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compressing coils on 245's strut assembly...imminent disaster

Eviltwin

New member
Joined
Jan 23, 2007
Location
Ottawa Ontario Canada
I'm using these widowmaker coil spring compressors on my 1983 245 wagon. They are about 3/4's if not more compressed and the top coil is showing no sign of separating from the top strut plate.

https://www.amazon.ca/OEMTOOLS-2555...=en-CA&tag=googcana-20&ref=pd_sl_5v8ounivzy_e

I'm nervous to keep winding on this imminent time bomb.

best to remove the brake line from the hardline and let a shop do it?

what does Turbobricks say?
 
I have used similar ones on lots and lots of strut assemblies with zero issues.

The key to them is to get them as close to the top and bottom of the coils before starting. I even wedge them up in there towards the pigtail top and bottom and then hit it with the impact. Should be able to get tension off of the fronts pretty easy and do springs on the car, dont it on many 242's and a few 245's.

Best of luck and although they are kind of sketchy, they cannot go anywhere until you take the to nut off :)

Sean
 
I have used similar ones on lots and lots of strut assemblies with zero issues.

The key to them is to get them as close to the top and bottom of the coils before starting. I even wedge them up in there towards the pigtail top and bottom and then hit it with the impact. Should be able to get tension off of the fronts pretty easy and do springs on the car, dont it on many 242's and a few 245's.

Best of luck and although they are kind of sketchy, they cannot go anywhere until you take the to nut off :)

Sean

until I take the glad nut off the top of the strut right?

I would hope that the spring is fully compressed and the strut is full decompressed by the time I hit that...
 
The small saddle on those compressors is sketchy. The Volvo tools have a double saddle.

240StrutService.jpg


Like most spring compressors of that type, they aren't long enough to completely relieve all the tension on the stock spring so there's another tool to do that once the spring is off.

StrutSpringService.jpg
 
As mentioned above. You have to grab five coils with the aftermarket spring compressors. You'll need a prybar to get the hook into the fifth coil. Then it compresses the whole spring without issue.
 
They can't really decompress, just slip over. Keep your fingers out of pinch points and the worst you'll get is a scare.

It's real fun on BMW springs. They don't have all that travel, so you just put the impact on the gland nut, keep your face out of the way, and let 'er rip. :lol:
 
Lubricate the ACME thread (trapezoidal thread) to ease compression.

As stated, grab as many spring coils as possible to ease your labor; 4 minimum. Stock springs need much more compression that lowering springs which in my experience only require 3 coils to compress.

"clock the compressors" properly on the installed spring/strut. 180* apart, and look where the ACME thread will reach as you work..... there are optimum locations where you can extend further without impacting the strut tower.

Think SAFETY. There is enough energy in these springs to kill you; if you aren't afraid, watch some youtube video of spring work gone wrong......
 
For a margin of safety I also run ratchet straps through before I yank them out. And yes... even with good spring compressors just treat it like a bomb...
 
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