Choosing a valve spring compressor.

[Von]

I know there's some professionals on here... Looking for some input on a decent valve spring compressor.

We'll be finishing up the kitchen remodel this week (!!!) and hopefully I'll have some room to finish getting the Fairlane roadworthy and start rebuilding the 390 FE for my truck before her burning desire for new windows on the house interrupts me again.

A valve spring compressor is one of those tools I never bought because it was like 5 years between engine projects and cheaper to have the machine shop disassemble/assemble the heads. But I've got 4 engines lined up and a compressor will pay for itself now.
Same with cam bearing install tools... but they only charge $20 to install bearings so I'll let them do that.


Been looking at the old school Craftsman compressors like I used in high school. I remember it being a little shaky and it wanting to pinch fingers and throw keepers and springs across the shop... but Doc always told us it was a great tool but we were a bunch of stupid monkeys and had jacked it up horsing around... and if we got our fingers pinched it was our own fault, he's not buying a another one. So I don't really know how a new one will operate. I like that it locks closed.

I also remember Doc complaining about how expensive they were back in '82. But 35 years later they're on ebay for $45ish. Pay for itself with one engine.



Also looking at the Proform. It doesn't lock closed while I fiddle with valve keepers. A bungee cord could fix that. It's about $100. Do I want to pay $100 for a tool I need to use a bungee cord on?



Thought about trying to build something like this.



Mondello used to sell that, but no more.

So... anybody here used the Craftsman tool before? Is it a keeper?

[Barrman]

Those kinds of compressors are great when the head is off. There is also the little bitty kind that only goes from the top so it can be used when the head is installed.

I think any of the ones you posted will work for a bench job. Like everything else, you get what you pay for. I have a Snap-On, Klien and a Craftman version of what you pictured. I really can't tell a difference between them when in use.

[Von]

Thanks Barrman, I was hoping you'd chime in...

After I posted that I found the Craftsman pictured above under a different brand that had a more complete description, they described it as light duty. Which doesn't really tell me much. But I also saw a couple of reviews saying they had trouble using it on Chevy 350s and such. Couldn't compress the new springs and the rod was kinda shaky.

After that I saw a MAC cf-11. Has a big screw with a pad on the end instead of the rod. I like that better. The CF-11 is branded under a bunch of different names like the Craftsman is.

[tomb]

goodson.com

[Von]

Ended up getting a CF-11. Branded under Clark-Feather or something like that. Sturdy sucker, I like it.