best spring compressors?

JamesShort · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 3:51 pm

Any tips/thoughts on the best spring compressors? My harbor freight ones broke after doing a spring/shock job on a NB miata and the koni job on my WRX.

The thing I would need, particularly for the fronts of the WRX, is compressors that can compress two adjacent coils on a large diameter strut spring to very close. The spring on the wrx has very few coils so I can only grab onto two adjacent coils or I'd be too close to the top hat or the spring perch.

Steve Carter mentioned the Craftsman ones. I'd prefer something with acme threads as my HF ones had regular threads and that is part of the reason they failed and acme threads will likely be much more durable. Any other suggestions/comments?

KouroshNeshat · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 4:14 pm

If its for a temp. Job Go rent a set or two from autozone. They're $50 to rent and you'll get your money after you return. That set compressed 2.5rs springs, 02-03wrx springs (very tall) and some 04 sti springs. You can get by with one set, but if you've got an extra $50 to spend then a second set will help a lot.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 4:23 pm

KouroshNeshat wrote:

If its for a temp. Job Go rent a set or two from autozone. They're $50 to rent and you'll get your money after you return. That set compressed 2.5rs springs, 02-03wrx springs (very tall) and some 04 sti springs. You can get by with one set, but if you've got an extra $50 to spend then a second set will help a lot.

X2. Also if for some reason you decide not to return them you have a pretty decent spring compressor.

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 4:49 pm

Vincent Keene wrote:

X2. Also if for some reason you decide not to return them you have a pretty decent spring compressor.

That's what I did. I've had them now for about 5 years and I've changed at least 24 struts with mine. - AB

JamesMilko · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 5:19 pm

I have a set of these Craftsman ones (I got them as a different label but the casting is identical.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... 947057000P

The only potential issue is that they are pretty long which is what you seem to want. The top nut turns smoothly and easily, they don't deform at all and are totally "un-scary" to use. The casting is nice and rugged as well. I just put some oil on the threads before I start. The threads are very thick compared to a normal bolt as well. I've used these on the 600# fronts of the Miata without issue (I only compressed them an inch or two at most).

I'm also in Durham if you want to just borrow mine. I'm hopefully past the point of doing strut work for a while.

[edit]
I just looked up what acme threads are, I'm pretty sure that is what mine has. I'll double check when I get home tonight.

Matt McGrain · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 5:47 pm

Aaron Buckley wrote:

Vincent Keene wrote:

X2. Also if for some reason you decide not to return them you have a pretty decent spring compressor.

That's what I did. I've had them now for about 5 years and I've changed at least 24 struts with mine. - AB

Aaron, wanna bump it up to 28 this off season and put some Koni's or Bilsteins on the Si? :lol:

A Harbour Freight tool that broke? Unheard of!

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 5:50 pm

JamesMilko wrote:

I have a set of these Craftsman ones (I got them as a different label but the casting is identical.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... 947057000P

The only potential issue is that they are pretty long which is what you seem to want. The top nut turns smoothly and easily, they don't deform at all and are totally "un-scary" to use. The casting is nice and rugged as well. I just put some oil on the threads before I start. The threads are very thick compared to a normal bolt as well. I've used these on the 600# fronts of the Miata without issue (I only compressed them an inch or two at most).

I'm also in Durham if you want to just borrow mine. I'm hopefully past the point of doing strut work for a while.

[edit]
I just looked up what acme threads are, I'm pretty sure that is what mine has. I'll double check when I get home tonight.

This is exactly what Autozone rents and what I had bought. I think it was a $40 deposit, which is also the purchase price. Mine are the only ones I've owned that are beefy enough to use an impact to compress the spring. While this may not be smart, it's quick

- AB

JamesShort · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 5:59 pm

Aaron Buckley wrote:

JamesMilko wrote:

I have a set of these Craftsman ones (I got them as a different label but the casting is identical.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... 947057000P

The only potential issue is that they are pretty long which is what you seem to want. The top nut turns smoothly and easily, they don't deform at all and are totally "un-scary" to use. The casting is nice and rugged as well. I just put some oil on the threads before I start. The threads are very thick compared to a normal bolt as well. I've used these on the 600# fronts of the Miata without issue (I only compressed them an inch or two at most).

I'm also in Durham if you want to just borrow mine. I'm hopefully past the point of doing strut work for a while.

[edit]
I just looked up what acme threads are, I'm pretty sure that is what mine has. I'll double check when I get home tonight.

This is exactly what Autozone rents and what I had bought. I think it was a $40 deposit, which is also the purchase price. Mine are the only ones I've owned that are beefy enough to use an impact to compress the spring. While this may not be smart, it's quick

- AB

I used impact on my HF ones

....probably why they are done for...but the crappy steel and loose threads definitely added to it. The nut you turn was actually a nut on the end of the threaded rod that had a pin pressed through it. The impact gun sheared this pin

.

Jason Mauldin · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 6:36 pm

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... sku=144947

Steven Carter · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 7:00 pm

JamesMilko wrote:

I have a set of these Craftsman ones (I got them as a different label but the casting is identical.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... 947057000P

The only potential issue is that they are pretty long which is what you seem to want. The top nut turns smoothly and easily, they don't deform at all and are totally "un-scary" to use. The casting is nice and rugged as well. I just put some oil on the threads before I start. The threads are very thick compared to a normal bolt as well. I've used these on the 600# fronts of the Miata without issue (I only compressed them an inch or two at most).

I'm also in Durham if you want to just borrow mine. I'm hopefully past the point of doing strut work for a while.

[edit]
I just looked up what acme threads are, I'm pretty sure that is what mine has. I'll double check when I get home tonight.

+1. those are what I have. Never regretted paying for those 7 years ago. Stout, well-made.

Dustin Fredrickson · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:13 pm

JamesShort wrote:

I used impact on my HF ones

....probably why they are done for...but the crappy steel and loose threads definitely added to it. The nut you turn was actually a nut on the end of the threaded rod that had a pin pressed through it. The impact gun sheared this pin

.

I learned this the hard way too. However my replacement HF set has lasted fine without impact use.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:17 pm

Dustin Fredrickson wrote:

JamesShort wrote:

I used impact on my HF ones

....probably why they are done for...but the crappy steel and loose threads definitely added to it. The nut you turn was actually a nut on the end of the threaded rod that had a pin pressed through it. The impact gun sheared this pin

.

I learned this the hard way too. However my replacement HF set has lasted fine without impact use.

Ha, the scary part was when that nut sheared off and the hook didn't pop off because it was slightly cocked due to the poor tolerances....I carefully walked out of the garage with the spring assembly and tapped the hook with my wrench and it flew off

.

Richard Casto · **Posted:** Wed Jul 28, 2010 8:55 am

Of all the mechanical stuff I have done, I absolutely hate using spring compressors.

Jason Mauldin · **Posted:** Wed Jul 28, 2010 8:58 am

Richard Casto wrote:

Of all the mechanical stuff I have done, I absolutely hate using spring compressors.

As do I. And to add to that, I personally would be horrified to be around a compressed spring that is being clamped together by some cheap tool from H.F.

You can rent the tools for $40 from autozone. If you don't take them back, they keep your $40. Not that I have a set of $40 Autozone spring compressors at my house...

KouroshNeshat · **Posted:** Wed Jul 28, 2010 9:08 am

if you really want best...

million times better than any spring compressor from autozone or anything. but its also a few hundred dollars more :lol:

it works like a charm. you can swap springs in maybe 2 minutes with one of those.

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