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coil spring compressor

dellstopjeep

dellstopjeep

NAXJA Forum User
Location
KUNA, ID
goin up another inch on the jeep this weekend and am goin the lazy route and renting a coil spring compressor. I have heard they are very dangerous and me and my friend have never used one before. What do we need to watch for once the coil is compressed so we dont kill oursleves? Basically i just need a little safety minded advice on using them
Also i wont have to disconnect anything whatsoever when i use one other than removing tires correct?
thanks
 
I bought a set from sears awhile back and have used them several times, Keep them straight with spring, don't let them get on an angle. thats what I have noticed. if they get on on an angle could come shooting out and the spring unloads really quick.
 
If you have an Autozone, you can borrow one for free. They have you buy it as a deposit, & you get your $$$ back when you return it.
When using it, go slow, & alternate sides when tightening, so that it gets tightened evenly., as stated above, don't let the springs arch. There should be a spring retainer on the spring pearch that needs to be removed.
Goodluck

Rob
 
They should also come with safety clips, so if they do shift on the springs, they won't shoot off. Be sure you get those if you rent or borrow a set...

Ivan
 
dellstopjeep said:
goin up another inch on the jeep this weekend and am goin the lazy route and renting a coil spring compressor. I have heard they are very dangerous and me and my friend have never used one before. What do we need to watch for once the coil is compressed so we dont kill oursleves? Basically i just need a little safety minded advice on using them
Also i wont have to disconnect anything whatsoever when i use one other than removing tires correct?
thanks
Click to expand...
how long could it possibly take to remove one bolt in the track bar, top shock bolts and jack the body up?
 
FELIX said:
If you have an Autozone, you can borrow one for free. They have you buy it as a deposit, & you get your $$$ back when you return it.
When using it, go slow, & alternate sides when tightening, so that it gets tightened evenly., as stated above, don't let the springs arch. There should be a spring retainer on the spring pearch that needs to be removed.
Goodluck

Rob
Click to expand...


Exactly.

When I was at the parts store one day, there was a guy in there who looked like he got kicked in the face by a mule. I mean seriously, I got sucker punched once by a golden gloves boxer who outweighed me by 50 lbs, and this guy's face looked worse. It happened because he was using some spring compressors and didn't do it right, and was leaning over them while he was doing it. You have to keep in mind that you are putting upwards of a thousand pounds of pressure into one of those (or more) by tightening the hell out of it...so use your head and be careful.
That being said I've used them at least 20 times and they work great. They definately make changing jeeps springs a breeze.

-Keith
 
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BE CAREFUL with these things. i had one of the hooks break and it hit the back of my hand....OUCH! Its kinda scary trying to undo one side when the coil is arched like a rainbow...

Just be sure not to over tighten, I suggest that you take off the lower control arm of the side you are putting the coil on then use the compressor so you can just slide it in there.
 
how big are the coils that you are putting in? I've put 4.5" RE coils on top of tall spacers without a compresor. All I used was a bottle jack to jack up the other end up and a prybar.
 
I found it easier just to unhook the shocks and trackbar and let the axle drop away then hook everything back up. We had a bad expirence when my father tried to tap the compressor to get it inline and it let loose on one side and whack his hand. He was wearing gloves which took most of the blow but his ring got hit and cut his finger pretty good. If you do use them make sure they are lined up right when you start cranking and don't try to move or adjust them with tension on the coil.
 
a good way to do it is to put the compressor on the spring while the jeep is on the ground and hand tighten it...then as you jack up the jeep, the spring will stay compressed and you will have plenty of room to remove it/install it. It also saves you all the time of turning those dang bolts. Just a little tip from me to you.

-Keith
 
kmagnuss_2000 said:
a good way to do it is to put the compressor on the spring while the jeep is on the ground and hand tighten it...then as you jack up the jeep, the spring will stay compressed and you will have plenty of room to remove it/install it. It also saves you all the time of turning those dang bolts. Just a little tip from me to you.

-Keith
Click to expand...

this is how I have done it..... :thumbs up:
 
A note.
I have used loading ramps, rocks, ditches, and a combination of floor and bottle jacks, but never spring compressers.
I have my springs out all the fawking time.
There is a set from Harbor Freight sitting in my garage, but I have never been brave/desperate enough to use them.

First, disconnect your swaybar.
Next, remove the retaining bolts from the tops of the shocks, and any washers, bushings, etc.
Put the front of your rig on jackstands, just behind the LCA mounts on the frame.
Then, use a floor jack to jack up one side of the axle as far as you can.
If you need more articulation, you can use a bottle jack on the other side between the unibody rails and the spring perch.
I seldom have had to do more than that, but if necessary you can disconnect the axle end of the trackbar, or the upper control arms.
Good luck, and avoid spring compressers.

You'll put yer eye out, kid.
 
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My two cents...

The pass. side was still a PITA with the Autozone compressor. I thought I would be doing it the easy way. Pffft, like that ever works. Next time I will do it the easy way, just take a few simple bolts loose and be done with it. I doesn't matter how careful I am with a compressed spring, they scare the snot out of me.

Tim
 
go to Auto Zone and get their "MacPherson Strut-spring compressor". That will give you two compressors instead of just one. When you just ask for a spring compressor you get one that is really made to go into the center of the spring to evenly compressor the spring. But on the XJ the spring towers get in the way and you usually have to just hook up one side and that only compresses one side and it bows over and likes to slip off. The MacPherson compressoer gives you to to work with.
Also, NEVER use an air wrench to tighten the compressor bolt as it WILL strip out the threads even if you are careful. Trust me on this one! :mad:
I had one compressor that popped off the coil spring and the resultant recoil knocked the XJ off the jackstands in the front. The Jeep shifted and came off the stands. Apparently it wasn't blocked up as well as I thought. "No shit, Einstein!" :wow:
 
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