Looking to buy a spring compressor

As the title suggests I'm looking to buy a spring compressor that will disassemble struts (mostly passenger car/crossover type stuff), and hopefully do some larger springs like the coilovers / struts (seem to go by different names) found on GMC 1/2 ton trucks. Nothing bigger than that.

Affordability is a criteria as is safety.

I've used the rent-a-tool Autozone stuff that has the all thread and cheap hooks, didn't die from it, but made sure the spring wasn't pointed at me and that I was in a large open space. But it worked. Looking for something somewhere in the middle of "afraid to be next to it" and super expensive mechanic shop stuff.

Does such a thing exist?

I have a Branick 7600....Love it.

That being said.....I worked at a shop that just had a piece of 5/8" Rebar bent into a half circle & welded to a Lift Arm, Simply lower the lift onto the strut mount. It worked!!
 
There was also a Branick 7400 and going further back the MST-580A. Perhaps others, too. If they're complete I wouldn't be afraid of any of them. Getting missing hard parts for the older ones can be next to impossible but you can always source bearings based upon dimensions, so don't shy away if there's just a trashed bearing if the price is right.
 
Wow one must wonder how there's $1700 worth of steel and machining there. I'm sure they're nice but either the margins are huge or import fees are quite high
They cost less in Germany but are still not cheap. When doing some Mercedes captured springs I wouldn't trust anything but a compressor from Klann for the job.
 
They cost less in Germany but are still not cheap. When doing some Mercedes captured springs I wouldn't trust anything but a compressor from Klann for the job.
I suppose $1700 is still cheaper than new front teeth :D
 
Also it doesn't appear the 25% could apply to AC Hydraulics jacks, but I didn't try very hard (don't feel like putting all my personal info into cart).

If it did....that would be pretty sweet. Pelican is one of only a handful of sources for arguably the best floor jacks on the planet.....
 
I have two Klann compressors. One for normal springs, one for the longer MB springs that need to be done from the inside.

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Those are the right stuff for those cars. A MB W123 is the only spring I ever ran into that actually blew a compressor apart and darn near caused me and my wife who was standing behind me serious injury, parts flew right near her head. The compressor was not a Klann but a decent one and not a dime store chicom job.
 
I own multiple spring compressor tools. For struts the below is by far the safest and easiest. Clamp the tool in a bench vice and assemble. Other less expensive brands are available. Buy quality and be safe.
The Eastwood compressor style is the one I ended up buying. I spent way too many hours reading reviews and this seems to be the best bang for the buck. I spotted a few reviews that said they used that compressor successfully on a GMT900/K2 platform, but some suggested using a secondary dogbone style compressor on the other side as a helper.

If I did more than one or two struts a year, a GOOD $800+ tool might be in the cards. But presently the GMC 1/2 ton truck I'm doing is a one time thing. If it looks unsafe with the Eastwood compressor, I'll take the strut to a shop and have them swap it out. Other than that is should be appropriate and plenty safe for the vehicles I own and work on.

Many thanks to all you guys for the valuable info.
 
Had no real issues compressing the spring on the '14 GMC Sierra, but you can tell there's a lot of force there.

I ended up using an Autozone rental, dogbone (widow-maker?) style compressor to help on the opposite side, and between the two compressors, they still don't like it. I didn't feel unsafe but kept that thing pointed in a safe direction.

The dogbone compressor had a noticeable bend to it, but I've seen worse compressing small FWD car springs with those things.

Incorrect front struts stopped us dead in our tracks though. Ordered Gabriel Ultra G58170 which according to Rockauto, fits a '14 Sierra 1500 2wd... The shaft was 11/16" diameter, while the OEM part was 9/16". Too large to fit in the top cup and the mount. Returned to Amazon and bought a set of Bilsteins instead. So this project will have to wait until replacement struts arrive, but should be smooth sailing from there now that we have everything disassembled and figured out.

