Have a few sets of springs that need the spring rates to be tested and a few more sets I would use it for if I had it.
Anyone have any info if this is any good?
Most of the other testers I saw were $800+ but I don't need one super precise as long as it is +/- 5 lbs.
Also anyone ever buy from this site?
Any known issues?
Thanks
Speedway Motors is a fantastic alternative to Summit or Jegs. I believe they are also a partial sponsor for SCCA Nationals in Lincoln.
As for the tester I'm sure it would do what you want. It's basically a giant valve spring tester or trailer tongue weight scale. Not a lot to go wrong there. I'd buy it. Maybe check a couple Hyperco Springs on it to see how far off it is, haha.
Yeah, I have bought from Speedway Motors. They are good.
Why not make your own with a ruler, bathroom scale (yo, digital, yo) and something to press down on the spring with? Then it's just maffs and E36 M3. Unless you have a whole lot of springs to test and want a really nice one like that one at speedway.
Dr. Hess said:Why not make your own with a ruler, bathroom scale (yo, digital, yo) and something to press down on the spring with? Then it's just maffs and E36 M3. Unless you have a whole lot of springs to test and want a really nice one like that one at speedway.
Second this. I made one using a scale mounted under an arbor press. I had a dial indicator to check distance. All added up it probably wasn't cheap, but it can be replicated for much less.
My concern with a home made one is the spring getting loose and taking my head off.
In reply to Fr3AkAzOiD :
Very unlikely it will take it COMPLETELY off. More likely just put a dent in it.
I use one of my corner weight scales in the hydraulic press and a tape measure. I run a safety cable through the spring so it can't take my head off but I've never had one try.
This device was given to me. It had an inaccurate load cell on the bottom plate. If the load cell had been close to accurate it would be fine.
I too use one of the corner weight scales on the hydraulic press with a tape measure. It will give me a in/lb. Reading spot on with what hypercoil etches into their springs.
The speedway link you posted looks fine and would be the easy button for sure. But I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be hard to DIY something "good enough" for a lot less than that. Looks like 0-700lb valve spring testers are pretty easy to come by for around $75 andwould just need to be adapted to a larger diameter plate. Hydraulic jacks are cheap and I have to imagine you could build a substantial enough frame for well less than the ~$200 that's left over. Or as mentioned if you already have a hydraulic press you have basically everything needed except the scale. I wouldn't be too concerned about retention since they're straight springs that you're not putting a ton of force into, but it wouldn't be too hard to build a retention feature into the frame either.
Well I got it and it sucks.
Went to test a spring that should be 180 in/lbs and it registered it 150 in/lbs (compressed 3 inches, divided by 3).
Flipped it over and tested the same spring the other way around and it came back at 95 in/lbs.
The bottom plate that sits on the jack is all wobbly and when I had a spring at 250 lbs compression and smacked the stand a couple times it dropped to 235 lbs.
The gauge could have been damaged in delivery but I doubt it.
Wish me the best of luck returning it.
And now we know. Thank you.
We were talking about this in the MaXpeedingRods thread. Best suggestion for DIY is a free weight bar. Stand it on end, put the spring over the bar, drop a calibrated weight or two (which come with weight sets!) on top and measure deflection. The bar will keep the spring from going rogue.
I made mine. Check out the public album on FB.
The cylinder has 1 .125 bore (1 square inch) so a pressure gauge read one to one not ratio to calculate like when i used my hydraulic press.
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