Using the weight of the car, common sense, and a floor jack worked best for me.
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Car: 16 Equinox,12 Silverado,91 Z28
Engine: 3.6l, 5.3l, 305 H.O.
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Re: Will this spring compressor work?
That is a good compressor.
Check out this thread.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...ml#post5268528
Check out this thread.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...ml#post5268528
#10
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Car: 92 Formula WS6, T-top
Engine: 5.7L T.P.I.
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: Limited slip, 3.23 10 bolt
Re: Will this spring compressor work?
I tried that style, didn't work. Ever since Ive only used a floor jack under the ball joint. Never had any issues, and it worked good. Also never had a bad feeling with it. Never been worried it would come out. I have seen cheap spring compressors break and that aint fun. Using the weight of the car, common sense, and a floor jack worked best for me.
#11
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Car: 86 Camaro
Engine: 355- hopefully a 5.3 this summer
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Will this spring compressor work?
i took the stock 6 cylinder springs out of my car and replaced them with Moog/Summit IROC replacement springs using this method just this spring.. the driver's side was first and took about a half hour from start to finish, and the passenger side took about 20 minutes start to finish... i spent most of that time trying to get the new springs into the seats properly.. yours might take longer, since i'd done this a few times before on other cars and had put different spindles on my car a couple of years ago so everything came apart easily..
#13
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Car: 92 Formula WS6, T-top
Engine: 5.7L T.P.I.
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: Limited slip, 3.23 10 bolt
Re: Will this spring compressor work?
Already got new struts and strut mounts. LOL I'm just trying to get rid of all these stupid squeaks. There's one near the junction of the A pillar/dash/fender/hood area on each side also. Id fix them if I knew where they were, just almost impossible to tell. Then there's a grunt/squeak in the suspension area that you can hear when you hit a little bump even if you stick your head out the window a little. I'm thinking, great, my thirdgen sounds like a total piece of junk to everyone I drive past. LOL
Last edited by TheExaminer; 08-12-2015 at 08:53 AM.
#14
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Car: 92 Formula WS6, T-top
Engine: 5.7L T.P.I.
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: Limited slip, 3.23 10 bolt
Re: Will this spring compressor work?
you put the jack under the balljoint, use the spring pressure and a hammer wack to the side of the spindle to release the balljoint, and then you lower the jack until the spring falls out.. you have to unhook the sway bar and tie rod from the spindle before doing it, tho..
i took the stock 6 cylinder springs out of my car and replaced them with Moog/Summit IROC replacement springs using this method just this spring.. the driver's side was first and took about a half hour from start to finish, and the passenger side took about 20 minutes start to finish... i spent most of that time trying to get the new springs into the seats properly.. yours might take longer, since i'd done this a few times before on other cars and had put different spindles on my car a couple of years ago so everything came apart easily..
i took the stock 6 cylinder springs out of my car and replaced them with Moog/Summit IROC replacement springs using this method just this spring.. the driver's side was first and took about a half hour from start to finish, and the passenger side took about 20 minutes start to finish... i spent most of that time trying to get the new springs into the seats properly.. yours might take longer, since i'd done this a few times before on other cars and had put different spindles on my car a couple of years ago so everything came apart easily..
#15
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Car: 86 Camaro
Engine: 355- hopefully a 5.3 this summer
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Will this spring compressor work?
you are removing the arm to change the bushings, so the spring is coming out, anyways..
#16
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Re: Will this spring compressor work?
If you have stock springs, the stiffest they would have been WHEN NEW, was around 475 lb/in. Of course who knows what they have degraded to by now...
748 lb/in is about the rate of the Moog 5664. There's no stockers ANYWHERE NEAR that. But if you have those, then you're good to go.
The pipe spacer trick James shows is one thing I've done at times. That keeps the top of the press screw from sticking so far out the top of the spring that it hits the strut tower. Another is, put the spring compressor on so that it "compresses" the control arm along with the spring; then take off and put back on the control arm, with the spring and compressor assembled to it.
748 lb/in is about the rate of the Moog 5664. There's no stockers ANYWHERE NEAR that. But if you have those, then you're good to go.
