12 Products
Your Current Vehicle
Or
Select Your Vehicle
Match the tool to the service operation
Suspension work combines vehicle weight, spring energy, interference fits and geometry. The correct tool controls one defined load path without damaging the component. Similar-looking cups or frames can have different load capacities and contact faces. Begin with the vehicle repair method, not the tool kit's number of pieces.
Establish whether the job is spring containment, bush pressing, arm positioning, strut support, alignment assistance, bearing service or CV-joint work. Identify what remains loaded after each fastener is removed. Plan supports and exclusion zones before applying force.
Tool families in this collection
| Tool family | Controlled task | Not a substitute for |
|---|---|---|
| Coil-spring compressor | Contains and compresses a specified spring safely. | General C-clamps, straps or unsupported jacks. |
| Bush press kit | Reacts force through matched cup and mandrel. | A random socket or unsupported hammering. |
| Wishbone lever | Moves an arm in a controlled direction for separation/alignment. | A vehicle support or spring restraint. |
| Strut support/camber bar | Holds or references components during defined work. | Certified wheel-alignment measurement by itself. |
| Wheel-bearing tool | Presses bearing races/hub through specified faces. | A universal suspension-bush installer. |
| CV-joint tool | Separates or installs a joint/boot component. | Spring, bearing or arm restraint. |
Understanding stored spring energy
A coil spring stores energy as its steel bar twists under compression. Even after the vehicle is lifted, a spring can remain heavily loaded between body, arm and strut. Removing a damper nut, ball joint or arm bolt may release that load along an unexpected path. The damper does not safely contain a spring unless the suspension design and repair procedure explicitly make it part of the restraint.
Spring geometry matters: parallel coils, tapered miniblock forms, side-load springs and close progressive turns require different jaws or plates. A compressor that contacts only a small edge can slip as coil angle changes.
Spring-compressor selection
| Check | Evidence needed | Failure risk |
|---|---|---|
| Rated load | Manufacturer capacity above the specified spring load. | Frame, screw or jaw fracture. |
| Spring form/range | Approved diameter, wire and coil geometry. | Partial contact and jaw escape. |
| Jaw/plate pairing | Correct matched components and orientation. | Eccentric load or component ejection. |
| Safety restraint | Required lock, guard, chain or enclosure fitted. | Uncontained release. |
| Drive method | Hand/air/hydraulic use and permitted input torque. | Impact overload or uncontrolled motion. |
| Bench/vehicle mounting | Specified stand, fixture or location. | Whole assembly overturning. |
Safe strut and spring workflow
- Confirm the repair method and identify all remaining spring load.
- Secure the vehicle at approved points and support the suspension as specified.
- Inspect compressor, adaptors and restraints; quarantine damaged parts.
- Position jaws/plates symmetrically on the documented coils with full contact.
- Apply load evenly in small increments, watching for tilt or movement.
- Confirm the spring is free from its seats before releasing the centre nut.
- Keep the assembly aimed away from people and do not reach into the release path.
- Reassemble with correct seat clocking, mount, bearing and fasteners.
- Release compression slowly, verifying both ends remain located.
Threads, hydraulics and tool condition
Mechanical load trains
Mechanical compressors rely on clean, undamaged load screws and matching nuts. Lubrication changes friction and achieved load, so use only the specified lubricant and never compensate for dry binding with an extension bar. Mushroomed ends, flattened threads, bent rods, cracked welds and spread hooks require withdrawal from service.
Hydraulic power units
Hydraulic tools need rated hoses, couplers, gauges and ram alignment. A pressure rating is not direct proof of output force unless piston area and calibration are known. Never search for a pinhole leak by hand; isolate pressure before changing adaptors.
Adaptor traceability
Each cup, pin, jaw and saddle forms part of the load path. Keep part numbers visible and compare them with the tool instructions; an unmarked adaptor from another kit may fit the screw yet lack the required capacity or contact profile. Replace missing retention pins with exact approved parts, never bolts or drill shanks. After an overload, fall or uncontrolled release, quarantine the complete tool system until the manufacturer or a competent examiner defines the inspection needed.
Store load screws protected from impact and corrosion, with hydraulic rams retracted as directed. Calibration of gauges does not prove the frame or adapters are sound, so scheduled examination must cover both measurement and structural condition. Record defects and prevent quarantined pieces returning to mixed tool drawers.
Bush extraction and installation
A bush may have a metal outer shell, bonded rubber voids, hydraulic chambers or an asymmetric compliance axis. Mark its orientation before removal and consult the specified direction. Apply force to the correct shell, not rubber, centre sleeve or thin arm edge. Support the housing close to the bore.
