Coil Spring Compressors - OTC vs. Branick

Honest answer is you need both. I have the OTC and a buddy has both the 7400 and 7600 Branicks and we both occasionally run to each others shops with struts we cant compress.
Beat me to it. The biggest culprits I see are Cadillac CTS struts with the control arm/bracket that gets in the way and often I have to resort to the old manual style and crank em down. No matter how many times you do it - it's still a scary ordeal to me.
 
I have the OTC model and it does not do some struts but what it does it does well. I would guess it would cover 75%-80% of what you may see.

I also have this cheapie that while scares the crap out of me everytime I use it - it has not failed me and after using it for the past 10 yrs I can say I got my money's worth out of it 100x over.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2974610982...msZ/OyTkATJvkhKjgmZCvPZiI=|tkp:BlBMUIK41r7_Zg
 
I have the OTC model and it does not do some struts but what it does it does well. I would guess it would cover 75%-80% of what you may see.

I also have this cheapie that while scares the crap out of me everytime I use it - it has not failed me and after using it for the past 10 yrs I can say I got my money's worth out of it 100x over.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/297461098282?_skw=strut+spring+compressor&itmmeta=01KFXYNKFCB92WBJ169KE91F0P&hash=item454210272a:g:w54AAeSw6QBob~Ki&itmprp=enc:AQALAAAA0O7PUuNWmJ++UShgI9tQz/riO0ovnMzzfwop4iQDMHzcFeyJWutQGCRlpVQCBE2UeHXHGOvB9cNlPtLK+8YNjC7od0/tLhDS+s5BaH4jzZbsnbrPIfnkdJT7KT81MAYAvt1ALBSEQ17x1tj7Ffia1j57G5Slffjxr+nFH0+2F8LXHELoT+8Ha6muqv6/F/hkbiylhZzh8D4/JyZb3jRvXsBG3ZU7QHwYicuBKGH6zxgejbaRkWQmYRSmkK7+5JmsZ/OyTkATJvkhKjgmZCvPZiI=|tkp:BlBMUIK41r7_Zg
That looks safe compared to the 2 I have now.......... Looping a chain through should make you feel warmer and fuzzier.
 
Being retired my credit card is smoking more now, than when I was working. You saved me a chunk. Good find
Let me know how works out for you - also, some measurements of the base would be appreciated. Thank you!
 
Awesome find Critic....... Thank thank you. You must have done a bit of googling to find that?

I just pulled the trigger. I'm not sure how soon I'll be using it yet. But with the discount now was the time.

I was wrong I can use this for at least 3 vehicles........ I forgot my 2016 Focus will need the front struts done not too far in the future. I'll let everyone know how it goes. Keeps me from wrestling with my other dinky spring compressors. The Expedition/F150 springs are pretty stout. I'll feel a lot less stress now with the SK3500. Plus I can use some struts like Bilstein
I did the rear springs on my 14 Navigator with the Harbor Freight strut compressors…you know, the “danger sticks” lol. I custom ordered springs with an extra 350lb load capacity per spring for a total of an extra 700lbs load capacity (wish I had ordered them with an extra 500lbs capacity per spring). Wanna talk about a dangerous workout? Imagine springs with wire diameter so thick, they don’t technically fit in the J groove of the compressors and already known strong springs being even stronger, lmao. I was hyped on adrenaline for the whole compression/decompression job.

I wish I would have had any of the compressors in this thread. I looked at both the OTC and Branick and would one day love to have the OTC in my garage.
 
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I think the 2012 F150, or the Expedition struts will be first on my agenda. But that is a little ways off. I would like to get my daughter on some fresh struts on the Expedition. They pull a good size trailer sometimes. I don't like them driving with a blown out front strut. They are oblivious to it.

I'll get it assembled when I get it to make sure all the parts are accounted for. Also to make sure nothing is damaged. I will put some pics up when I get some struts going on it.

If anybody needs some pics before I post some while in use, let me know. I hope it works out well for me. If it does not I'll sell it to somebody here.......:ROFLMAO:

Edit: I don't know if any accessories are available for it?
 
I think the 2012 F150, or the Expedition struts will be first on my agenda. But that is a little ways off. I would like to get my daughter on some fresh struts on the Expedition. They pull a good size trailer sometimes. I don't like them driving with a blown out front strut. They are oblivious to it.

I'll get it assembled when I get it to make sure all the parts are accounted for. Also to make sure nothing is damaged. I will put some pics up when I get some struts going on it.

If anybody needs some pics before I post some while in use, let me know. I hope it works out well for me. If it does not I'll sell it to somebody here.......:ROFLMAO:

Edit: I don't know if any accessories are available for it?
posting to be in on the thread.. sure love to see some pics of the compressor.. but not of you on the way to the ER.. :giggle:
 
Does your base have foldable legs? I heard there are two versions being sold.
Mine does not have foldable legs and I don't believe any of the new ones being sold currently have them. When I ordered mine from Redline, they even had a place that you had to check to acknowledge that the compressor does not have foldable legs.
 
Mine does not have foldable legs and I don't believe any of the new ones being sold currently have them. When I ordered mine from Redline, they even had a place that you had to check to acknowledge that the compressor does not have foldable legs.

I assume it will be fixed legs from what I read at Redline. Though I ordered it from a different company.

I'll probably store it high on my Gorilla shelf in my shop. So folding legs don't matter to me. Maybe the folding were not as durable, or cost too much to make?
 
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I assume it will be fixed legs from what I read at Redline. Though I ordered it from a different company.

I'll probably store it high on my Gorilla shelf in my shop. So folding legs don't matter to me. Maybe the folding were not as durable, or cost too much to make?
I'm not sure why they quit making the folding legs but maybe the base footprint was small enough with the legs folded that it made the compressor unstable. The top part of the compressor is fairly heavy. The main post screws into the base that has the wheels so if you don't want to store it totally assembled, just don't put the base on it until you want to use it and then unscrew it when you are done.

I keep mine in a shed so I leave it totally assembled. It really doesn't take up much room.
 
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