Fitting springs without a compressor

[salty_monk]

Anyone got any tips to get the springs on my new progressives?

Tool is $35 here.

Dan

[TheCafeKid]

Ive seen them taken apart via a bench vise. Dunno if the opposite will work..

[chef1366]

A strut spring compressor will work. I just took mine to the local MC parts and shop and he put them on in five minutes for a couple of bucks.

[walt]

you should be able to do it with a bench vise. be sure to slip the bump stop down the shaft a couple of inches first. i installed 105/150 springs this way and i only weigh 155lb. and am 64 yrs. old. the first hard/bottom out bump you ride over will return the stops to the top of the shaft. it's a bit of a strain but doable.

[bonanzadave]

No tools required, just a 3rd hand. Set the pre load all the way down. Push down on the shock and have your pet monkey, wife/GF/BF or available kid slide in the keeper. Done.

[bwringer]

I have two lengths of heavy angle iron that are very loosely bolted together at one end.

The bolted end goes under a bench, bumper, or some other heavy object about a foot off the ground.

Put duct tape on the edges of the angle irons so they don't scratch the springs.

Stand the shock up on one end, preferably on something that won't let the end move off to the side, and compress the spring by sticking the edges of the angle iron through two coils.

[duaneage]

If your referring to rear springs, I use a very thin 14 mm wrench to turn the nut with. the preload need to be all the way down first. The thin wrench is actually a bicycle tool that is made by Park Tools.

I use a fair amount of bicycle tools on my GS, the headset nut lockring is tightened with a bicycle tool as well.

[hampshirehog]

I've always just wound a length of strong rope around the top and bottom loops, joined the ends of the rope to make a loop of rope, inserted a bar and wound it round, a bit like winding up an elastic band powered model aircraft. Piece of cake.

Wally