Spring compressor ADS/King/Fox owners

Im going to rebuild my ADS C/Os soon and I need a spring compressor. I bought the One from Harbor Freight and it won’t fit because the shock body is too close to the coil and the spring is too fat. Can anyone link me to one that’s around or preferably under $100 that works?

 

Couldn't you turn the spring perch to a lower position instead then put it back up after reinstallation?

 

Do you mean I should take all the preload off to get the bottom perch off?

The least amount of Preload you can put on the newer generation of ADS c/os is about 1” I think. In other words I can’t take the tension off the bottom perch unless I have a compressor.

 

I am doing this right now and I got that to fit but I won’t be able to put the spring back on with it. I’d just call your local shops and see who can uninstall/reinstall for a reasonable price

 

I’ve done that in the past but I don’t want to again. There’s got to be one that’ll fit.

 

Here’s one that might work...might have to take a risk and just order it...

 

Anybody ever use ratchet straps to compress a coil?

 

That's going to mangle your top cap anodizing. If your set in doing it your self, take it to a auto shop, they should have at least in OTC, But Branik is preferred, to take the coils off. Price depends on the shop.

FYI I can rebuild them for you if needed/wanted, PM for for info.

 

I’ve read online of guys using ratchet straps to compress the springs in order to remove them. Most say it works like a charm

 

I’m in GA. The off-road shops here don’t mess with anything like this. 99% of what they do is spacer lifts. Even the guys that do custom SAS work don’t have spring compressor that will work. But I know what you are talking about I’ve been looking for a good wall mount used but they aren’t cheap. I just don’t want there people to mess with them any more. The last guy scratched them up a bit.

 

Also, to prevent top cap damage I’d use a piece of rubber to fit in there. It would work but only if the bottom “holder” thing would be wide enough for a 2.5” shock body.

 

It doesn't have to be an off road shop. Any alignment, shocks/struts shop. Or a well equipped general repair shop will have a quality spring compressor. Tell them to tape up the ends if your worried about marks from the arms.

 

I’d much rather do it myself. It would be cheaper in the long run.

 

I'm talking about just taking the coil springs off. I bet it's $10 each for a shop to only take the coil springs off your shocks for you. SO maybe $40 total to remove and reinstall. Doubt you will find a safe and reliable spring compressor for that price.

 

I’ve already called around to shops about this. Everyone was around $90.

 

That seems ridiculous. It’ll take them 5 minutes to do it. All it is is compressing the spring enough to have enough room to remove the bottom mount

 

Well I paid that to have them adjusted the first time. It’s what ADS reccomends. Since then I’ve just done it on the truck myself. Then I paid a different shop $90 to change the springs out. Each time took hours to wait for. I’m done with that.

 

what your talking about is removing the springs from the truck and adjusting or R&R the springs on the shocks. If your going to rebuild them your self all your going to bring to the local alignment shop is the coil overs and have the springs pulled. 90% less labor involved and 85% less charged to do so.

 

Maybe You aren’t understanding what I’ve been saying. Each time I took them to the shop I took them off the truck, put my old lift back on, drive them to the shop, waiting half a day just so they could change springs, drive back, paid $90.00, took them home, took my old struts off, put the new struts on.......that’s a hell of a lot of driving and work JUST to get them changed. On top of that I’m paying them to do something I could do myself. I just want spring compressor that’s not an OTC branick wall mount. I’ll take the supposed danger over doing that again any day......

 

Looks like a clamshell will work as long as the hooks are sized for the spring.

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/suspension-brakes/performance-shock-upgrade-tuning-the-rite-way/