Coil Spring Compressor

[1970EuropaGuy]

Has anyone bought a coil spring compressor that easily fits the tight coils on the front strut. I made a system and managed to get my springs off but would prefer to use a proper compressor next time.

[BDA]

You can make your own pretty easily. Some people have used ratcheting tie straps to compress the spring. I have a plate a friend of mine made for me. It has a hole in the middle to put the shock in but the hole is not big enough for the spring perch to go through and there are two smaller holes in the corners. Then I made hooks made in part of threaded rod. I hook the threaded rod hooks on the spring and through small holes. Tightening up nuts on the threaded rod compresses the spring. It's really crude but it works well. The red on the hooks is the stuff you dip pliers in to give a plastic cover. The tape is to minimize scuffing the paint on the shock.

[1970EuropaGuy]

Thanks BDA,

That looks easier to deal with than what I used to remove the springs.

[BDA]

Sometimes you need to make do with what you have. In those cases, you have the perfect solution! 

[1970EuropaGuy]

I like the idea of only having two threaded rods however. Off to the shop I go! Painting time

[surfguitar58]

I love the ingenuity on this site, but it is hard to argue with this $32 option from the Peoples Republic of Harbor Freight.
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[RoddyMac]

Typically those Mac-strut compressors are too big to work on the 1.9 and 2.25 ID springs.  They work just fine on Elan rear springs, but they just don't fit between the coils of the smaller diameter springs.

[Certified Lotus]

I use spring compressors for motorcycles. They work very well.

First photo shows the detail. Second photo shows the scale next to a bottle of beer 

I have a custom spring compressor made by my friend Chris for Elan’s,  unfortunately they don’t fit on Europa’s.

[1970EuropaGuy]

I assume these would be available at motorcycle shops? That might be an option. I came up with a new design today, less than 12 Canadian Pesos that might work really well.

[BDA]

They probably are available at motorcycle shops but you can also get them at Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/AlphaMoto-Motorcycle-Shock-Spring-Compressor/dp/B004NV23KC/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?keywords=Motorcycle+spring+compressor&qid=1559956271&s=gateway&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1

[My S1]

Just another dumb question for you guys.  Can the rear coil over assembly be removed from the top cross car mount and the lower hub carrier bolt without compressing the spring?  The manual seems to imply that I first need to compress the spring to remove the "C" shaped coil retainer first?

[Bryan Boyle]

Just another dumb question for you guys.  Can the rear coil over assembly be removed from the top cross car mount and the lower hub carrier bolt without compressing the spring?  The manual seems to imply that I first need to compress the spring to remove the "C" shaped coil retainer first?

you don't need to compress the spring, but you do need to jack the car up...  It will extend the shock to its full extension.  To put back in, I just attach to the top bolt, then use a floor jack to compress the shock.  But, to tell the truth, the spax replacement and spring didn't need any persuasion in either direction to put in.

[My S1]

Great to know.  The manual skips over the removal part and goes straight into the disassembly of the unit.

I have some spax coming from SJ and with their full adjustability, as you say, there should be no problem going in.


The shocks are definitely weak so I'll toss those.  Do the spring have any value to anyone other than the scrap yard or making bar stools?