Coil Spring Compressor

[GS guy]

Thought you guys might like this. My Deserter buggy is set up for coil-over shocks at all 4 corners and one of the "tools" I had yet to purchase (or make) was a spring compressor for fitting the springs to shocks. These are true adjustable coil-overs and I needed a way to get the springs installed (or removed) as needed. Looked at a few compressors available and didn't see any I really liked - especially for the $$. One would think for as long as this type of shock has been used in motorsports there would be lots of ideas out there for compressing the springs, but all my searching turned up very little for this specific application. Decided to brew my own.
Having a hydraulic press to provide the necessary force, I just needed a way to grab the spring (securely) and move it down over the shock to install the locking ring. Some scrounging in my scrap piles turned up some useful bits - tubing, allthread, an old disc of aluminum and part of an old puller and viola - about a day of work on the mini-lathe, some cutting and fiddling and works like a charm. It locks into the upper press-pin with an aluminum bushing, and bottom of shock attached to lower support block with 1/2" bolt - so it can't "spring" out and go flying! Really effortless to compress the spring using the hydraulics.

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Upper press ring detail. Machined on back-side to fit around spring OD.

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Lower support holding shock bottom. Plywood block slides in place to stabilize shock in lower support.

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Detail of stabilized shock with block in place. This holds the shock vertical while manipulating the hydraulic pump and aligning upper bits during press.

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Jeff

[Kafer_Mike]

Nice design! You might consider welding the lower mount to a piece of 1/4" plate the width of the press with tabs front/rear to keep it in place (vs. the 2 c-clamps). That way it's always centered to the upper mount and can't go anywhere.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

So true! The two work together better without the gap (even as a support) between them. It can also support what ever is being worked on better but then... there are times when a gap is helpful.

Lee

[GS guy]

Thanks! If I was needing to use it more than a couple of times I'd make it easier to set up like the suggestions. For ons'y-twos'y a tape measure & clamp set-up is adequate. I R&R'ed the spring a couple of times to test it out and other than the sloppiness of the upper ram (it can move side to side a little with the design/manufacture of the HF press) it worked without a hitch. That press has come in handy many times, I just wish I'd sprung for the heavier 20T vs. my 12T model when I purchased it. I'd like to be able to set it up as a metal brake, which I gather is too much for the 12T to handle.
Jeff

[SCOTTRODS]

A wooden spacer to each side would also do well for centering the fixture.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

I don't think wood would be a good working part in this type of case.

The parallel "C" shape units should be good for up and down (vertical alignment) and sideways to sideways loading, but I don't think a wood spacer would be too soft (porous) to eliminate potential torquing/twisting that can often happen during loading. If the loading is not perfect centered in the direction the loading is intended for, potential twisting can happen when the two "beams" are not connected.

It is surprising how little of the not perfect loading movement due to off-set pressure that one can often really see. The two parts can move together directionally or spread apart.

If a short spacer was to be used then it should be one on each side of the main loading area to protect for the spread problem. The connecting of the two main C-shaped pieces directly together is still the best in most cases.

The couple of times I have seen something like that happen, it was quick, and the offset action was tiny with no pre-hints of what was going to happen.

Lee

Addendum: The mix of materials making a piece of metal is very complicated. I have done some drawings for fasteners that later became Mil-spec and/or ANSI with their coding. Part of the information given to the manufacture contains several types of specifications such as the dealing with and forming of the materials that deal with the mix of materials. It is very complicated for sure.

After seeing some things lately (no comment as to where) that not all manufacturers deal with the country's they are in Standards and Specs but do their own mixes and manufacturing processes. Another potential part of the problem.

Lee

[GS guy]

That's why I like to generally "overbuild" most things. That said, my motorcycling days taught me the benefits of light-ness (Not Harley!), but then the engineering of every item has to be a LOT more detailed (and $$$!). For my GS build I'm aiming for a middle ground - not ultra-lightweight but using lighter materials when I can (primarily aluminum) for non-structural areas (or proven lighter racing parts where I can, such as sprint car and Hot Rod bits).
Per my earlier comment about wanting a heavier duty press - did some digging and see SWAG does offer a 12T press brake kit. Hmmm....
Jeff

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Maybe I miss-understood the discussion about AL and steel being used together and wood being thrown in but my 35+ years of jobs dealt mostly with AL alloys and other materials. I didn't get much into steel (fasteners for instance) as I was working mostly with lighter weight materials.

Fasteners I delt with a lot and I did deal a touch with some with vacuum forming AL alloys and SS.

But... for what it is worth:

https://www.bing.com/search?q=Does+AL+a ... 17&pc=LCTS

Lee