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Old strut:

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New (incorrect) strut:

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What about something like this from Home Depot? https://www.homedepot.com/p/VEVOR-3...-Hydraulic-Tool-3TTHCZQ0000000001V0/323124838

92saturnsl2

, what unit did you use for the eastwood style?
I ended up buying this one:


I'm not convinced the Eastwood branded model for more money isn't made at the same factory in China, there are too many similarities, so I went with the cheaper one.

That Vevor unit you linked to seems like it'd be good for infrequent use (I suspect it's the same Chinesium stuff the Eastwood is), I would have considered it.
 
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As the title suggests I'm looking to buy a spring compressor that will disassemble struts (mostly passenger car/crossover type stuff), and hopefully do some larger springs like the coilovers / struts (seem to go by different names) found on GMC 1/2 ton trucks. Nothing bigger than that.

Affordability is a criteria as is safety.

I've used the rent-a-tool Autozone stuff that has the all thread and cheap hooks, didn't die from it, but made sure the spring wasn't pointed at me and that I was in a large open space. But it worked. Looking for something somewhere in the middle of "afraid to be next to it" and super expensive mechanic shop stuff.

Does such a thing exist?
This is by far what you want.


Just remember: Hand tools only for spring compressors! I have used this set multiple times on my 2013 Silverado. I never used the safety attachments. I would never use a less heavy duty set. I just out two turns on at a time working around all three. Bolt end gets held by wrench, nut gets turned. I put a couple drops of oil on the threads as I was doing it. Literally drops. These are nice and heavy duty for 1/2 ton trucks.
 
This is by far what you want.


Just remember: Hand tools only for spring compressors! I have used this set multiple times on my 2013 Silverado. I never used the safety attachments. I would never use a less heavy duty set. I just out two turns on at a time working around all three. Bolt end gets held by wrench, nut gets turned. I put a couple drops of oil on the threads as I was doing it. Literally drops. These are nice and heavy duty for 1/2 ton trucks.
Nevermind, I see you already got one!
 
I bought the Eastwood last week.


Tried it out today.

What a piece of junk!

It compressed the spring OK, but then it jammed. The carriage that moves dug into the body and gouged out a burr. It wouldn’t move. I had to compress it again, grind down the burr, and try again.

I got another 1/4” before it raised another burr and jammed.

I finally got it off by using the old threaded rod spring compressor.

The whole body was gouged up. See below. This thing isn’t good, it’s terrible. It’s unsafe.

I won’t use it again. Oh, and the chunk in the picture is a broken off burr that fell out as moving it for the picture.

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I bought the Eastwood last week.


Tried it out today.

What a piece of junk!

It compressed the spring OK, but then it jammed. The carriage that moves dug into the body and gouged out a burr. It wouldn’t move. I had to compress it again, grind down the burr, and try again.

I got another 1/4” before it raised another burr and jammed.

I finally got it off by using the old threaded rod spring compressor.

The whole body was gouged up. See below. This thing isn’t good, it’s terrible. It’s unsafe.

I won’t use it again. Oh, and the chunk in the picture is a broken off burr that fell out as moving it for the picture.

View attachment 165740
You should leave a review on Eastwood's site and see if they let it stand. Some of their stuff seems barely middle-of-the-road but reviews are often favorable and I have to wonder if they massage that.

Safe and effective!
Safe and effective!
Safe and effective! Er wait, that was something else.....
 
They cost less in Germany but are still not cheap. When doing some Mercedes captured springs I wouldn't trust anything but a compressor from Klann for the job.
I did a pair of front struts on a CLK550 recently. There was no way I could get them anywhere near compressed with my strut tamer. Wound up using my buddy's Branick 7600 and it was one of if not the sketchiest things either one of us has ever done. I'll buy the Klann if I ever have to do another one
 
My clone Eastwood has exceeded my expectations. It has done a few FWD struts on different cars as well as the helping hand on that GMC 1500 I was working on. Zero complaints. But realize I'm small potatoes, I use this tool rarely and my normal day job (income) doesn't depend on it. That's where I draw the line with the too cheap to be good tools.
 
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