I must be stupid but I can't figure this spring compressor out. I went to the local auto parts store and got a spring compressor tool to put my springs in my a-arms. http://www.pepboys.com/product/details/9212033/
I put it inside the spring and after the spring is compressed the rod of the compressor sticks out the top of the spring 3-4". Then when I slide it into place that parts of the rod from the spring compressor will hit the center of the spring seat in the K member. So it wont work, am i missing something...The spring compressor fingers grab the coils fine and compress the spring but no matter what coil level I install it the rod sticks out of the top of the spring making contact with the k-member. The rod on the spring compressor is 12" and the Hotchkis spring is approx 12.5".

 

You need a pipe nipple about 4 or 5 inches long to take up the extra room between the hex head on the threaded shaft and the first sset of fingers.

 

For a pic of what you need, check post #7 of the following link:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...nstalling.html

JamesC

 

Yup, piece of pipe is the key. Seems like when I did that I had a 6" nipple. (when I bought it, girl at the hardware store said she wished she had a coupla those)

 

thanks guys, i found an old post about the 6" pipe before I got back to this posting. I tried it, I got the spring to compress about 1 1/2 coils but still couldn't get it to seat. I all managed to do was scratch up the powder coasting, sucks. I was getting my *** kicked for hours trying to make it work. I'll try again tomorrow, I lost the battle tonight.

 

ok, got them in using the 6" pipe sleeve in the spring compressor....that sucked!
Thanks for the help.

 

I use an old wrist pin as a spacer

 

I still cannot fully understand this matter...
Is it up to where in coils I put the spring compressor?
Simply reversing the compressor doesn't work?

 

Its because the threaded shaft of the spring compressor is too long for this application, no matter what you do it will stick out the top of the spring and hit the top of the spring pocket in the k-member. The piece of pipe takes up the extra slack, moving it to the bottom of the spring and sticking out the hole in the spring pocket on the control arm.

 

Even without the piece of pipe, simply using the compressor upside down doesn't work?

 

No.

The top of the spring is COMPLETELY inaccessible.

The reason you can't use the compressor as-is with the screw head on the bottom, is that the screw is too long to fit that way; the threaded end would stick out the top of the compressed spring and hit the top of the spring pocket.

The way to do it, is with the pipe.

 

Oh, I see.
Then, a piece of pipe or a shorter threaded shaft will be needed.
Thanks for the reply.