Spring compressor

Jeep4me99 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:04 am

Has anyone used this type of spring compressor? (For front OME HD springs)

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43753

looks like it would be easier than this (which i have used before, not fun)

this hydraulic one also looks good, but doesn't lock in the spring (scary), and abit out of my price range
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Troy-1-Ton-Hydraulic-Coil-Strut-Spring-Compressor-Kit_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ35625QQihZ021QQitemZ310075636283QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:02 am

- Have not tried the Harbor Freight ones
Have tried the ones you picture - and they won't work on CRD coils - they compress - but you can't get the lip out (that's the one advance auto rents)
The one that Advance auto sells - Ampro T70570 - worked for CRD coils and OME 790's -
(although an electric impact would have saved a lot of time)
http://www.amprotools.net/Product_List.aspx?productid=754&partnerid=32&categoryid=5&mode=show

smorison · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:12 am

whilst some may disagree i wouldn't screw around with trying to setup your front struts... just take it down to your local shop and they'll do it in a hydrolic press in about 30 minutes and won't cost you much money... depending on the types of springs you've got you may not even be able to do it yourself...

best of luck

Jeep4me99 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:29 am

smorison wrote:

whilst some may disagree i wouldn't screw around with trying to setup your front struts... just take it down to your local shop and they'll do it in a hydrolic press in about 30 minutes and won't cost you much money... depending on the types of springs you've got you may not even be able to do it yourself...

best of luck

i did them myself before. no shops in the area would do them for me. plus where i live now (alone) once i have the spring out...can't get to a shop

no shop nearby

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:52 am

I used a pair of cheap $20 ones that my dad had bought but the started to bend really bad so I got another set bc I didnt trust them

KJ Taz · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:14 pm

I used what looks to be the same type I used for my install.

It probably would have been easy to just have a shop do them, but I prefer to do my own work. Air tools are a big help as well as I have a press. They were tough to get out of the springs due to the size of them. If I had a set with the skinny jaws as pictured up above it would have been better, but I used what I have. If I bought them over again I would get the skinny jaws set.

This was the write up the picture came from.
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... highlight=

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:37 pm

I have the clam shell style.

Jeep4me99 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:31 pm

JL Rockies wrote:

I have the clam shell style.

is that the harbor freight kind listed up top? if so, do they work?

KJ Taz · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:42 pm

Jeep4me99 wrote:

JL Rockies wrote:

I have the clam shell style.

is that the harbor freight kind listed up top? if so, do they work?

Not sure but I think that would be the kind pictured a couple of posts down from the top.

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:56 pm

I have a local shop that now charges me 0 dollars they have done several sets now and know I will bring in or have the customer take their KJ in for a alignment so costs me nothing!!!!!

Know what you mean about tearing something apart and then no transportation! Maybe someone has the top plates that you could swap out????

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 2:31 pm

No, mine is from Mac Tools. I've had it since the days when I worked on cars. Installed lots o suspension kits with it.

Jeep4me99 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 4:03 pm

JL Rockies wrote:

No, mine is from Mac Tools. I've had it since the days when I worked on cars. Installed lots o suspension kits with it.

ok, but thats the style. I used the ones pictured above to put my kit together....man i hate those. OME HD's suck to do by hand, so only having one bolt to turn versus 2.....well thats half the work the way i look at it!

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 7:46 pm

Those just dont look to safe to me. One bolt holding hundreds of lbs of pressure. :shock:

And its under more force since its in the middle.

That would probably work for light duty use but I wouldnt trust it on the kjs springs.

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 10:10 pm

no they arent safe, to be able to do it you will need two sets

mrkake · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:11 pm

I actually bought those very ones (the HF clamshell type) to do the struts on my wife's Volvo. They have 4 hooks with locking pins so they don't slip. They are pretty heavy and could handle a lot of pressure. The only thing they are good for is if the spring is part of the strut assembly. The hinged assembly would be difficult to get into a fender well. You would have to be able to remove the whole strut assembly without compression and then use it to compress the spring to change out the strut. I own a pair like the picture too (basically a big bolt with threaded hooks on each end) and I had one slip when I was doing a strut on a Camry :shock:

. It didn't come off all the way but it slipped enough that it scared the Yell outta me. I honestly don't know how the KJ's are set up in the front so I don't know if this feedback is helpful or not.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:32 am

You can remove the coil over from the Jeep before compressing it so thats not a problem.

The spring rate is a lot higher on the kj though. More so on the OME HD coils.

tonycrd · **Posted:** Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:49 am

I doubt if you can get that clam style thing on the KJ's front spring....

They are relativaly small in diameter and have little space in between to get the hooks in, I have a set of 1 bolt compressors that do not fit because the radious of the grab hooks is to big for the spring.

CRD rated oem spring:

Just go for a double set of $20 1 bolt compressors and you'll do fine. Then fit all four of them on one spring. I fitted several 927's that way.

And I would advise against the use of air or electric powered tools on springcompressors. You have no 'feel' and due to the 'hammer' effect they give a compressor may just pop out of the spring or brake. Then one end of the compressor comes racing your way.

That was very, very painfull. :oops:

KJ Taz · **Posted:** Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:22 pm

tonycrd wrote:

And I would advise against the use of air or electric powered tools on springcompressors. You have no 'feel' and due to the 'hammer' effect they give a compressor may just pop out of the spring or brake. Then one end of the compressor comes racing your way.

That was very, very painfull. :oops:

This is why you use an air ratchet as they don't have a hammer effect and they will have to be done manually towards the end anyway. Also you should be switching back and forth between the spring compressors anyway so this shouldn't be an issue if done correctly.

Spring compressor

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