I'm curious on thoughts on this specific tool. Does it make you feel safe when you are using it? Or is it still a scary experience? Has anyone used it and not been happy? I've seen people suggest this to people around TGO and they still opted for the other claw like tool.

https://www.otctools.com/products/fr...ing-compressor

 

I have that exact model and I love it. I feel mostly good about using it since the pins lock the plate from rotating. As with any system that stores energy, I don't want to be in the path of the projectile when it is compressed. Not nearly as much pucker factor when using this one though. I would give it a 9 out of 10, it can be a bit of a pain to get the top plate in a good position since it is shrouded by the spring pocket (usually) Would definitely recommend. Make sure you keep the bearing lubricated and grease on the screw, and I would not recommend impact too use.

 

That looks similar to a Kent-Moore tool ($$$$$$ )I had back in the day. While I never had any problems with it while rebuilding many Olds and Chevy front-ends, I don't think any spring compressor would make one feel completely safe.

My best advice here is to avoid any such tool made in China.

 

what do you mean by this?

 

I don't think I've ever used one. (Guess that is the beauty of torsion bars) Well geeze, I'm pretty hesitant about this job. I don't have a problem walking under my lift, (most of the time) but this job gives me the heebie jeebies.

 

If you follow the factory shop manual for whatever vehicle you're working on and use good quality tools, you'll have no issues. It's the morons who try to use crowbars, floor jacks with pieces of lumber, jack-leg "compressors" cobbled together out of Lowes hardware and the like who get into trouble.

 

Without being there is is hard to describe. I have used it on several vehicles and getting the top plate in position can be a little difficult. It's not terribly difficult, you may not even feel the same if you were there doing it. It was easier than using one of the finger/claw type though

It's just one of those things that you should respect that there is an incredible amount of energy stored in the spring when it is compressed. As spring compressors go, I think the OTC tool is well made, and a good design. It is likely a direct copy of the Kent Moore that ironwill said. I wouldn't hesitate to use it, just understand that it will be a projectile if you drop the assembly and it breaks. It's the same as as standing under a lift really. You're putting your life and trust in a man made tool.

 

That is the business.

It's on my to-buy list. Seems to be the absolute best way for the front springs.

 

Get some lowering springs and you'll never have to use a spring compressor again.

 

This is the best way hands down... Look at the photo from the Helm manual for my '88...

 

I don't quite understand what is going on here by these directions. They seem to imply that the entire spring force is unloaded when you remove the a-arm bolts. Is this the case? Seems to me, that after the bolts are removed, you would need to lower the floor jack quite a bit before this actually occurs, a step the above instructions more or less leave out?

 

You have it correct. I don't care for that way, it can be difficult to get the control arm bolts back in by that method

 

Removing the LCA pivot bolts is by far the fastest, safest and easiest way. I have done the front springs both with a compressor and with the floor jack/LCA bolt method.
I will say that with the floor jack/LCA method the engine has to be in the car otherwise you are just jacking the car up. You only need the car about 12" off the ground in fact it can't be too high as the floor jack would not work. As to lining up the mounts and the bolt holes. The LCA will go into the pockets without any guiding or prying 95% of the time.
I use a big Phillips screwdriver to line up the holes to get the bolt thru..

The biggest issue with a spring compressor is the top of the compressor hits the bottom of the top spring pocket and the challenge in getting the thru bolt thru the hole in the LCA without removing the LCA and then connecting the pivots and ball joint.

Again I'm not telling someone they have to do it a certain way. It's just after boing more than a dozen installs I fine the floor jack method to be the best for ME.
*Note I don't have the special tool to hold the bushings I just put the jack on the web centered between the two pivots.*

 

You get the jack on the LCA and once it's tight the bolts will slide out with light tapping If the bolts do not turn or are still wedged in either they are rusted in the bushings or you do not have the jack tight. You want to get the jack tight enough to take the pressure of the spring. A good way to tell is if you start to lift the car you have it a bit too high.You want to jack it to where it takes the weight but not so much it lifts the car.

 

This spring compressor does not have that issue

 

Once you remove the LCA bolts, how far down do you let the jack before all spring compression is removed? Are we talking 1" or 10" ?

 

Using daferris' jack method to remove the spring only requires a few inches to unload the spring once the bolts are out . Personally , I would not recommend to anyone else that they do it without the tool listed in the manual's instructions , but I myself plead guilty as charged to doing a number of different car's springs/suspension work over the years using that method without the specified tool and lived to tell the tale . Anytime you are working with something with so much stored energy the method has to be 100% , by which I mean it's gotta be a well manufactured spring compressor installed perfectly on the spring or a floor jack setup that 100% will not let the spring loose during that few inches of unloading the spring . As to installing the spring , like scooter said , it can be difficult (but not impossible) to get the control arm bolts back in with the jack method , especially if new (not lowering) springs are being installed .

Remember , the reason it's only a few inches is that you start with the suspension at the bottom of it's travel so the spring is already fairly unloaded anyway (compared to the spring pressure when the car is actually sitting on it) . It's those last few inches of compression that the jack needs to unload .