what did you use?

gren71 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 7:39 am

Im sick of paying a mechanic to do my jeep work for me..so im going to take a stab at installing my front struts my self.

With that in mind..what has every one used to compress the front spring? ive heard that a spring compresser can be rented, but it wont work well for the front springs.

thoughts?

gren71 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 8:38 am

here is what ive found so far..but not sure if these will work with a jeep. Any one with technical knowledge have input?

http://www.amazon.com/OEM-25550-Strut-S ... d_add_1_dp

http://www.amazon.com/Powerbuilt-647089 ... d_add_1_dp

fratichelli · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 8:51 am

I am sorta confused as to why a spring compressor wouldn't work. I haven't replaced the front struts on my jeep yet, but in a former life I was an ASE certified mechanic an I replaced hundreds of struts.

The physics is relatively simple, yet the operation can be dangerous. My thought would be to either borrow a spring compressor from someone on this board, or rent one. Buying a cheap one might prove to be more hassle than the money you think you are saving for a tool that will spend 99% of its life gathering dust.

Be safe and good luck.

gren71 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:28 am

Im shooting in the dark for sure here, being this will be the first big thing ill be doing my self.

Im fairly certain i read that the front strut spring is to small to work with a retnable spring compresser.

When i get home im going to look a little closer at the thickness of the spring and compare it to the rentable compreeesers cababilities from my local pep boys and/or auto zone.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 12:42 pm

gren71 wrote:

here is what ive found so far..but not sure if these will work with a jeep. Any one with technical knowledge have input?

http://www.amazon.com/OEM-25550-Strut-S ... d_add_1_dp

http://www.amazon.com/Powerbuilt-647089 ... d_add_1_dp

Both of those styles will not work.

The style that works but is iffy at best............

http://www.amazon.com/Strut-Suspension-Coil-Spring-Compressor/dp/B006QO8FCO/ref=sr_1_24?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1326213640&sr=1-24

You can also just remove the coilover assembly and take it to a shop to have the shocks swapped out.Most will do it for fairly cheap($25-$50).

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 1:10 pm

The way the coils are on the KJ/KKs they are close together to begin with, then when you compress them the "fingers " of the compressor become stuck in there.
I tried three versions os spring compressors on the front springs and each time it got pretty scary, this was on the same KJ, gave up and took them to a shop.
After that have done over 20 lifts in my garage and helped others and took them all to a shop to have them done. By the time they have them done you'll have the rear done so no wasted time.
Another reason is a very good friend of mine was using a cheap spring compressor one day where we worked, spring came out and hit him in the head. He lived as a vegetable for the next nine years.

gren71 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:41 pm

Thanks!

Im curious what makes those the ones I need ( aside from the fact that theyre less expensive! ) What specs are specific to this set?

much appreciated.

I would, and may, take them to a shop once theyre off but I would REALLY like to learn how to do it on my own. :SOMBRERO:

gren71 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 2:44 pm

tommudd wrote:

Another reason is a very good friend of mine was using a cheap spring compressor one day where we worked, spring came out and hit him in the head. He lived as a vegetable for the next nine years.

VERY sorry to hear that. One heck of a good reason to just remove them and have a shop do the switch.

While i have the attention, I still have the DayStar top plate on and will be putting on OME struts for up to a 3in lift. Will the top plate be an issue?
<Still cant find a replacement OEM plate..>

At The Helm · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 4:47 pm

Highly reccomend you do not attempt to to compress the 927s yourself. I've done it twice and promised myself not to do again. It frightening and a pita. Tommudd is right, the jaws wont fit inside the coils so yiu have to pry them in. The one tjkj2002 posted should fit but still the rods bend like bananas under all that pressure.
The top plates should def go back to oem, not hard to find them, they are just expensive at ~$100/pair.

gren71 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 5:31 pm

Enough people suggest not doing someting, the advise is worth it.

So i wont, ill just stick to having a mechanic do it for me. (as well as install a cheap spacer lift :SOMBRERO:

.... I know ill be a pariah for doing it..but i need more and dont like many of the current lifts.)

Are these the same as the OEM top plate? i konw KYB makes a lot of replacement parts at a decent price

http://www.amazon.com/KYB-SM5421-Strut- ... ETNSWQMRSW

or are these more what i need

http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/searc ... rut+Mounts)

black and blue · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 7:44 pm

you're not missing out on any fun, or any sort of spectacular learning experience for that matter, by having the shop do it for you. I took the first stock coilover apart and was fed up. took it to a shop to finish the job

if you want a little taste of the hassle for yourself to rationalize paying for someone else to do it, you could start compressing one for the hell of it, but just back it off before you go too far :roll:

you're still gunna try to do the rest thought, right? removing the coilover assembly and everything yourself before taking it to the shop for the spring/shock swap?

about the top plate, i dont know the part numbers off hand, but the KK top plate uses 4 bolts. your second link didnt work for me

racer1 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 9:21 pm

I put Bilsteins all the way around two weeks ago, really no big deal. Took about 4 hours to replace all the shocks and put new pads and rotors all around. On the first shock I used a old Matco strut compressor I had laying around. On the second I used a cheap spring compressor, worked well (faster). I just have stock springs so I didn't have to compress them to far. I highly recommend the Bilsteins what a difference in ride and handling qualities.

Dave

DirtyKK · **Posted:** Tue Jan 10, 2012 10:21 pm

i bought coilovers :SOMBRERO:

gren71 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 11, 2012 8:09 am

black and blue wrote:

you're still gunna try to do the rest thought, right? removing the coilover assembly and everything yourself before taking it to the shop for the spring/shock swap?

I made the mistake of reading the forum while my wife was sitting next to me and she read tommud's info and basically said she would divorce me if I tried it on my own :dizzy:

SOOOO...not this mod..not yet. :cry:

black and blue wrote:

about the top plate, i dont know the part numbers off hand, but the KK top plate uses 4 bolts. your second link didnt work for me

http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sku/J ... est+Seller

Try this link..if it doesnt work, and your willing, fallow this pathway.

on the right side of the screen enter the fallowing Vic info.
->2010 Jeep Liberty Sport
-->Scroll down to where it says "Shocks.struts & Components, select that link in BOLD BLUE
---> Select the next link that says Shocka nd Strut mounts
----> You SHOULD see the mounts ive found.

gren71 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 11, 2012 8:11 am

DirtyKK wrote:

i bought coilovers :SOMBRERO:

Absolutly an inteligent decision!

saddly..wallet = empty..guess its time to start saving ( or :BINGO:

)

At The Helm · **Posted:** Wed Jan 11, 2012 11:04 am

Gren, try your local parts store. Your last link looks like the correct one, but onlyfor one side. There is a left and right and they are mirrors of each other. My local oreilly quoted me ~$45 each. Rock auto has them for 57 each but i think you can find them cheaper. http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,carco ... ttype,7600

gren71 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 12, 2012 9:28 am

Not particularly proud to admit this but that's something I hadn't considered :banghead:

I'll swing into auto zone today and see what they're asking.

As for the link, I only posted te one side hoping the link would work. The website does sell both the left and he right.

gren71 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 13, 2012 4:22 pm

I ended up getting them BOTH from NaPa for $84 today!

Pretty darn good considering the other two places i looked the were $200-240 for both left and right.

what did you use?

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