Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire so how many of you use spring compressors and replace your struts

I did it for the second time in my life last night and was nervous as a house cat in a room full of rocking chairs. I put my faith in Harbor Freight to the test.

Used my impact to zip each one about a 1/4 inch at a time.

Turned out OK, but next time around I'm gonna pay a shop to compress and swap the springs for me. $20 is worth it to have keep my blood pressure low.

(or just buy the whole assembly like I normally do)

Nope, once, never again since that. I just buy loaded struts and replace the whole shebang. The extra cost is worth less headache and chance of a spring mishap.

I have done it a couple of times, I'll let someone that does it professionally anytime I need it in the future.

I've done it several times. Not gonna do it again. I did alignments with string and level and had front tires last better than they did with the make believe alignment from the tire store.

KFWA - If you think that’s scary, try changing a broken garage door spring next with a screw driver and pipe wrench.

Worked in auto repair in the early 80's and seen this done. I will pass. One little mistake could ruin your life. No thanks. I will pay to have it done.

That.

I managed to get it done but it wasn’t worth the stress and hassle.

yep, I've seen some with a device at the end where you use a cordless drill to wind them.

Why bother with reusing worn out springs when you can buy new struts and springs, already assembled? That being said, anyone with a few brain cells to rub together and the right equipment can do the job safely. Like any other auto repair procedure, doing it the right way the first time makes the job simple, and safe. Cheapskates who aren't willing to invest in the right tools don't have much of a reason to complain about how hard the job is when they're using the wrong tools.

in this case the only assembly I could buy was cheap chinese stuff or from the dealer.

I wanted KYB and they only sold the struts.

Four years ago was the most recent for me. I borrowed the spring compressor from the local auto parts store. No issues. Out with the old.



In with the new.

Few years back I replaced the coil springs in my jeep tj with jku rubicon springs and used ratchet straps

A very nice, hard working Mennonite man with a lovely wife and two young sons has a shop one mile from my house.

Brakes, struts, AC compressor, starters..........he gets any work I can send his way.

Prices are as impressive as the quality of his work.

I've done it before I realized how dangerous it was. Not now.

Being a automotive tech I’ve done it many a times back in the day. Only time I had a pucker moment was doing struts for a f150 , man the shops wall mounted press was making all kind of groaning sounds compressing that spring . Now a days one can usually find loaded struts cheaper than just a strut alone .

I use 2 sets of compressors, and put on a second as insurance against any failures. Has worked fine so far.

Loaded strut assemblies, where ever possible, with limited lifetime warranty !

Spring breaks, strut leaks out, or knuckle busts off, replace with the warranty.

Bought from the guys before.....prebuilt....ready to bolt on

25% off sale now

https://ironman4x4america.com/suspension/shocks-struts/

Once was enough.

I bought a cheap set of compressors and put four KYB struts in my small car. Its a bit of a hassle, but I didn't feel it was unsafe. I will probably do it again if I ever need to. My vehicles hardly ever go to a shop.

Jerry