The pipe spacer trick James shows is one thing I've done at times. That keeps the top of the press screw from sticking so far out the top of the spring that it hits the strut tower. Another is, put the spring compressor on so that it "compresses" the control arm along with the spring; then take off and put back on the control arm, with the spring and compressor assembled to it.
#17
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Re: Will this spring compressor work?
Do yourself a favor and pony up the money for the OTC 7045B tool. That 30-40$ hook tool is a piece of crap. I just went throught this installing springs on a UMI k member and UMI a arms which is more difficult because of the deeper spring pockets compared to stock. I tried it with that hook tool and its like working on defusing a bomb, you never know if it will let go. It never feels safe handling compressed and it did slip while I was installing it and at that point I just bought the OTC tool. You can fully compress the front spring with ease with the OTC tool vs these hook ones which are a bear once its getting compressed down. Take care
#18
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Car: 86 Camaro
Engine: 355- hopefully a 5.3 this summer
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Will this spring compressor work?
If you have stock springs, the stiffest they would have been WHEN NEW, was around 475 lb/in. Of course who knows what they have degraded to by now...
748 lb/in is about the rate of the Moog 5664. There's no stockers ANYWHERE NEAR that. But if you have those, then you're good to go.
The pipe spacer trick James shows is one thing I've done at times. That keeps the top of the press screw from sticking so far out the top of the spring that it hits the strut tower. Another is, put the spring compressor on so that it "compresses" the control arm along with the spring; then take off and put back on the control arm, with the spring and compressor assembled to it.
748 lb/in is about the rate of the Moog 5664. There's no stockers ANYWHERE NEAR that. But if you have those, then you're good to go.
The pipe spacer trick James shows is one thing I've done at times. That keeps the top of the press screw from sticking so far out the top of the spring that it hits the strut tower. Another is, put the spring compressor on so that it "compresses" the control arm along with the spring; then take off and put back on the control arm, with the spring and compressor assembled to it.
the IROCs and WS6 cars have stock springs in the 700's.. and springs rates don't degrade- the spring may settle over time, but the metallurgy of the steel would have to change for the rate to change..
#19
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Car: 92 Formula WS6, T-top
Engine: 5.7L T.P.I.
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: Limited slip, 3.23 10 bolt
Re: Will this spring compressor work?
Yeah, I'm sayin'...... Those 400's are 4th gen. Thirdgen WS6's are in the 700+ range. My springs are huge, and I don't like messing around with them. They are 23 years old and have not sagged in the slightest. The rears on the other hand, had sagged about 1", and I replaced them with 4th gen variable rate springs and 4th gen isolators. Looks nice, has an old school stance.
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Re: Will this spring compressor work?
i just used that style of compressor with a piece of pipe as mentioned earlier. The pipe I used was 3 1/2 inches. Worked flawlessly.
#21
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Re: Will this spring compressor work?
I used one just like the item pictured in the original post. It worked great time and time again until the one day it failed. NOT COOL ! I had it in the spring and the spring was compressed. I pushed the control arm down with my foot grabbed, the spring with my right hand and pulled it out. I turned and took a couple of steps away from the car and it felt like getting electricuted. The tool let go for no good reason. The spring did not have anything to launch from so it remained in my hand. I am absolutely terrifed of this job now. I checked out the OTC version and it dose look to be a better design. Please always use caution when working with coil springs.
#22
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Car: 92 Formula WS6, T-top
Engine: 5.7L T.P.I.
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: Limited slip, 3.23 10 bolt
Re: Will this spring compressor work?
I used one just like the item pictured in the original post. It worked great time and time again until the one day it failed. NOT COOL ! I had it in the spring and the spring was compressed. I pushed the control arm down with my foot grabbed, the spring with my right hand and pulled it out. I turned and took a couple of steps away from the car and it felt like getting electricuted. The tool let go for no good reason. The spring did not have anything to launch from so it remained in my hand. I am absolutely terrifed of this job now. I checked out the OTC version and it dose look to be a better design. Please always use caution when working with coil springs.
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