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Can anyone point me to a pair of decent (but not expensive) coil spring compressors? I have some small Draper ones but they are not long enough to do the front springs on my Mondeo as they need to be at least 270mm between the jaws. I bought another set but while they are long enough, only one of the hooks is threaded so it relies on the nut on the bottom to retain the other. This means they are only useful for bench work, as you end up with loads of thread out the top which stops you removing or re-fitting the strut on the car with the spring compressed (which you need to do on a Mk3 front strut). So I need some that have at least 270mm between the jaws and have both parts threaded suitable for taking the spring on and off the vehicle...please  |
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Remove the strut, not as drastic as it sounds in the manuals
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Thanks for the suggestion, but I still need the spring compressors. Anyone?
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Strut out and those second ones will work
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The problem is that you can't put it back in without the coil spring compressed. I've tried. You can wiggle it out, but there's no chance of getting the strut square enough to the hub to get it back in. You need the coil spring compressed so that the strut length is shortened and can fit between the inner wing mount and the hub. That's why a need some decent ones that have both hooks threaded, so that when you do them up the threaded part doesn't overhang the stut, making it impossible to put in. BTW I'm doing it this way. Anyway, we're digressing. |
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Last Edit: Dec 7, 2019 19:45:57 GMT by daklone
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What is the diameter of the rods on your long set and is the tread like a bolt thread rather than a square helix thread.
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The problem is that you can't put it back in without the coil spring compressed. I've tried. You can wiggle it out, but there's no chance of getting the strut square enough to the hub to get it back in. You need the coil spring compressed so that the strut length is shortened and can fit between the inner wing mount and the hub. That's why a need some decent ones that have both hooks threaded, so that when you do them up the threaded part doesn't overhang the stut, making it impossible to put in. BTW I'm doing it this way. Anyway, we're digressing. So that'll be why I had to unbolt the hub, struggle like curse word to pull it down and out to get the strut out do my spring. |
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MiataMark
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,971
Club RR Member Number: 29
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Coil Spring CompressorsMiataMark
@garra
Club Retro Rides Member 29
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1990 Mazda MX-52012 BMW 118i (170bhp) - white appliance 2011 Land Rover Freelander 2 TD4 2003 Land Rover Discovery II TD52007 Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon JTDm
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Hi Mark, They look like the ones I got, in that only one of the hooks is threaded and there is a single thread all the way down. If you look at my small Draper ones, you'll see that there are two threads, so that both hooks close towards each other when you turn it:  I need a longer version of these. |
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What is the diameter of the rods on your long set and is the tread like a bolt thread rather than a square helix thread. Sorry Brading I'm not sure what you're asking? |
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i think i dropped the subframe an inch or so on the side i was doing to get it back in, but i may have dropped the wishbone and refitted it instead next time around.
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Yeah, I've recently done both front wishbones and that was a pig in itself, so I'm not keen to repeat the exercise...especially in this weather! I can't believe that it's so hard to find the right tool  |
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I have done a couple of these on my own Mondeo. I take the strut out to do them and use 2 pairs of draper spring compressors spaced at 90 degrees apart. Modern progressive springs are a pain in the butt, much prefer the parallel type as fitted to my Capri.
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This is the rod thread I was talking about. Is it like the thread you would have on a normal bolt. A square helix thread is like the thread on the picture of the double action clamp you have posted.  |
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Last Edit: Dec 10, 2019 15:26:15 GMT by brading
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ChasR
RR Helper
motivation
Posts: 10,305
Club RR Member Number: 170
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Coil Spring CompressorsChasR
@chasr
Club Retro Rides Member 170
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The problem with the Mondeo (I'm assuming he's talking about a Mk3 or 4 here) is that the lower arm is near enough at its limit of movement prior to removing the strut.
I've done it with spring compressors to compress the spring before but it is a struggle for the reasons you mention. I have also lowered the subframe in the past. the benefit with that is you prevent damaging the lower arms in any shape or form that way. The way I see it, you can do it a few ways.
1)Lower the subframe down. Don't forget to undo the steering rack when you do this
2)Get a long pry bar or a lower arm pry bar tool ; the latter looks like a long hockey stick. You risk damaging the bush this way, but it's the way most garages out there would tackle the job.
3) Remove the lower arm ; It's the lower arm which is preventing the strut from coming down, since the elasticity of the bushes will be keeping the knuckle joint from moving down as easily. It's easier to remove the lower arm on a Mk3 than it is on a MkIV.
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This is one sort of lower arm pry bar tool that "ChasR" is taking about.  |
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