Which tool did you use to compress your struts

[wardriver]

What tool did you use to compress your struts when you swapped them?

I tried last weekend with the one that Advanced auto sells - no dice. Cranked down on it and it started to bend. Plus the pin's would not go all the way over the coils which made me uneasy. We've got a harbor freight but I hear they are sketchy too. All the shops I called wanted $100 to compress them for me. For that price I'll just buy the prebult sets.

No hard core off roading in this one for me - mostly towing my popup, getting to my hunting/fishing places and fire roads up in the mountains. Would be nice to get these straightened out before we drive out on the beach next weekend.

Thoughts?

 

[TheDurk]

Well, don't try the ones NAPA sells. They twisted up pretty good. I gave up and a found a shop for $75.

 

[YotaZach85]

Personal expirience- the Habor Freight compressor is junk for out heavy springs. You may be better off taking them to a shop.

 

[StreetKill831]

I tried both spring compressors from harbor freight. They both broke, even the enormous clam shell one. The main bolt stripped and almost decapitated my brother and I. Took them both back for a refund.

I then got the Craftsman ones that Sears carries. They worked great, hardly any bend. After my lift though I ended up wanting to add top plate spacers to level it out in the front and decided to just take them into a shop. Charged me $50 to pull them apart and put the new studs in(same amount of work as you will need done) for the set. Wish I would have done it the first time..

 

[Mr. Leary]

I just paid one of the guys at the Firestone shop $20 to set up my coilovers. Seems like money well spent to me... they already have a hydraulic press and I don't want the spend the money or time to wrestle with the coils.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

I can second Zack's comment. LOL

 

[jsmarine]

I just paid one of the guys at the Firestone shop $20 to set up my coilovers. Seems like money well spent to me... they already have a hydraulic press and I don't want the spend the money or time to wrestle with the coils.

I think we have all had the same trouble with rented spring compressors and horrible frreight crap. I did the same thing as Leary when I originally installed my Daystar lift on my original springs, although the shop I went to wasn't a chain. The pep boys near me ran me off trying to bribe their guys, so I went to just some old mechanic in an old converted gas station. $30 bucks money well spent

 

[the great him]

ive just used a couple 1" ratchet straps and done it that way...

 

[JohnWiggy]

Rented from auto zone and worked fine. Slowly and carefully tightened up using an impact drill. Don't be afraid... make that coil your bitc..:whip2:

 

[catalina34]

What tool did you use to compress your struts when you swapped them?

I tried last weekend with the one that Advanced auto sells - no dice. Cranked down on it and it started to bend. Plus the pin's would not go all the way over the coils which made me uneasy. We've got a harbor freight but I hear they are sketchy too. All the shops I called wanted $100 to compress them for me. For that price I'll just buy the prebult sets.

No hard core off roading in this one for me - mostly towing my popup, getting to my hunting/fishing places and fire roads up in the mountains. Would be nice to get these straightened out before we drive out on the beach next weekend.

Thoughts?

My local Meineke charged me $10 per side off the books to disassemble the old struts and reassemble the new struts. Worked out great for me.