When Did You Replace Your Ball Joints and Control Arms?

[iamdub]

I'm thinking of this kind Chris:

FF to about 3:00 minutes in:

I've never seen that style before. Is it strong enough for the struts on vehicles such as ours? Car struts are SO much easier.

On the other hand, that style would be super easy to replicate and adapt to a shop press. It'd basically be the same design but have means to secure to the cross bar of the press and the other half would just need to be something like a cup for the press's push rod to set in. If I find myself needing a strut compressor more often, I may make one.

 

[gooffeyguy]

You mean a regular press like this?




I don't know if they exist, but you'd have to have special fixtures to hold both ends of the coil and still clear the strut so the nut on the top plate is accessible. Sounds sketchy and I tried to come up with a quick way to throw such a fixture together when I was replacing my struts. Was easier to borrow and use the proper tools.

If by "shop press", you meant the strut compressor used in shops:




...Then, yes, since this is what it's for.

I was curious about the first one. I have one of those in my garage.

2001 Yukon SLT
2012 Yukon Denali XL
2011 Yukon Denali RIP 5/20/18

 

[iamdub]

I was curious about the first one. I have one of those in my garage.

2001 Yukon SLT
2012 Yukon Denali XL
2011 Yukon Denali RIP 5/20/18

I thought so. I'll admit that I tried a few ways to use mine just to see. It wasn't pretty. I'm liking the A-frame design James posted and feel it could easily be modified or replicated to work in a press. After the way they were bending with two on a coil, I just don't have much faith in those screw threads and that one has only one and it has leverage against it.

 

[swathdiver]

I've never seen that style before. Is it strong enough for the struts on vehicles such as ours?

That one handles springs 4" to 9" OD with wire diameters of 7/16" to 11/16", it comes up as related on OTCs website when the shop manual mentions a wall mounted shop unit, the CH-48845. Harbor Freight sells one but I have not checked its specifications.

 

[iamdub]

Checking Hazard Fraught's site...

 

[swathdiver]

Checking Hazard Fraught's site...

Don't know our springs' diameter, that one says 7" max.

https://www.harborfreight.com/single-action-strut-spring-compressor-43753.html

 

[iamdub]

Don't know our springs' diameter, that one says 7" max.

https://www.harborfreight.com/single-action-strut-spring-compressor-43753.html

Yup! That's the one I was looking at. I have plenty of .25" x .75" flat stock, some C-shaped pieces very similar to that hinge, and I can make hooks. Throwing all that together and adding a pipe to fit the ram on one half and some tabs to secure it into the bed on the other half would be really easy. My point is to have another use for the press without having to buy a proprietary tool. Plus, the press would hold the spring in place while the strut is swapped rather than let it roll around the floor.

 

[swathdiver]

Yup! That's the one I was looking at. I have plenty of .25" x .75" flat stock, some C-shaped pieces very similar to that hinge, and I can make hooks. Throwing all that together and adding a pipe to fit the ram on one half and some tabs to secure it into the bed on the other half would be really easy. My point is to have another use for the press without having to buy a proprietary tool. Plus, the press would hold the spring in place while the strut is swapped rather than let it roll around the floor.

Always fun to build your own tools. Way back when, carpenters used to make their own box planes as gunsmiths used to also make all of their own tools as well. I've customized, commissioned or made some of my own tools for my muzzleloaders as well, fun stuff.

 

[iamdub]

Always fun to build your own tools. Way back when, carpenters used to make their own box planes as gunsmiths used to also make all of their own tools as well. I've customized, commissioned or made some of my own tools for my muzzleloaders as well, fun stuff.

Especially with the advent of Harbor Freight and free loan-a-tool programs from the auto parts stores, it's hard to justify making my own tools for the things I'd rarely ever use. But, after seeing this style of compressor and seeing the one at HF is $60+, I still may throw one together. Or if I find one even cheaper, get that and modify it to fit in the press.

Like you said- it's just more fun!

 

[ls1frc]

Got the arnott factory air shocks back in the rear and a new air compressor.

First start, I could hear the compressor kick on and fill the shocks.

But since that first start, I haven't heard the air compressor. I used to hear my old, busted air compressor with my worn out shocks every single key on. Is this normal behavior? Or should I hear it compress every key on/start like before? I tried sitting in the trunk while it was running, but still didn't hear it. Might need more weight than just me @ about 220 lbs. Suspension only seemed to drop a couple inches.