Anyone have a strut spring compressor tool?

[Dave1965]

man thats lots of money and aggravation and I really don't see much of a difference

That's because currently we only have day and night time photos to compare. I need to take another daytime shot at work in the same parking spot. ,

Edited to add: I'm only $235 in for lowering.

plus time, your labor and aggravation

[ssracer]

man thats lots of money and aggravation and I really don't see much of a difference

That's because currently we only have day and night time photos to compare. I need to take another daytime shot at work in the same parking spot. ,

Edited to add: I'm only $235 in for lowering.

That's not bad. I'm looking at $1200 just to level the front of the Silverado.

I bought a leaf spring drop kit for mine years ago to being the back down and level it out...basically just a new shackle kit. Good it back after I discovered the bolts were rusted into the springs...lol. I got the nuts off and after beating on the bolts with a small sledge for an hour I gave up. Thought about getting a front end leveling kit which is basically just spacers for the springs.

I’m sure a new truck is a little more involved...lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Joe]

To bad I don't get on much. I have three sets of spring compressors for struts

[ProCroation]

To bad I don't get on much. I have three sets of spring compressors for struts

well hell

Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk

[rustynuts]

man thats lots of money and aggravation and I really don't see much of a difference

That's because currently we only have day and night time photos to compare. I need to take another daytime shot at work in the same parking spot. ,

Edited to add: I'm only $235 in for lowering.

That's not bad. I'm looking at $1200 just to level the front of the Silverado.

I bought a leaf spring drop kit for mine years ago to being the back down and level it out...basically just a new shackle kit. Good it back after I discovered the bolts were rusted into the springs...lol. I got the nuts off and after beating on the bolts with a small sledge for an hour I gave up. Thought about getting a front end leveling kit which is basically just spacers for the springs.

I’m sure a new truck is a little more involved...lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Not really, everyone still sells the spacers and new bolts as leveling kits. I just don't want to go that route.

[Niceguy]

man thats lots of money and aggravation and I really don't see much of a difference

That's because currently we only have day and night time photos to compare. I need to take another daytime shot at work in the same parking spot. ,

Edited to add: I'm only $235 in for lowering.

That's not bad. I'm looking at $1200 just to level the front of the Silverado.

I bought a leaf spring drop kit for mine years ago to being the back down and level it out...basically just a new shackle kit. Good it back after I discovered the bolts were rusted into the springs...lol. I got the nuts off and after beating on the bolts with a small sledge for an hour I gave up. Thought about getting a front end leveling kit which is basically just spacers for the springs.

I’m sure a new truck is a little more involved...lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Not really, everyone still sells the spacers and new bolts as leveling kits. I just don't want to go that route.

They are spacers that bolt onto your existing struts at the top and that's it. No idea why you wouldn't want to go with that. It is little to no stress on your drivetrain and keeps it riding like stock without any f'ed up steering or suspension geometry.

[Marcus]

To bad I don't get on much. I have three sets of spring compressors for struts

Joe!!!

[1fastmach1]

man thats lots of money and aggravation and I really don't see much of a difference

That's because currently we only have day and night time photos to compare. I need to take another daytime shot at work in the same parking spot. ,

Edited to add: I'm only $235 in for lowering.

That's not bad. I'm looking at $1200 just to level the front of the Silverado.

I bought a leaf spring drop kit for mine years ago to being the back down and level it out...basically just a new shackle kit. Good it back after I discovered the bolts were rusted into the springs...lol. I got the nuts off and after beating on the bolts with a small sledge for an hour I gave up. Thought about getting a front end leveling kit which is basically just spacers for the springs.

I’m sure a new truck is a little more involved...lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Not really, everyone still sells the spacers and new bolts as leveling kits. I just don't want to go that route.

They are spacers that bolt onto your existing struts at the top and that's it. No idea why you wouldn't want to go with that. It is little to no stress on your drivetrain and keeps it riding like stock without any f'ed up steering or suspension geometry.

This.

Why spend a grand when you don’t have to? My truck doesn’t ride any different then before I leveled it.

[ProCroation]

man thats lots of money and aggravation and I really don't see much of a difference

That's because currently we only have day and night time photos to compare. I need to take another daytime shot at work in the same parking spot. ,

Edited to add: I'm only $235 in for lowering.

plus time, your labor and aggravation

If I had gone to a shop, the quotes ranged from $400 to $505 locally just for labor. They said 1.8 hours total for the rear springs (weird cause it took me 35 minutes including jacking it up and taking wheels off, it was literally only one bolt) and 1.8 hours each for remove and install front struts (took me 1.5 total).

