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Garryjav coil spring tool |
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PlazinJavelin 
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Joined: Nov/02/2008 Location: Atlanta USA Status: Offline Points: 1911 |
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 Posted: Mar/30/2012 at 7:16pm |
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Oh ok.... There's been at least two others I've seen make a similar tool. Has to be strong and sturdy of course. 3/4" threaded rods. The wood faces for "non-skid" are actually backed by 3/16 plate steel. |
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jcisworthy
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Joined: Jul/23/2009 Location: New York Status: Offline Points: 547 |
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Posted: Mar/30/2012 at 8:54pm |
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Found some things at Home Depot that should work as an in car compressor. I will post pictures tomorrow after I fabricate and weld it up. The idea is to attach one on each side of the coil and compress it, take it out , decompress it and repeat for installation of the new ones. Think I have it figured out, post something tomorrow.
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JFox
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Joined: Jul/05/2007 Location: Alexandria, VA Status: Offline Points: 414 |
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Posted: Mar/31/2012 at 9:05am |
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Yes, compressing new ones is another problem. Here's what I did, similar to others. And for ease on compressing.
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68 AMX 390 Go Pack Rally Pack
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amx39068
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Posted: Mar/31/2012 at 10:38am |
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There are two size springs, one for the larger car and one for the smaller cars. Unless your spring tool is designed to overlap on the sides like shown above, be sure to use the correct size tool. Last weekend we had to get creative by using a ratchet strap to keep the tool evenly spaced on the spring in order to make the large spring tool work on the smaller springs. We also used another car at the shop to compress the springs down far enough to hook the tool on the cup eyes.
If you use the car frame to compress the spring, make sure to put the ebrake on or block the rear wheel so the car does not move forward or rearward when lowering it off a floor jack. If the car rolls an inch or two when you let the floor jack down, the spring will angle and bow as the car moves.
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Dan Curtis, AZ AMC collector quality Restorations, Parts & Engines - amcmusclecars.com
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farna
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Moderator Lost Dealership Project Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7108 |
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Posted: Mar/31/2012 at 1:12pm |
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Compressing the spring is easy if the engine is still in the car. Put the spring between the floor and the front "frame" rail of the car and lower the car onto it. You may have to press down on a fender to get the hooks in. Of course the tire needs to be off the side you have the spring under. Just make sure the top of the spring is centered under the rail and you're as safe or safer as any of the devices I've seen posted. Spring is low and can't go anywhere.
Another hint -- DO NOT jack up the opposite rear of the car! When Garry designed his tool he and I discussed this. The factory tool requires jacking the opposite side, but compresses the spring a LOT! I had borrowed a set and made a replica, don't have those any more!! There is a whole lot more tension on the spring using the factory "hooks" for trunnion cars, at least for the early ones. What Garry did was put the hooks further apart. The spring only needs to go maybe another 1/4" to get the hooks on if the engine is in the car - just push on the fender. With the hooks in place disconnect the shock so the suspension will drop all the way to the stops. You will have just enough room to pull the spring out, and it will have a lot less tension that the factory tool -- safer!! Edited by farna - Mar/31/2012 at 1:18pm |
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Frank Swygert
American Motors Cars Magazine www.amc-mag.com |
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jcisworthy
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Joined: Jul/23/2009 Location: New York Status: Offline Points: 547 |
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Posted: Mar/31/2012 at 4:00pm |
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Forget everything else you read in this post, what I did to garryjav's tool trumps it all. I modified garryjav's tool and made it into an in car compressor and safely changed both springs, out with the old and in with the new in less than an hour. The tool works like a dream and is safe and does it all in one. check out the pictures.
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jcisworthy
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Posted: Mar/31/2012 at 4:04pm |
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Well I didnt realize I had the camera on a large file so the picts will be up after I resize them, sorry.
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jcisworthy
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Posted: Mar/31/2012 at 4:15pm |
     
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jcisworthy
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Posted: Mar/31/2012 at 4:16pm |
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jcisworthy
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Posted: Mar/31/2012 at 4:23pm |
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No need to unbolt the shocks with this tool, literally jack up the car, take tire off, attach tool to the top and bottom of spring, compress spring, remove it and decompress on floor. Install new spring in tool, compress and install. Simple, fast and safe. I took a 36" x 3/4 threaded rod cut it in half, couple pipe nipples, couple 3/4 washers and 4 3/4 nuts chopped and welded Garry's tool with the other stuff and it works great. I can get into more detail if someone need me to.
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Freecat1 wrote: