I inquired some time ago about coil spring compressors. Bill
Babbitt of CT was kind enough to loan me his homemade tool,
it worked like a charm! (Thanks Bill.) For those interested, here's
how to make an effective tool for
Materials:
24" of 5/8" threaded rod (Home Depot OK, or check at an
industrial supply house, they gave me a piece of grade 5
equivalent scrap. But you don't really need the special
steel.) $5
2 5/8" coupling nuts (very important to get these long nuts;
I tried with standard length nuts, too few threads bearing too
much force, chewed up the threads on the rod.) $1.50
3 beefy 5/8" inside diameter washers $1.00
1 piece of wood/flat steel/whatever you got to push against
the spring pan. I got a piece of 3/8" flat cold-rolled steel,
2.5" x 3.5", with a 11/16" hole punched in the center for
a couple of bucks at a welding shop. Bill's tool uses
some kind of scrap flange that fits neatly up against
the pan. Some suggested cutting and drilling a piece of
2x4 to fit - would certainly work, and would prevent the
pusher piece from scraping the threads on the rod. $2.50
1 can of grease (or borrow some from your suspension).
That's it.
Remove the shock. Feed the threaded rod up through the
suspension tower, put a washer and one nut on the top of
the rod. Put your "spring pan pusher" up against the bottom
of the pan, followed by a couple of washers and the second
coupling nut. Be sure to grease the thing well. Wrench away.
Cliff Hansen
chansen@exis.net
1966 TR-4A CTC 64615L (Anxious to be done with front end work)
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