I traded actual cost for theoretical cost and I'm content with that. What I can't account for is the aggravation of standing in goodyear for 2 hours watching them struggle, the driving to every shop in town just to be told they can't do the job nor the 1.5 hours I whipped this tool up and just did the job myself. You're right about that. That's the expense. Call me an optimist but I'll take that trade any day...well MOST any day

Of course there were other options out there like coilovers ($959 for decent parts although MUCH easier to install since the springs are already installed) and air ride susepension ($2,300 for decent parts plus a pain in the ass to install). I went the cheaper route and paid the price all while not paying the price. It's all good my man.

[Dave1965]

Generally cheaper to do it yourself. But peoples time is worth something, stress, etc. Plus if it took a day out of your life and was not just a ball of fun to do...sometimes I would just rather pay the mechanic 100 bucks to do it and call me when its ready. People forget to consider all this.

[ProCroation]

Generally cheaper to do it yourself. But peoples time is worth something, stress, etc. Plus if it took a day out of your life and was not just a ball of fun to do...sometimes I would just rather pay the mechanic 100 bucks to do it and call me when its ready. People forget to consider all this.

The only shop local to me (and open on my one day off work) that had a spring compressor was Goodyear and they failed. All other shops couldn't do it because they did not have a spring compressor, in favor of doing quick-strut. My options were to travel and spend money getting them swapped somewhere out of town, wait till Monday with no car, or to do exactly what I did here. By the time Goodyear came up empty handed, a lot of shops were already closed or closing soon anyway (4pm Saturday). That would have left me waiting for Monday to find a shop just to install the springs and I didn't necessarily want to wait. Trust me...it was all considered.

[rustynuts]

man thats lots of money and aggravation and I really don't see much of a difference

That's because currently we only have day and night time photos to compare. I need to take another daytime shot at work in the same parking spot. ,

Edited to add: I'm only $235 in for lowering.

That's not bad. I'm looking at $1200 just to level the front of the Silverado.

I bought a leaf spring drop kit for mine years ago to being the back down and level it out...basically just a new shackle kit. Good it back after I discovered the bolts were rusted into the springs...lol. I got the nuts off and after beating on the bolts with a small sledge for an hour I gave up. Thought about getting a front end leveling kit which is basically just spacers for the springs.

I’m sure a new truck is a little more involved...lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Not really, everyone still sells the spacers and new bolts as leveling kits. I just don't want to go that route.

They are spacers that bolt onto your existing struts at the top and that's it. No idea why you wouldn't want to go with that. It is little to no stress on your drivetrain and keeps it riding like stock without any f'ed up steering or suspension geometry.

This.

Why spend a grand when you don’t have to? My truck doesn’t ride any different then before I leveled it.

I don' like the rebound on the stock Ransho shocks. They compress just fine, but on fast bumps the rebound is too quick. Especially on the back end.

I was going to go with spacers and Bilsteins, but those aren't much better. Took a ride in a friend's truck that has coilovers and it is what I'm looking for. Smooths out bumps on the highway and is just fine for the little off roading I will be doing.

[ProCroation]

man thats lots of money and aggravation and I really don't see much of a difference

That's because currently we only have day and night time photos to compare. I need to take another daytime shot at work in the same parking spot. ,

Edited to add: I'm only $235 in for lowering.

That's not bad. I'm looking at $1200 just to level the front of the Silverado.

I bought a leaf spring drop kit for mine years ago to being the back down and level it out...basically just a new shackle kit. Good it back after I discovered the bolts were rusted into the springs...lol. I got the nuts off and after beating on the bolts with a small sledge for an hour I gave up. Thought about getting a front end leveling kit which is basically just spacers for the springs.

I’m sure a new truck is a little more involved...lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Not really, everyone still sells the spacers and new bolts as leveling kits. I just don't want to go that route.

They are spacers that bolt onto your existing struts at the top and that's it. No idea why you wouldn't want to go with that. It is little to no stress on your drivetrain and keeps it riding like stock without any f'ed up steering or suspension geometry.

This.

Why spend a grand when you don’t have to? My truck doesn’t ride any different then before I leveled it.

I don' like the rebound on the stock Ransho shocks. They compress just fine, but on fast bumps the rebound is too quick. Especially on the back end.

I was going to go with spacers and Bilsteins, but those aren't much better. Took a ride in a friend's truck that has coilovers and it is what I'm looking for. Smooths out bumps on the highway and is just fine for the little off roading I will be doing.

I see your point. Coilovers are better than stock and hey, it's your money. If it's what makes you happy and what you want, I say shoot for it. I would have done coilovers myself, if they weren't so expensive. I plan to air bag the car in a year or two though.

Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk

[rustynuts]

man thats lots of money and aggravation and I really don't see much of a difference

That's because currently we only have day and night time photos to compare. I need to take another daytime shot at work in the same parking spot. ,

Edited to add: I'm only $235 in for lowering.

That's not bad. I'm looking at $1200 just to level the front of the Silverado.

I bought a leaf spring drop kit for mine years ago to being the back down and level it out...basically just a new shackle kit. Good it back after I discovered the bolts were rusted into the springs...lol. I got the nuts off and after beating on the bolts with a small sledge for an hour I gave up. Thought about getting a front end leveling kit which is basically just spacers for the springs.

I’m sure a new truck is a little more involved...lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Not really, everyone still sells the spacers and new bolts as leveling kits. I just don't want to go that route.

They are spacers that bolt onto your existing struts at the top and that's it. No idea why you wouldn't want to go with that. It is little to no stress on your drivetrain and keeps it riding like stock without any f'ed up steering or suspension geometry.

This.

Why spend a grand when you don’t have to? My truck doesn’t ride any different then before I leveled it.

I don' like the rebound on the stock Ransho shocks. They compress just fine, but on fast bumps the rebound is too quick. Especially on the back end.

I was going to go with spacers and Bilsteins, but those aren't much better. Took a ride in a friend's truck that has coilovers and it is what I'm looking for. Smooths out bumps on the highway and is just fine for the little off roading I will be doing.

I see your point. Coilovers are better than stock and hey, it's your money. If it's what makes you happy and what you want, I say shoot for it. I would have done coilovers myself, if they weren't so expensive. I plan to air bag the car in a year or two though.

Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk

If I didn't drive the truck 100 miles a day I probably wouldn't even worry about it. I love the truck, just hate the rebound on sharp bumps. And my road has little sharp bumps every 20 feet, so I grit my teeth every morning when I come home.

[rustynuts]

I'm guessing they paved this road in 20 foot sections of concrete or something, long ago, and now there are ridges running across the road for it's full length.

[Rem700]

man thats lots of money and aggravation and I really don't see much of a difference

That's because currently we only have day and night time photos to compare. I need to take another daytime shot at work in the same parking spot. ,

Edited to add: I'm only $235 in for lowering.

That's not bad. I'm looking at $1200 just to level the front of the Silverado.

I bought a leaf spring drop kit for mine years ago to being the back down and level it out...basically just a new shackle kit. Good it back after I discovered the bolts were rusted into the springs...lol. I got the nuts off and after beating on the bolts with a small sledge for an hour I gave up. Thought about getting a front end leveling kit which is basically just spacers for the springs.

I’m sure a new truck is a little more involved...lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Not really, everyone still sells the spacers and new bolts as leveling kits. I just don't want to go that route.

They are spacers that bolt onto your existing struts at the top and that's it. No idea why you wouldn't want to go with that. It is little to no stress on your drivetrain and keeps it riding like stock without any f'ed up steering or suspension geometry.

This.

Why spend a grand when you don’t have to? My truck doesn’t ride any different then before I leveled it.

I don' like the rebound on the stock Ransho shocks. They compress just fine, but on fast bumps the rebound is too quick. Especially on the back end.

I was going to go with spacers and Bilsteins, but those aren't much better. Took a ride in a friend's truck that has coilovers and it is what I'm looking for. Smooths out bumps on the highway and is just fine for the little off roading I will be doing.

I see your point. Coilovers are better than stock and hey, it's your money. If it's what makes you happy and what you want, I say shoot for it. I would have done coilovers myself, if they weren't so expensive. I plan to air bag the car in a year or two though.

Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk

If I didn't drive the truck 100 miles a day I probably wouldn't even worry about it. I love the truck, just hate the rebound on sharp bumps. And my road has little sharp bumps every 20 feet, so I grit my teeth every morning when I come home.

I feel you on that one. Thats the only downside to a pickup (stock). No weight in the back to keep those sharp bumps from hitting so hard and bouncing the backend. I will be looking into coil overs or something eventually.

[Niceguy]

Nothing other than making it not a "truck" will fix that. You either get a truck that rides like a truck or you get a car that rides like a car... Only way to really get rid of all that is air ride and cushy fat tires...

[Rem700]

Lol i know it wont be great, but it can be better! My new tires def changed the ride quality some. But i also went with a more aggressive A/T tire so i expected it.

I still have a brake caliper that is sticking periodically. Whats the best way to test them? Johnny what you got for replacement if needed?

[rustynuts]

I'm not disliking the truck's ride....I've had trucks before and knew what to expect. I just don't like that fast rebound and from what I saw of the coilovers, they take most of that away. I'm not looking to get rid of the truck ride, that's a good part of what I like about them. Just want to smooth off that one rough edge a bit.

I don't mind spending the money to get what I want.