Clean corrosion without enlarging the bore. Approved assembly lubricant may be required, or the bush may be installed dry. Petroleum grease can attack rubber and let a bush creep. Some bonded bushes are timed to the arm and tightened only at normal ride position.
| Bush-tool element | Purpose | Selection concern |
|---|---|---|
| Receiving cup | Allows the old/new bush to move clear. | Must clear flange and support arm without crushing it. |
| Press mandrel | Applies force to approved shell face. | Diameter must not load rubber or centre sleeve. |
| Thrust bearing | Reduces turning friction under screw load. | Correct orientation and load rating. |
| Reaction frame | Keeps cup and mandrel coaxial. | Clearance, capacity and straightness. |
| Orientation mark | Aligns voids or arrows to the arm. | Must follow vehicle datum, not visual guess. |
| Assembly aid | Controls friction during installation. | Only the specified, material-compatible product. |
Wishbone levers and controlled arm movement
A purpose-designed lever can depress or align an arm while freeing a ball joint or fitting a strut. Position its reaction surface on a strong approved area and keep the operator balanced. An arm can move suddenly when a taper releases. Do not place fingers between joint faces or use brake pipes, anti-roll bars or thin subframe lips as fulcrums.
Arm movement can overextend inner CV joints, pull driveshafts from transmissions or stretch hoses and sensor cables. Disconnect or support components as the procedure requires. A lever holds alignment temporarily; permanent fasteners must be installed and torqued before it is removed.
Strut support and camber tools
Support tools can stop a strut or hub falling when bolts are removed. Camber bars or alignment aids hold a relative position during assembly. Marking the old position can support diagnosis but does not prove final geometry, especially after bent or worn parts are replaced.
Use a calibrated alignment system on the settled vehicle under specified load and tyre conditions. Some vehicles require steering-angle, ride-height or driver-assistance calibration after geometry changes.
Adjacent wheel-bearing and CV tools
A bearing tool must transmit force through the race being press-fitted. Loading through rolling elements can brinell a new bearing before use. Hub removal can separate an inner race, requiring a splitter or puller designed for it. Magnetic encoder seals need correct orientation and protection from impact.
CV tools may compress boot bands, pull joints from shafts or hold components. Preserve circlips, splines, grease cleanliness and boot position. These are drivetrain operations even if access overlaps suspension dismantling.
Faults, urgency and tool response
| Observation | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Compressor jaw walks | Incorrect contact, asymmetry or spring mismatch. | Stop, unload under control and reassess. |
| Load screw binds | Damage, contamination, overload or misalignment. | Do not add leverage; safely release and inspect. |
| Press cups tilt | Off-axis load or inadequate support. | Stop before cup, arm or bush ejects. |
| Arm casting deforms | Wrong reaction face or excessive force. | Unload and replace/assess the component. |
| Hydraulic oil mist | High-pressure leak. | Keep clear, isolate and treat injection injury urgently. |
| Strut remains uncontrolled | Support method is incomplete. | Re-support before removing any further fastener. |
Maintenance, traceability and common mistakes
- Keep matched jaws, cups and pins identified as one approved system.
- Clean threads and inspect against maker rejection criteria after use.
- Record periodic examination or calibration required by the tool.
- Do not weld, heat or straighten a load-bearing tool without manufacturer approval.
- Do not drive a compressor with an impact wrench unless explicitly allowed.
- Do not use sockets as press tools where they lack capacity and contact geometry.
- Do not support a vehicle with the suspension service tool.
- Do not tighten bonded bushes at full droop unless specified.
- Do not road-test before fastener, hose, sensor and alignment checks.
UK MOT and workshop safety
MOT inspection can identify fractured, insecure, weakened or incorrectly located suspension components and excessive wear, but does not certify how a repair was performed. Correct tools and procedures protect the unseen integrity of springs, bearings, arms and fasteners.
Work equipment must be suitable, maintained and used by trained people. Vehicle lifts and stands need correct capacity and positioning; spring and hydraulic stored energy must be controlled before intervention. Establish an exclusion area and never leave a compressed spring assembly unattended.
Suspension tool FAQs
Q: Can any coil-spring compressor fit any spring?
A: No. Load, diameter, wire, coil shape and approved contact method must match.
Q: May I use an impact wrench on a compressor?
A: Only if the exact tool instructions expressly permit that drive method.
Q: Are two general C-clamps a spring compressor?
A: No. They lack the required spring engagement and containment.
Q: Why compress opposite sides evenly?
A: Balanced loading reduces tilt and loss of jaw contact.
Q: Can a damaged load screw be rethreaded?
A: Follow maker criteria; improvised repair can hide lost strength and is unsafe.
Q: Which part of a bush should the mandrel press?
A: The surface specified for that bush, commonly its outer shell rather than rubber or sleeve.
Q: Can sockets be used as bush cups?
A: Not unless specifically approved for the load and geometry.
Q: Why mark bush orientation?
A: Voids and compliance axes may need alignment to a vehicle datum.
Q: Does a wishbone lever support the vehicle?
A: No. Use approved lifting and support equipment independently.
Q: Can old camber marks replace alignment?
A: No. They are only a reference; measure final geometry.
Q: Why support a bearing's correct race?
A: Force through rolling elements can damage a new bearing.
Q: What if hydraulic fluid penetrates skin?
A: Treat it as an emergency and obtain immediate specialist medical care.
Q: Does an MOT pass prove suspension tools were used correctly?
A: No. It assesses roadworthiness at the test, not repair-process integrity.
