How to put springs on struts?

so ive had these 881 springs and ome struts forever now because I havent had the time. But every time I start I hit the same first question: how do I install the springs on the struts? Ive tried googling it and searching the forum but havent found enough info. I know that some autozones sell the tool needed but harbor freight sells a better, safer one for 9 bucks. Even if I had the tool I wouldnt know what to do with it. Ive always worked on bikes and atvs. Cars not so much

 

Maybe this will help,


http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/suspension/31862-how-front-shock-spring-removal.html

 

9 dollars!! you kidding me? wow, i definitely wouldn't trust a $9 spring compressor, regardless of where it came from. And I have nothing against harbor freight...just wouldn't take the risk on something like this.

You can rent the spring compressor from autozone...just return it and you get your deposit back. It's actually called "strut compressor", not to be confused with a "coil spring compressor". The coil spring compressor will not work. The strut compressor works because it attaches to the outside of the spring.

I'd definitely read that thread that Digiratus just put up for you. Read it a few times. It's not hard to do...but can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.

There's even pictures in that thread (and other threads) of where people have the springs compressed, etc w/ the tools you'll need and everything. Should be pretty self explanatory.

Hope that helps.

 

Dont even think about using the compressors like shown below on your coils. It will not work. I tried them. They don't open up wide enough.

 

You can rent the spring compressors for a deposit, way better than the harbor freight compressors, the set I had from Harbor Freight, bent and the hook broke, luckily, it was after I started taking it off because of the bending. Used the Compressors from the auto parts store, no problem.

 

How about taking the struts and springs to a shop and get them to do it. This way you don't have to buy tools that you might hardly ever use. Just another option. People do it at my work all the time.

 

I thought about that but they quoted me.at 45 bucks and im a cheap mofo

Is the tool from autozone the same as the SST in the pdf from digiratus' link

 

and if not, does anyone have pics detailing how to use it? The autozone or advance auto rental tool that is

 

This is what my autozone and o'reilleys rent

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=555557_0_0_

It works good

 

The autozone one is a P.O.S. do not waste you time trying with it, take it to a shop and let them do it. this past weekend a couple of buddys from on here were trying to compress my eibach spring with an autozone compressor and we were bending the spring and the compressor. When those springs are compressed they are no joke if something slips and the spring shoots out, i dont want to know what would have happened if something would have sliped. Go somewhere and get a shop to do it for you.

 

Yeah, compressing the coils will definitely tighten up your nutsack.