> Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2004 23:06:43 -0600
> From: Adrian Iley <iley@spokes.org>
> Subject: Strut Vise?
>
> Hello All,
>
> I'd like to have a setup at home for changing out shocks/etc. I'm
> looking for an inexpensive solution for a Strut Vise.
I made mine. Works pretty well; it's sturdy, non-marring, cheap, and
holds the strut at a good working height. The _only_ downside is that
it's not quite quick-release - but I'm not being paid by the hour.
I was using one of those Workmate benches (kinda Ok), when I realized that
the stock shocks are just a _little_ bit wider than a 2x4,I started
looking around my garage and my eyes settled on sawhorses.
I have the kind of sawhorses that have steel legs and a 2x4 clamped in as
the top cross piece. So I hunted for some scrap lumber and ended up
replacing that 2x4 with a 4-foot 2x6 (for a little more stiffness/contact
area), a coupla 10-inch 2x4s in between for spacers with a 2-inch gap
between them for the shock to fit in, then used a 2-foot 2x4 to clamp on
the other side. Then I went down to Racer's Supply Hardware (OSH), bought
4 hefty 7-inch carriage bolts, some washers, some big wingnuts, clamped it
together, drilled some holes, bolted it all together and - Shock Vice.
lousy ascii top view v v v v v v v
-------|--|------|--|-------- <-- 2x6
--|--|-- --|--|-- <-- 2x4s w/space for shock between
--|--|------|--|-- <-- longer 2x4
| | | |
^ ^ ^ ^
bolts--^--^------^--^
I've used this quite a bit and haven't yet wanted to redesign it. And to
top it off, it all folds up and sits in the corner of the garage when I
don't need it.
/-AscendSoapBox/
MORE IMPORTANT - Get a good spring compressor. You don't know how easy
this is to do with a good spring compressor. Or borrow/use somebody
else's. (I do lend mine to anyone in the local Sacramento/Bay area that
wants to borrow it.)I have had a few stressfull moments with the Rods O'death
before I bought
my clamshell type. Sometimes with small diameter springs the larger ones
may be a little awkward to set up, but the ease of compression/
decompression, peace of mind, and lack of hospital bills is worth every
penny.
/-DecendSoapBox/
-RALPH-
Ralph Elder
p.s. If this makes no sense, I would be happy to send you some pictures.
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