Extracting shock from front strut assembly

audiomagnate

audiomagnate

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I've got a front strut assembly (not in the car BTW) with a Bilstein P36-0029 inside it. Is a spring compressor necessary to get the shock out or is this something I can do myself without special tools?
 
You need to compress the spring with a compressor(s) so the strut support/bearing pad can be removed.
 
Possibly the best money you will ever spend is taking that to a qualified shop with the right tool and being done in 20 minutes for 20 bucks.
 
I had a spring compressor break on me last month...

That left one side compressed and the other bent like a banana.

I wanted to walk it over to a dumpster and toss it in like a hand grenade.

still a little shaky about that....
 
sfdon said:
I had a spring compressor break on me last month...

That left one side compressed and the other bent like a banana.

I wanted to walk it over to a dumpster and toss it in like a hand grenade.

still a little shaky about that....
Click to expand...

Those things are a bit scary. Which kind of compressor was it that broke? On an E9 spring or a newer car spring?
 
The e30 springs are nasty- very long and require way more work than I want to do. The right tool for them is the wall mount compressor unit.
 

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Death by spring

Whoa,
That is a scary story and glad you related as springs should be taken seriously. As a young mechanic in training we would hear the stories of death by spring. Also the split rim...
Who makes the wall unit you have pictured? I am in need to buy a decent compressor. Last I had was from the Chinese tool store and good for a few uses. (good enough for repair of abused 'benz suspension, teen driver, numerous times, hard to do to a 123 car!)
 
I have some cheap old compressor that I keep telling myself to throw out before a disaster happens. SFDon's experience makes me think that should be at the top of my to do list.
 
Bob,

i agree with that idea, i had one of those old manual compressors (3 threaded rods w/ hooks), one of the hooks let go and the spring shot over my head. this was in the mid 80s ... i don't do that anymore + leave it to professionals
 
Lives saved

Yep,
The chinese tool store compressor is going into the scrap metal pile. Time to call the Snap-On guy. Question of ignorance...Will the rear springs drop out of the E9 without the need to compress and capture before hand?
 
rsporsche said:
Bob,

i agree with that idea, i had one of those old manual compressors (3 threaded rods w/ hooks), one of the hooks let go and the spring shot over my head. this was in the mid 80s ... i don't do that anymore + leave it to professionals
Click to expand...

I did my Wife's Acura MDX springs last fall. It was the toughest spring I have ever dealt with. The spring compressor's threads were bent. I ended up needing 4 per coil to get it compressed enough. I think there are compressors that use webbing. Anyone know if they are good?
 
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Will the rear springs drop out of the E9 without the need to compress and capture before hand?
Click to expand...

Yes, they will, just barely. You will have to disconnect the top or bottom of the shock so the trailing arm can drop further. You will also want to loosen the two trailing arm bolts (renew these bushings while you are at it).
 
pamp said:
Yep,
The chinese tool store compressor is going into the scrap metal pile. Time to call the Snap-On guy. Question of ignorance...Will the rear springs drop out of the E9 without the need to compress and capture before hand?
Click to expand...

I have a Snap-On spring compressor. It weighs about 30 lbs and is built very well. I never worry about it breaking and flinging a spring around the garage.
 
Snap-on

Curious what your Snap-on compressor cost as well as the order #. My previous Snap-on dealers have my first born as well as 16 vestal virgins. All worth it.
 
pamp said:
Curious what your Snap-on compressor cost as well as the order #. My previous Snap-on dealers have my first born as well as 16 vestal virgins. All worth it.
Click to expand...

Actually it was free. A friend moved to California and gave me his engine hoist, chain saw, spring compressor, and collection of oil & transmission fluid.
 
Believe it or not, Autozone carries a pretty decent quality comp for $35 or so. I had to return 2 to Napa, both were fubarred after one usage, and couldn't see a difference between those and Harbor Freight
 
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