I bought one of these things and have been pretty happy with it. I don't know if I would use it for heavy duty truck springs or anything but for passenger cars it's held up pretty good during the last year and 3 different vehicles. If you did buy one just to use once you could probably turn around and sell it on craigslist and get almost all your money back. I think all the negative reviews from that style (not necessarily the one I bought but all the others just like it) are from people abusing the tool, or not understanding how it works, or other things like that.

It's a hell of a lot easier than using the two screw style of strut compressors.

 

I bought the preloaded FCS strut assemblies from Rockauto for my stock g35 sedan and really like them for the money and oem replacement. 14k miles, no complaints.

I also replaced all other suspension components with Moog while I was in there.

 

Nice idea. It brings back that new feeling!

 

You can go to partsource and rent the spring compression kit for free - just give deposit and get it back.
also you can wait for the CT/PS buy one, get one 50% off the monroe quick strut - probably still be a little more though

also i hate how rust free your G's are down south

 

They'll be dead at 30-40k and you'll wish you had spent the money more wisely. You'll replace all 4 shocks 4-6 times before you'd ever rebuild a coilover. Good luck

 

And my factory ones were tired at 60k miles.

I'll be happy to keep reporting updates.

 

Just to add a random nugget of info to this thread: the front suspension is designed that you can just use a scissor jack to compress and remove the spring. No need for sketchy compressor tools, let the weight of the car do the work for you.

 

How exactly do you go about removing the strut from the spring while on the car??

 

Would love to know this info as well

 

Proceed with caution:
Lift front end and placed on jack stands. Using a floor jack under the spindle, raise the suspension just so it barely begins to lift car up off stands. Now, undo the strut to top hat bolt. Slowly lower the spindle, slowly, you're basically using the car as the compressor here so don't just release the floor jack. Now that tension is released from the spring strut combo, you can pop the upper control arm loose from the spindle and slide the strut out. Installation is the reverse. You can leave top hats in place or trade them out now.

 

I feel for you all working on rusty northern cars, but southern cars aren't perfect. My car in the picture was from Florida, so while the underside and body are rust free, it did come with an absolutely over baked black interior and brittle weather stripping. Also bonus sand under the spare tire and in trunk (must've gone to the beach a lot and thrown gear in the trunk).

 

I guess I don't understand your method, but I really want to as I need to do my suspension. Can you find a video?

 

Just use a spring compressor.

 

Makes sense when you look at it. Dunno if a video exists, just me figuring it out on my own after getting bad mounts and having to swap them out 3 times in a week. I doubt I'm the only one though.

 

Sounds like if the hydro jack move side to side at all you would have a bad day lol.