obscure Kent Moore tool

J-36567

it's a special coil spring compressor for the front suspension of rwd Isuzu Impulse. likely for Fiero & Chevette/T1000/Acadian as well.

I have not been able to find anything online other than a single mention of it on the Isupage. maybe someone out there has seen this thing in a service dept collecting dust?

$$$/beer/etc to anyone that helps me track one of these things down. I can potentially make my own version of it but I have a growing backlog of parts to machine and other E36 M3 to do that I need another thing on the list like I need a hole in my head.

thanks for any help

the "jack under the balljoint" method of spring removal and installation doesn't work in those cars?

Not really. It's kind of a scary setup, IIRC.

I used vinyl coated steel cable wrapped around a few compressed coils as seen here:

http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Archives/Archive-000001/HTML/20100421-2-096283.html

got the stock coils out (16" free length!) and new coils (11")in using that method.

new springs are hd Moog parts for a Mitsu Mighty Max, almost double the rate, went in easy but lowered the front ~2.625". not into the herra frush slammed crap so I made 1.5" spacers for the upper seat. now with the spacer & coil I can't compress it enough to get it into the lower control arm.

removed the lower arm pivot bolt to seat the spring & tried to jack it up into place, had a few pucker moments with the spring moving around, car lifting off the stands, jack getting pushed out, etc - couldn't do it. been messing with this for a number of days now & feel like I'm pushing my luck -

I'm all for gettin' it done & being creative but not into injuring myself.

I hate working on difficult springs, scary stuff!

It's a long shot, but did you call this guy?

http://www.pandahi.com/1012076360.html

Alternatively, if you post a couple pictures of what you're dealing with, I'm sure the lot of us could come up with some safe suggestions.

Bryce

run a chain from somewhere on the body to the front axle of your floor jack to keep the car from lifting when you jack up on the lower control arm... i took apart a front subframe from a 69 Nova with tall 6 cylinder springs with this method. this was just the subframe sitting on jackstands with no engine or anything..

Buy or borrow a band strap tool.

One Opel guy also had good luck with two chunks of aircraft cable just enough longer than the relaxed spring to run up the center of the spring with a loop sticking out top and bottom. Those loops go over a piece of all thread and get tightened up to each other.

here is the stock spring coming out, took a pry bar with much force to pop it out. glad I chained it because it would have traveled:

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/media/img/readerrides/IMG_0058.JPG

Bryce, the compressor was listed on that page, I will contact him - thank you

also will call some local shops to see if anyone bands springs.

Use this. http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/190961906610?lpid=82