is this harbor freight spring compressor suicide?

Yes, in fact I just bought one a few weeks ago for $35 with a coupon. Then, with no previous experience, using Chris4x4's guide, I proceeded to remove the struts and replaced the shocks using the HF spring compressor you have pictured. IT WAS EASY! IT WAS VERY SAFE! That thing is built like a tank. No tricks, no problems. Believe me, if I can do it ANYONE CAN.

BTW, make sure to grease the screw rod as it states in the Owner's Manual.

 

I don't shop at harbor freight; Chinese junk that only last a few uses.

 

I have had their impact wrench since christmas, used it plenty of times, and has never let me down...might I say one of the best $57 I've ever spent???

 

I used it on mine the springs fit fine it takes some wiggling to get it out. Mine vent while doing it but it got the job done. Very safe with the way it locks.

 

get the ones from checkers. that one is hella sketchy lol

 

yeah i agree... i did the same thing, but was charged $25 for eachone for a total of $50... not too bad.. i rented the one from autozone and tried to do it myself, but it would have taken me hours to compress each spring so I decided to have a tire shop do it and avoid the frustation...besides, i didn't feel like losing my head since that spring compressor I used didn't look too safe.

 

A shop in Bellflower, CA disassembled my stock coilover for $5 each. I guess it will be $10 only for disassembly and assembly!

 

I got this at Harbor Freight for $80, do they still have them there? I haven't been to HF for a year or so.

 

I like the pump.

 

$150 was the best price I found for this a few weeks ago (Google it and/or eBay for hydraulic spring compressor). This looked like the only tool I would buy to do it myself, but I couldn't justify $150 for a (hopefully) once every 4-5 years thing. Local shop charged me $48.

 

The only way it would make sense $ wise is if a few guys got together for a mod day in your area and you could share the tool and the cost.

 

Yup, thought about that to. Downside is when I wanted to do mine was right between two mod days,,, that I couldn't attend. My though was that if I could get 3-4 people to chip in $20 to use the compressor, then I could justify the rest of the cost myself.

But that's definitely a good idea to propagate around...

 

I'm sure it's just that the pic doesn't show it, but are the clamms only on half of the spring? How does it stay on? It looks like it would slip off and take your head off...

 

maybe i bought monday tools. tools that were made after a nice long weekend of drinkin

 

It's not fully inserted in the compressor for the pic. Once the coils of the spring are in the forks they really can't slip out, they sit in a groove similiar to the strut seats for the coils.

Marc M

 

I had the same problem, for some reason the compressors that we got were built incorrectly, and the bars hit the shock before the the hooks could seat on the spring.

 

I've never been to a Harbor Freight store until last week while vacationing in Florida (as we don't have them in Canada). I heard lots of mentions of Harbor Freight on various forums and was looking forward to shopping there as I have a fair collection of tools myself. Sadly after walking through the place I left severely disappointed.

I visited 2 different HF stores last week and couldn't believe the cheap quality tools that they sell. Lots of junk. We have a similar type of place in Canada (Princess Auto) and allot of people rag on it for junk tools but I must say they are better than many of the HF pieces. Maybe I anticipated too much before visiting.

If that spring compressor is of the same quality of the rest of HF's inventory of tools I'd remove the shocks myself and have a local garage swap the springs. People have been seriously injured by rogue springs and you'll want a quality tool to safely change them.

 

Anybody else use the compressor used in #28? I'll be installing 5100s and eibachs in the next week or so. I will also be able to use it at work so I'm not interested in the rentals from autozone.

 

I used the advance auto loaner. Thick black rods with hooks on either end. A pita yes but doable and the tool seemed sturdy.k