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#1
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hydraulic coil spring compressor
What experience do any of you have with a hydraulic coil spring compressor.
I know we can go with the SIR tool M0070 for $600 Or I can do it the way my brother does in his shop, using a floor jack on the lower control arm, attach external coil spring compressors to compress the spring 1 additional inch, releasing the upper ball joint and lowering the floor jack allowing the LCA to swing out. I was wondering about using the hydraulic compressor http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=47890 I asked the manufacture and he did not see why it would not work on the cars I have. (82 300TD, 88 560SL) It works much like the Hazet unit as shown in this video A 6meg video for you dial-up users http://www.hazet.de/video/VEN13.MPG Any comments???????? Dave
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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990 1980 240D, owned 1990-1992 1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993 1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004 1999 E300, owned 1999-2003 1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD 1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995 1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons) 1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004 2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver 1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold) 2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car |
#2
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Wow...that's cool. I think the only uncertainty is the quality of the tool. The spring claws are probably cast not forged. I suppose for DIY work it would probably be fine but I'd keep an eye on the hose and fittings!
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#3
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Both look interesting. Do you know what the price is on the Hazet unit?
Something about the hydrolic unit bothers me. It doesn't seem as though it would be as stable. Jeff Pierce
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Jeff Pierce Current Vehicles: '92 Mercedes 190E/2.3 (247K miles/my daily driver) '93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon (263K miles/a family truckster with spunk) '99 Kawasaki Concours Gravely 8120 Previous Vehicles: '85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow (226K miles)'93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon '53 Willys-Overland Pickup '85 Honda 750F Interceptor '93 Nissan Quest '89 Toyota Camry Wagon '89 Dodge Raider '81 Honda CB 750F Super Sport '88 Toyota Celica '95 Toyota Tacoma '74 Honda CB 550F |
#4
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The unit is built by Ranger tools
http://www.bendpak.com/DB-Interfaces/ProductChild/_reports/displayitem.asp?CategoryID=1&SubCategoryID=31&ProductID=139 Which is a part of BendPak who makes autolifts. It is a large company which has been around for a while A neighbor has a 4 post lift by them and the quality is very good. I would not have a problem with the company or their products.. The Hazet unit is about $750 Dave
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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990 1980 240D, owned 1990-1992 1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993 1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004 1999 E300, owned 1999-2003 1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD 1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995 1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons) 1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004 2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver 1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold) 2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car |
#5
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To remove front springs from W126 you need to compress 8 coils. I don't think open length of 10" is sufficient to do so.
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#6
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If you look closely at the video, that MB had it's front control arm removed/swung-out from the top in order to have clearance to use the Hazet tool, and to have enough swing in the lower control-arm to clear a compresed spring.
I'm 99% sure that there isn't enough clearance on the W201, W124, W126, W123, and R129's to use either of these tools, and it would mean loosening the front strut and lowering to down via floor jack. If you do the above, you don't need a spring compressor on a W124, although I heard it's hard to get the front strut back in. :-) neil |
#7
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oh oh harbor freight
hello,
i've used and still do buy "stuff" from harbor freight. some of it's good some's bad. from a pure mechanical stand point the hazet unit is very substantial and because it uses a threaded "screw" (no doubt hardened) to collapse the spring make a built in mechanical stop. the hf unit looks a little meek but for non commercial apps using only once and a great while will probably do the work. if you know the psi of force you need to collapse the spring compare it to the hf unit (formula is i.d. size of piston x .785 = square inches, time the total psi will give you the total force) if it's hi enough it will probably work. i would however, before i started any work using the hf tool attach a mechanical stop on the springs. the hydraulic unit could (so beware!!) bleed off enough to let the spring lengthen or actually pop open (beware!!) another option would be to use a mechanical spring collapsing device ... hooks with threaded rod that uses a nut, your wrench and elbow grease to compress the spring. you can probably rent this from the local napa or autozone store. good luck craig
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Thanks Much! Craig 1972 350sl Red/Blk 117k 1988 420sel charcoal/Blk 140k 1987 420sel gold/tan 128k See My Cars at:http://mysite.verizon.net/res0aytj/index.html Pound it to fit then Paint it to match! There is only First Place and Varying degrees of last! Old age and deceit will overcome Youth and Enthusiasm every time! Putting the square peg in the round hole is not hard... IF you do it fast enough! Old enough to know better but stupid enough to do it anyway! |
#8
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Most cheap spring compressors that you buy/rent at auto parts stores (I have a set that works for my other cars) either don't fit between the coils, or they're designed for a larger diameter spring than what's on an MB.
And after further consideration, I don't think the 1500 lb compression capacity of the hydrolic unit would be enough to compress the spring adaquately. Or if it is, then you would always be operating at the tool's maximum capacity -- probably not a good idea. Think about it, when the car is applying 800 lbs to the spring, it's hardly compressed. I don't know the formula for figuring out compression rate, but I know from experience that when you get a spring almost to max compression, it feels like it takes alot more than twice the force to twist the bolts on the spring compressors. Jeff Pierce
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Jeff Pierce Current Vehicles: '92 Mercedes 190E/2.3 (247K miles/my daily driver) '93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon (263K miles/a family truckster with spunk) '99 Kawasaki Concours Gravely 8120 Previous Vehicles: '85 Jeep CJ-7 w/ Fisher plow (226K miles)'93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon '53 Willys-Overland Pickup '85 Honda 750F Interceptor '93 Nissan Quest '89 Toyota Camry Wagon '89 Dodge Raider '81 Honda CB 750F Super Sport '88 Toyota Celica '95 Toyota Tacoma '74 Honda CB 550F Last edited by tvpierce; 01-11-2003 at 08:45 AM. |
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