How NOT to change your struts!

[Lumberg]

I worked as a professional mechanic for 5 years, but have not much experience in suspension/springs.

I went for it with my 2000 V6 and it was a disaster. I got KYB GR2s and a set of economy spring compressors and I was ready to go.

Well the $13/pair spring compressors aren't for this app. You need "strut spring compressors." I have some on the way from Harbor Freight. They sell a nice unit that is pneumatic; it works like a pump jack.

You need the right tool for the job; time is money after all. Harbor Freight has just about every tool you can imagine. I've yet to find a cheaper source--in any case they have a low price guarantee.

I am looking forward to changing my rear struts with the proper tools.

I have read many instances of a thudding or clunking sound resulting from strut replacement. I can say from experience that the position of the spring/upper mount in relation to the strut itself is crucial. You can't control that angle well unless you can compress the spring perfectly. This is what dictates the noise.

[Eye8Pussies]

wait...so what's wrong with the cheap spring compressors? I've used the simple designed ones many many times with no problems....

the pump action pneumatic ones would be cool....but over kill for a simple spring job...

[Lumberg]

The springs on my Camry simply didn't expose enough area for two of the cheapo kind to compress enough to take pressure off the insulators.

[rebel8ball]

take the strut and spring out as one unit and then use it....thats what i did on mine.

[renmike]

You could have got a 'loaner' pair of strut spring compressors from AutoZone or advance for about 30 bucks. Then when you're finished, you take them back and get your money back. Now, I broke down and spent the 30 bucks and kept the compressors. I've happened to change the struts in about 4 cars since I did mine, so it was worth the money to me.

Harbor Freight is okay for some stuff, but I wouldn't make HF tools my primary tools, unless you're close to a store and can return them without much hassle

[WhiteRabbit]

harbor freight tools are cheap for a reason....i would know...

[Lumberg]

Oh yeah I live right near one. I was pretty stoked when it opened.

And while Harbor Freight does have some cheap stuff, once you learn tools, you know how to get the balance between price and quality.

For example, while I drool over some Snap-On tools, they're waaaaaaaaaaaaay overpriced.

[bigbird]

snap-on makes me wet. ive done the job both with cheapo compressors and expensive ones. been able to complete teh job both times byt the biggest help wasnt the compressors but the hack that i used to take everything down and reinstall with. i would definatly recomend removing the entire assemble before screwing with the rest of the stuff.

[Arisotezza18]

I have the Sears spring compressor and the floor jack style one you mentioned and I can say first hand that the Sears ones are a lot safer. With the floor jack style one, there is no safety mechanism to keep the spring in. It can slip out. I would just get the regular clamp ones from Sears or a similar one with a safety pin to lock the spring in.

[Lumberg]

In my case, since the springs are variable rate and taper inward at the top, I could not get the cheapo compressors exactly opposite each other and grabbing the same number of springs. So the spring was compressed crooked, and while the assembly came apart OK, it wouldn't go back together. At that point I could rearrange the compressors and compress equally, but then the ends of the compressor bolt would interfere with the spring seats. It was awful

[Lumberg]

I just got my hydraulic strut spring compressor and it is a thing of beauty! It uses a foot pump to work a bottle jack that compresses the spring while holding the flared part of the strut. Oh JOY!

[WhiteRabbit]

pics?

[Maim Menu]

Yeah, pics and price or it never happened

[Lumberg]

$140 shipped bros

[camry314]

just find a really fat kid to stand on the top!!