TR6 Spring compressor

A

airlifter

Jedi Hopeful

Offline

• Mar 17, 2014

• #1

I don't have one so I made my own, kinda. I found a grade 8 all thread and cut a length about twenty inches. I put one end up through the shock mount and double nutted the top. Put the spring in place and used a three sixteenth plate under the lower spring mount. Held the top nuts with vise grips and tightened the bottom nut. Worked like a charm and I felt safe using the grade 8 all thread.

i did use a bottle jack to push the lower A-arm up to make the rear studs easier to install.

 

charleyf

Luke Skywalker

Offline

• Mar 18, 2014

• #2

Sounds very similar to my home made compressor. I might add that I believe that the bolt that I used was not a grade 8 but it is about 1/2 inch in diameter. I have used it now for removing at least six springs and likely more than that.
Charley

 

BobbyD

Jedi Knight

Offline

• Mar 19, 2014

• #3

I believe the important factor in the ones sold by the "Big 3" is that they use ACME threads which is a much safer thread under load............. or so I've been told.

 

dwalpole

Member

Offline

• Mar 19, 2014

• #4

airlfiter or charleyf,

Do either of you have pics of your compressors in action? I'll need one when I do the suspension on my 6.

Thanks,
Don

 

OP

A

airlifter

Jedi Hopeful

Offline

• Mar 19, 2014

• #5

I do not have a picture and i hope don't have the occasion to use it again for a while.

it is pretty simple. I put the all the all thread through the top shock mount with a flat washer and double nuts. At the bottom I put it through the lower spring/shock mount and used a 3/16 plate with another flat washer. I held the top with vise grips.

I used a twenty inch length but I knew how much I needed. If you are removing the spring you might want a little more length to be sure all torque is out of the spring.

I was concerned about the strength of regular all thread but it sounds like Charley has had good luck with his.

 

D

DougF

Guest

Guest

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• Mar 19, 2014

• #6

Where did you find Grade 8 threaded rod?

 

charleyf

Luke Skywalker

Offline

• Mar 20, 2014

• #7

Within the next few weeks I will be assembling the front suspension on a TR3. I will get some pictures when I do.
Charley

 

T

titanic

Jedi Warrior

Offline

• Mar 20, 2014

• #8

My own humble opinion is that grade 8 is probably not necessary. I have used 1/2" NC all thread (probably grade 2 or 5) for spring compressors without any problems. If I were a vendor, grade 8 or acme threads might make sense because of liability issues or advertising value. I would go with 1/2" or larger dia. and lubricate the threads.
Berry

 

OP

A

airlifter

Jedi Hopeful

Offline

• Mar 23, 2014

• #9

I found the grade 8 all thread at a local bolt supplier. The keep a lot of stuff for the mining industry.

 

dwalpole

Member

Offline

• Mar 28, 2014

• #10

charleyf said:

Within the next few weeks I will be assembling the front suspension on a TR3. I will get some pictures when I do.
Charley

Click to expand...

Thanks Charley.

 

charleyf

Luke Skywalker

Offline

• May 13, 2014

• #11

dwalpole said:

airlfiter or charleyf,

Do either of you have pics of your compressors in action? I'll need one when I do the suspension on my 6.

Thanks,
Don

Click to expand...

I have now completed the front suspension assembly and actually remembered to take some pictures. Don, if you will send me your email address ( I think again as I believe that you did send it to me and I lost it), I will send you some pictures and a description of what I made and use.
Charley:fat:

 

mgedit

Jedi Knight

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• May 14, 2014

• #12

Charley. Could you post pictures and description here so we might all see this please? Thanks, Mike

 

charleyf

Luke Skywalker

Offline

• May 14, 2014

• #13

The bolt is 5/8 inch in diameter. The bolt is 18" long. As you can see by the pictures I use several washers that vary in size but are large. The square one I got from a building supply where it is normally used as a baseboard /sill washer in house construction it is about 2-1/4 " square and over 3/16" thick. It fits perfectly between the shock mounting bolts. By double nutting the bottom of the bolt I can use a vice grip or a second person to hold the top single nut and drive the bolt up with an air impact gun or by hand if you just want a lot of exercise. Note the long bolts in place of two of the standard spring pan bolts to use to guide the spring pan up. This was done on a TR3.

 

Last edited: May 14, 2014

mgedit

Jedi Knight

Offline

• May 15, 2014

• #14

Thanks for posting this information. Cheers, Mike

 

L

leexray

Freshman Member

Offline

• Jun 2, 2018

• #15

I had all the materials except the "square washer" and wanted to put this together. So, Charley, in the third photo, I noticed that I could read the UPC code on the sticker - "44315 54500" - so I googled it and it came up (!) - it's a Simpson Strong-Tie bearing plate, 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" for 5/8" bolt diameter. Available at my Home Depot for $1.36 - what a deal!

So... thanks for the photos, and thanks for not removing that sticker with the UPC code!
Lee

 

charleyf

Luke Skywalker

Offline

• Jun 2, 2018

• #16

Lee,
You are most welcome.

 

TomMull

Darth Vader

Silver

Offline

• Jun 3, 2018

• #17

BobbyD said:

I believe the important factor in the ones sold by the "Big 3" is that they use ACME threads which is a much safer thread under load............. or so I've been told.

Click to expand...

Nope. At least the one I just bought is 5/8 UNC. It came with a warning enclosed to use the special grease, also included, to prevent galling of the threads. Other than that everything you need is readily available at your local hardware for about $10. If you want acme threads, which would be a good choice, check one of the old scissor jacks you have in your iron pile.
Tom