cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,580
|
|
Dec 19, 2021 22:33:18 GMT
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,712
Club RR Member Number: 34
|
|
Dec 19, 2021 22:45:15 GMT
|
|
The Sykes pickavant ones with one hook at the bottom and two at the top are best out of the ‘on car’ ones as they self/equalise to the angle of the spring. They also have a locking screw. Expensive new but can be picked up at an ok price s/h of you look around.
Out of those you’ve shown the bottom ones are last likely to remove your face.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 19, 2021 22:53:59 GMT
|
I have a pair of the Halfords ones, and have used them on Capri springs and others. I've used the others on similar, and more modern shaped springs. I also know two people who needed surgery after their clamps shifted. They're all curse word, and I wouldn't recommend any of them. If you're prepared to spend £37 on those Laser ones, drop by and you can have mine for a tenner. Otherwise, find a bit of extra cash and buy THESE or any of the similar ones on Ebay here's a pic of them in use on much stronger springs than any old Ford:  |
| |
|
|
cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,580
|
|
Dec 22, 2021 21:28:40 GMT
|
|
Cheers Dez & Nick, I like that heavy duty one Nick. I'll have a think about this over Christmas... might leave this one for the garage. I never hear anything good about this job. I think I'm going to get the to do a clutch anyway so maybe they wont charge too much more to swap over the springs/top mounts.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 28, 2021 20:17:17 GMT
|
I use this Laser set, done heavy 4x4 springs without exploding but I like the look of the Laser set you linked with the deeper hooks to keep the clamp on the spring. Also the retaining hooks on the set I use are annoying to use. www.machinemart.co.uk/p/laser-0290-coil-spring-compressor-heavy-duty/I previously had a set with just 2 clamps, can't remember the brand but I'd not use a set like it again. The clamps slipped together and the spring tension caused them to banana before they gave way. I scarpered as soon as they started bending so was well clear when they blew.  |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 28, 2021 20:47:55 GMT
|
|
I have a set like that failed pair. They scared me on a couple of occasions before seeing this failure, thats persuaded me to get a better set.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 28, 2021 21:09:40 GMT
|
Cheers Dez & Nick, I like that heavy duty one Nick. I'll have a think about this over Christmas... might leave this one for the garage. I never hear anything good about this job. I think I'm going to get the to do a clutch anyway so maybe they wont charge too much more to swap over the springs/top mounts. I'm happy to help. Bring it here and you can use my compressor. I'm out of practice, but it's about an hours work. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 28, 2021 21:13:14 GMT
|
|
I've had the laser ones from halfords for years, never had a single issue with them. That said I never do a MacPherson strut on car, it's a few bolts to remove the entire leg and do it on the bench/floor.
|
| |
|
|
Badger
Part of things
Posts: 250
|
|
|
|
|
I've got the bottom set from Amazon - so far used them about 5-6 times to do the springs on my 940 (ongoing suspension issues) and I've not had a problem with them yet. They come with pins to help stop the spring coming out of the clamp, which is useful.
|
| |
|
|
bricol
Part of things
Posts: 282 
|
|
Dec 29, 2021 11:28:51 GMT
|
I use this Laser set, done heavy 4x4 springs without exploding but I like the look of the Laser set you linked with the deeper hooks to keep the clamp on the spring. Also the retaining hooks on the set I use are annoying to use. www.machinemart.co.uk/p/laser-0290-coil-spring-compressor-heavy-duty/I previously had a set with just 2 clamps, can't remember the brand but I'd not use a set like it again. The clamps slipped together and the spring tension caused them to banana before they gave way. I scarpered as soon as they started bending so was well clear when they blew. Look like sykes pickovant ones - I've had a set for 30yrs - never once worried me about a failure like that - worried me when they slip, but a turn or two of tape on the spring where they sit tends to give them something to bite into. I welded some bits of broken Austin Metro rear engine mount (the original ones that broke - the replacement ones were thicker) to the backs of them so they could be used with smaller springs on coil-overs etc. I did dind the other week that they didn't quite fir in the space under the rear of the other halfs Mk7 Fiesta to replace another snapped spring. When another front spring broke the week before Christmas, I bought a set of US-pro similar to the OP's Screwfic ones - they seem adequate, but slow to work as only one clamp is threaded. |
| |
Last Edit: Dec 29, 2021 11:30:52 GMT by bricol
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
While they're heavier duty and a bit more secure than the single and cheaper sets, they look even more of a pain to use. The curved linking rod looks like it will really limit the amount you can compress the springs, even if you don't bend it in the process. The one I showed will compress a heavy spring with a normal ratchet without having your hands near the actual spring, and you can see I use them with an impact wrench which will work in seconds. I've never had to struggle to get them off the spring, which has always been an issue with the separate sets. I would rather use half a dozen exhaust U-clamps than those. And if I had the spae would build something like this LINK |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
last year I had to swap over a pair of springs on a grande punto as the strut spring platform failed due to rust, I bought a used set of clamps like the Hilka ones in the OPs second link, hated every second of using them. Were not too bad swapping a compressed spring from one strut to another but just didnt feel safe, they slip around the spring, especially as the tension gets high. I managed it but I wasnt happy doing it.
then, a couple of months later, one of the front springs failed. - not related, it was just rusty, so I had to look at putting a brand new uncompressed spring onto my struts, no - not happening, I phoned and messaged round a few mates with garages and one of them did it on a hydraulic spring compressor for a few quid, I just had to take the struts and new springs to him. And if I am ever in that position again that I need new struts, or springs, thats what I will do again, took him about 2 mins per strut!
its deffo worth ringing round some garages, far better than a trip to A&E!
|
| |
|
|
cjhillman
Posted a lot
1979 Capri (Rolling Project) 1985 Escort mk3 (Daily)
Posts: 1,580
|
|
|
|
Thought I'd update this thread as I basically did nothing about this and just left everything as it was. Over the weekend we walked past an old tool store that has a set of decent old spring compressors. For £12 I thought why not they could work. Got them out yesterday and practiced on my old Escort suspension. It wasnt as terrifying as I thought. I kept a rolled up set of overhauls over the spring as I tightened them up, being rusty I worried they could snap. Found that after compressing them a bit the top mounts came off easy and it wasnt too bad. I'll possibly try this on my Capri when I get a spare weekend to fit the 2.8 springs/roller bearing top mounts. Might need new dampers though so i'm in no mega rush. Also I'd like to take the springs off my Escort and swap them with xr3 stuff maybe once I've got a bit more brass in pocket and figured out how much lower than standard they are.    |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A lot of the older cars don't need much anyway, some of the moderns where you have to compress the spring to half it's free length are down right scary.
As you say cover them in a heavy cloth to limit the speed of flying clamps and do it with them laying across in front of you so the parts tend to fly sideways anyway.
|
| |
|
|
Badger
Part of things
Posts: 250
|
|
Aug 31, 2022 21:31:27 GMT
|
A lot of the older cars don't need much anyway, some of the moderns where you have to compress the spring to half it's free length are down right scary. As you say cover them in a heavy cloth to limit the speed of flying clamps and do it with them laying across in front of you so the parts tend to fly sideways anyway. The Volvo 940 stock springs are the worst I've found so far - I actually bottomed out my compressors and they still hadn't pulled it in far enough. It needed lowering anyways  |
| |
|
|
