What's your favorite valve spring remover?

I've got one of these and I dread using it one more time.  The damn thing hurts your hand and god forbid you accidentally hook it one coil too short and can't get the keepers off.

This would be for old American iron, nothing fancy or OHC or anything.

The big C-clamp shaped kind works great, and has zero chance of exploding in your face.  I've used one on everything from a Volvo Redblock (8 valve OHC) to an LS to a 2JZ.

I use my milling machine, although a drill press would work fine.

Put an O2 sensor socket on a hex adapter in the drill chuck.  Lower the chuck until it clamps the valve spring down and lock the spindle down.  Use a magnet to grab the keepers, then slowly raise the spindle and you're done.  Works great for installing as well.

Note:  This probably only works if the head is off the car.

Use a 3/4" or so deep socket and a short 3/8" extension.

Put the socket on the retainer and hit it with a hammer. The locks will pop out and sit on top of the retainer. It's all I ever use to disassemble a head and I've done thousand's of valves that way.

Big c clamp style is my favorite

I'm with Peabody for removal but I clamp the socket with a vise grip and use a 9lb. hammer.  (like my fingers right where they are).

For installation, the one below is easier, safer and quicker than anything I've ever used.  Once you adjust the jaws and clamp depth it's unbelievably fast.

What head?  What are the valve spring seat pressures....???

If it is a small head... seat pressures under 70#s....  this works pretty well....

This is another type... usually for springs upto about 50#s

914Driver said:

I'm with Peabody for removal but I clamp the socket with a vise grip and use a 9lb. hammer.  (like my fingers right where they are).

For installation, the one below is easier, safer and quicker than anything I've ever used.  Once you adjust the jaws and clap depth it's unbelievably fast.

This. Local AutoZone has one in their loan-a-tool program, and it's way better than the sort that grabs the valve spring.

oldeskewltoy said:

This is another type... usually for springs upto about 50#

This is what I've used and it works amazingly well.  Feed some soft rope into the cylinder through the spark plug hole and gently compress it with the piston and you can even do this with the head still installed on the block.

MadScientistMatt said:

914Driver said:

I'm with Peabody for removal but I clamp the socket with a vise grip and use a 9lb. hammer.  (like my fingers right where they are).

For installation, the one below is easier, safer and quicker than anything I've ever used.  Once you adjust the jaws and clap depth it's unbelievably fast.

This. Local AutoZone has one in their loan-a-tool program, and it's way better than the sort that grabs the valve spring.

I have this style as well (mine is an OTC brand), and it works great.

I like Proform's  I tried the other style of C-Shaped compressor and it was to hard to use for my springs, I needed more leverage.

My favorite is Shinook Racing Engines. Here fix this and call me when it's done.  But I use the c-clamp style.