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strut spring removal

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Old Aug 26, 2008 | 09:05 PM
  #1  
ranger1999 Bob's Avatar
ranger1999 Bob
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strut spring removal

well my son in his infinite wisdom bought an acura and he needs help doing struts on his car. Its simple enough and taking them in and out is not the problem its the part where you have to compress the spring to take apart the unit to replace the cartridge or strut.. anyway i have the typical spring compressors and the ones designed for struts where you crank down the inch or so sized nut and try to compress the spring that way but the thing is always a PITA...
so anyway i was looking at harbor freight and i saw this thing that is kinda like a big clamp that compresses the spring for you and makes life easier...
I dont believe everything i read in a sales ad so has anyone used this tool or one like it and is it worth it? its $39.99 and i know its a chinese made cheapie but what yall think

Part# 43753-4VGA
 
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Old Aug 26, 2008 | 09:06 PM
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the clamshell - I know some swear by em. I use the old fashioned ones that are giant bolts with hooks on the end and use small u bolts for safety clamps
 
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Old Aug 26, 2008 | 09:27 PM
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Check to see if any of your local parts shops have a loaner tool service, it doesn't really make sense buying something you'll only need once, plus they usually have the higher quality stuff that pros use.
 
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Old Aug 26, 2008 | 09:29 PM
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ididntdoit99
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I always just use the plain old long bolt with the hooks. Throw one on each side, and grab your impact wrench, takes like a minute to clamp it down and take it apart.
 
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Old Aug 27, 2008 | 09:49 PM
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ranger1999 Bob's Avatar
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i have three sets of the screw clamp ones with the nuts on the one end.. it always turns into a hassle.. when i did the fronts i had to use them and a real old set of the single hook per end job to get the spring out... i have to do three more sets of struts at least as the wife has a yota and he has to do the acura rears..
 
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Old Aug 27, 2008 | 11:27 PM
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not a bad looking tool for $40

we use wall mounted spring compressors at work...2 different types

is it going to work on narrow coil springs?

I'm not sure if the hooks will get in between the spring coils.
 
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Old Aug 28, 2008 | 09:26 PM
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if all goes well im going to shoot over to the store and see if they have one in stock and ill see how it goes if i buy it.. the local strauss auto has one in their shop with adjustable arms it is also real big and sits as high as a drill press..that however is not sold at harbor freight for $40
 
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Old Aug 29, 2008 | 01:40 PM
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From: Alma Arkansas
off the car most shops will change out struts & springs for little to nothing. They have the right tools let them do it. I'm a pretty hardcore shadetree and one thing I will not do is %^%* with spring compressors for struts. All a person needs to see is one dude with a rearranged face from a spring compressor gone bad.

My last strut job I did was really easy because I sprung for the monroe sensatrac quick change assemblies. They're well worth the money as they come strut, spring & bearing pre assembled for not much more than just the bearings and struts bought separately
 
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Old Aug 29, 2008 | 10:10 PM
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ranger1999 Bob's Avatar
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i actually looked into those and the whole assembly is like $200 each and the strut alone is $58 each so ill do the springs... they want $50 per spring here in ny to do the labor of compressing the spring.. i went to harbor freight and the thing was out of stock so i got a raincheck on it
 
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Old Aug 29, 2008 | 10:13 PM
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order it online from harborfreight.com...you'll get it faster
 
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Old Aug 30, 2008 | 12:04 AM
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note: the 'quickstruts' that monroe sells generally have the 'generic' spring rate, and not a performance one if you have the performance suspension.

Its really kinda worth it to do it yourself....IF you have the proper tools
 
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Old Aug 30, 2008 | 07:23 PM
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i dunno if the acura has performance suspension.. i just know that my daughter has an eclipse and i have a corolla and all will be done sooner or later and i wanna put good quality in the yota as my wife drives it
 
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