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Shock spring compressor

  • Thread starter Thread starter lurch12_2000
  • Start date Start date
L

lurch12_2000

Guest
I didn't check to see if someone had posted something similiar, but here are a couple of pics of my homemade tool. Working with some used shocks to take apart and not having the tool, I got creative. I took 2 pieces of scrap angle iron maybe 20-24" long and drilled a hole on the end of each piece. Then used a short bolt to create a pivot point, and nailed a short piece of 2"x3" with 16 penny nails to the garage studs for a leverage point. Adjust shock to softest preload setting to reduce effort to compress, stand the shock upright, while sliding in between the angle iron as high up on the spring as possible, with one hand carefully press down on spring (EDITED to add forum required safety disclaimer: only compress an inch or so to allow freeplay for the retainer clip to slide out otherwise if you compress the spring til it don't compress no more this may result in launching your garage into outer space and may cause serious injury or problems such as what happened to Dorothy and Toto sending them to the land of OZ) and with other hand slide the metal retainer clip out, slowly release and remove, then slide spring off and disassemble. You may have to practice a few times to get the hang of it. Some shock springs will be stiffer so longer pieces of angle iron will provide more leverage, or use both hands while a second person carefully removes the clip. The springs will not really shoot off since they are only compressed about an inch or so. Reverse to reassemble while putting retainer clip back on. Obviously some shocks are not rebuildable but you may want to experiment with swapping different/stiffer/softer springs.

IMG_0504.jpg


IMG_0503.jpg
 
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I use this method as it's much quicker than winding in the proper compressors and as long as you aren't daft it's safe.

There's a nice mod to this method that stops the thing slipping about. On the wooden crosspiece drill a vertical hole in the middle, say 10mm in diameter. Then replace the pivot bolt with a longer one so that the bolt sticks out by an inch or so. pointing upwards. Line this up with the hole in the wood and the thing can't slip around.

And if you glue an old bit of inner tube or milk carton to your angle iron you can use this on shocks with painted springs without fear of marking them.
 
Careful, there, Lurch. :-k


I have seen your garage. :o


You get hold of the wrong set of shocks, you won't compress the spring, you're gonna lift your garage. :eek:

.
 
I just used a vise and my hands....I was able to just pull the spring down enough to slip in the lock. Oh I'm still in need of a frame..
 
chef1366 said:
Does it come with body armour?
:p
Click to expand...

No need to worry. These bike springs aren't anything like the car coil springs that can be dangerous and take fingers off. Besides you'd have to work at hurting yourself anymore than putting your bike on the centerstand....for some people that's dangerous!

Note: see my disclaimer added to original post.
 
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Steve said:
Careful, there, Lurch. :-k


I have seen your garage. :o


You get hold of the wrong set of shocks, you won't compress the spring, you're gonna lift your garage. :eek:

.
Click to expand...

Huh? My garage is solid, still square and seen some serious winds on top of this hill. It's a lot more solid than a lot of sheds some of you guys use as bike shops.:p
 
Excellent idea! Thanks for sharing, I will definitely keep this one in mind.
 
About 35 years ago I changed a pair of coil springs, using a JC Whitney spring compressor. One of the claws broke while a spring was compressed.

It was impressive.

(I wasn't hurt)
 
A piece of wire would prevent the arms from opening accidentally, then it would be totally safe. I've used the strap method before and always felt nervous because of the constant tension on the webbing, although they are rated for more pounds than the spring has in it, but the consequences of that failure could be dramatic. Just my .02
 
lurch12_2000 said:
I didn't check to see if someone had posted something similiar, but here are a couple of pics of my homemade tool. Working with some used shocks to take apart and not having the tool, I got creative. I took 2 pieces of scrap angle iron maybe 20-24" long and drilled a hole on the end of each piece. Then used a short bolt to create a pivot point, and nailed a short piece of 2"x3" with 16 penny nails to the garage studs for a leverage point. Adjust shock to softest preload setting to reduce effort to compress, stand the shock upright, while sliding in between the angle iron as high up on the spring as possible, with one hand carefully press down on spring (EDITED to add forum required safety disclaimer: only compress an inch or so to allow freeplay for the retainer clip to slide out otherwise if you compress the spring til it don't compress no more this may result in launching your garage into outer space and may cause serious injury or problems such as what happened to Dorothy and Toto sending them to the land of OZ) and with other hand slide the metal retainer clip out, slowly release and remove, then slide spring off and disassemble. You may have to practice a few times to get the hang of it. Some shock springs will be stiffer so longer pieces of angle iron will provide more leverage, or use both hands while a second person carefully removes the clip. The springs will not really shoot off since they are only compressed about an inch or so. Reverse to reassemble while putting retainer clip back on. Obviously some shocks are not rebuildable but you may want to experiment with swapping different/stiffer/softer springs.

IMG_0504.jpg


IMG_0503.jpg
Click to expand...

Excellent, and simple, I posted a simular question a while back with little results, I'm going to take this idea and add a place to secure the shock at the bottom to prevent it from sliding one way or another, and as someone else mentioned, maybe a catch to preven the angle iron from un-hinging. Thanks for the idea.
 
I used about 15 1 inch spring steel wood clamps all around the spring and it lowered it enough to get to the bolt.
 
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