Welcome to the North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club Thursday March 28, 2024
Home Forums Images WikiNASIOC Products Store Modifications Upgrade Garage
Click here to visit TireRack
Brakes & Suspension Forum sponsored by The Tire Rack

Losing traction? Need new tires?
Click here to visit the NASIOC Upgrade Garage...
Go Back   NASIOC > NASIOC Technical > Brakes, Steering & Suspension

Welcome to NASIOC - The world's largest online community for Subaru enthusiasts!
Welcome to the NASIOC.com Subaru forum.

You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, free of charge, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.







* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads. 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-22-2022, 02:43 PM   #1
zore
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 202850
Join Date: Feb 2009
Chapter/Region: Tri-State
Location: Central New Jersey
Vehicle:
2006 WRX Limited
Silver

Default Front spring compressor recomendation

Doing front struts on my 06 wrx and the compressor tool I purchased isn't getting enough on the spring to compress the spring evenly. I'm getting 2 coils on one side and 3 on the other and this looks super sketchy to me. Anyone buy a tool that works? Below is the tool I have.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
zore is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
Old 05-23-2022, 07:26 AM   #2
joeshmoe76
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 530011
Join Date: May 2022
Default

Yeah, those type of compressors can be pretty scary and look like they are going to twist off. Make sure to use the safety pins on them. That type that you linked to have worked better for me than the clamshell style ones though.

Clamshell: https://www.amazon.com/OTC-6494-Clam.../dp/B0002SRHU6

If you aren't comfortable doing it yourself, I'm sure a shop would swap them out for you for $50 or so using a professional compressor.

https://www.amazon.com/OTC-6637-ST-S.../dp/B01MST7FR3

Good luck.
joeshmoe76 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2022, 01:25 PM   #3
cboggess
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 30804
Join Date: Dec 2002
Chapter/Region: SWIC
Vehicle:
87 Yugo
Red

Default

Dude - I have used those spring compressors. Even had one fail (which sucked and hurt). Take your struts down to your local suspension shop with $50 and a sixer of bud and they'll swap the springs for you using the proper tool.
cboggess is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2022, 10:43 PM   #4
DrD
Scooby Guru
 
Member#: 22412
Join Date: Aug 2002
Chapter/Region: SWIC
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Vehicle:
2024 Legacy Sport

Default

I used a set of the hooks on acme threaded rod style for years - needed something with a little more range when I swapped out for Konis on my car so bought this set - it's pretty awesome (definitely need to lube it up and don't use power tools and it works very well)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071DQJG24...v_ov_lig_dp_it
DrD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-25-2022, 03:06 PM   #5
REX_WGN
Scooby Guru
 
Member#: 107618
Join Date: Feb 2006
Chapter/Region: Tri-State
Location: NY
Vehicle:
06 GG WRX / 09 FXT
@florencedestinedfxt

Default

these other terrible reviews on amazon for either type of spring compressor are a bit worrisome
REX_WGN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-25-2022, 03:29 PM   #6
benflynn
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 515308
Join Date: Jun 2020
Default

I broke a compressor last time, end came off but it didn’t realize the spring, was like having a bomb in your hand. O threw it off the porch, didn’t come loose, ended up putting it in the press, compressed it, and still had to bang on the compressor which a rubber mallet to come loose.
benflynn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-25-2022, 11:47 PM   #7
DrD
Scooby Guru
 
Member#: 22412
Join Date: Aug 2002
Chapter/Region: SWIC
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Vehicle:
2024 Legacy Sport

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by REX_WGN View Post
these other terrible reviews on amazon for either type of spring compressor are a bit worrisome
I try to take reviews on Amazon or other sites with a grain of salt - I think a lot of folks have improper technique or use impact tools when working with them. It's important to have them lubricated well with a good high pressure grease, it's critically important that you compress the spring uniformly (positioning the two tools is important, as is gradually compressing using hand tools a little bit on each one, switching back and forth frequently), and you have to take your time - you want to keep an eye on the position of the compressors so that they don't move, go slowly so that you minimize the chances of galling/seizing, etc.


There is a ton of stored energy in a compressed car spring - you need to be mindful of that for sure!
DrD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2022, 10:36 AM   #8
TitoBandito
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 318302
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: CT
Vehicle:
2004 Sti
WRB

Default

I think I have the exact same set as the original poster. Not a huge fan of them but on the 3 or 4 spring/strut jobs I used them on it got the job done, and like DrD says in the reply before mine, there's a way to use them safely.
What I have found is that it doesn't require too much compression to take the load off of the strut top when removing the main nut, or when installing a strut top. Maybe my experiences have been different, but I never had to wrench down all the way on the compressors, usually far from that. The tool's annoying tendency to only fit an uneven number of coils on one side of the spring vs. another is definitely a valid complaint. When that happens I still try to have each compressor taking up an equal amount of load so it's not imbalanced and a hazard waiting to happen.
TitoBandito is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-01-2022, 09:20 AM   #9
REX_WGN
Scooby Guru
 
Member#: 107618
Join Date: Feb 2006
Chapter/Region: Tri-State
Location: NY
Vehicle:
06 GG WRX / 09 FXT
@florencedestinedfxt

Default

Thanks for the confidence boost, guys. Last time I used a set like that was in my teens with my dad changing out some struts for a Camry (I think). I've been running TIC-spec'd coilovers as my first and only setup on my wagon and now I'm trying to gain more camber with some WL tophats on my Forester. I'll heed your recommendations. Thanks again.
REX_WGN is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:42 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Copyright ©1999 - 2019, North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club, Inc.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission
Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.