Exhaust Springs...man I hate these things.

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racerx

Active member
After this w/e of busted knuckles I now have confirmed these little pains in the butt are the item I hate the most about sledding. I had a very small tool that I have had since the days of the INDY wedgie which those springs were not very hard to reach and you could always just use a screwdriver as a "ramp" or "lever" to have the hook just slide down the screwdriver shaft. But yesterday my trusty "old" tool broke mainly due to clearance issue and I flexed it to much and worse yet I could not use the "screwdriiver lever" method as you need a lot of clearance to rotate the screwdriver (or you can say the motion is more like flipping a switch).

So what are you guys using to defeat those knuckle busting little beasts? Are there any decent tool(s) out there that work good in these ever-shrinking motor bays? Getting them off is not so bad as my trusty long hose pliers usually work (until I loose my grip and they open up which sometimes happens) it is the install that is always a problem especially when the 2nd end is also a hole.
 
misty_pines

misty_pines

Member
Exhaust Spring Remove & Install

I use a pretty large and long flat head screwdriver. I cut a small V shaped wedge in the middle of the head of the screwdriver. You just put the head onto the to the end of the spring and just push with as much force as needed and the spring comes right off. You can use a lot of force and the V notch keeps the spring end from slipping off and really saves on the bloody knuckles. Do the reverse to install. Much easier and faster that using pliers, etc. Good luck.
 
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polarisrider1

New member
racerx, the pit crew says buy or make a spring tool. they are cheap to buy and your knuckles will not bleed again. Harbor Freight has them for way cheap.
 
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dmsrx

Member
I use one of the long springs that holds the silencer on. Fold it in half, hook both ends to the spring you want to remove and pull. By far the easiest way to remove the springs. It takes less effort and won't slip like the tools do and when you put them back on they bend around the pipes and you can guide the spring on with your fingers. If your sled doesn't have a long spring on it go to the hardware and buy on about 18 - 20 inches long (like a screen door spring) with hooks on both ends. Get one that is reasonably stiff. Once you try it you won't use pliers again.
 
indy_500

indy_500

Well-known member
I have the spring tool and it works OK if you can get it at the right angle. most of the time I use a needle nose vice grips. I haven't busted a knuckle in a while on exhaust springs, just ball joints on trucks :)
 
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ezra

Well-known member
misty_pines said:
I use a pretty large and long flat head screwdriver. I cut a small V shaped wedge in the middle of the head of the screwdriver. You just put the head onto the to the end of the spring and just push with as much force as needed and the spring comes right off. You can use a lot of force and the V notch keeps the spring end from slipping off and really saves on the bloody knuckles. Do the reverse to install. Much easier and faster that using pliers, etc. Good luck.
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X2 I do the same I have a long and mid size and some times I use a vice grip in a pinch.I like the screwdriver because it is thin and ez to get behind some tight springs.you can make on in about 30 seconds with a angel grinder.I do the notch in the tip and a j grove in the side for pulling
 
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ffemt

Member
I use an old leather boot lace no slipppage or busted knuckles sometimes I might need to guide it with a long needle nose plies but works great!!
 
gary_in_neenah

gary_in_neenah

Super Moderator
Staff member
Size Matters

I found this 24" Slotted Screw Driver in the bargain bin at Fleet Farm. I cut the two notches on the end and it works great for pulling and installing exhaust springs. The longer reach allows plenty of room outside the engine compartment and clear of any sharp edges.


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5_spot

Member
indy_500 said:
I have the spring tool and it works OK if you can get it at the right angle. most of the time I use a needle nose vice grips. I haven't busted a knuckle in a while on exhaust springs, just ball joints on trucks :)
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2x on the Needle Nose Vice Grips. Works great and it never falls to the bottom of the belly pan!
 
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handiman

Member
I found a 'Headlight Spring' tool at Harbor Freight for $5.99 a couple years ago that looked like it might work. It did a great job. It is smaller than the 'exhaust spring tool' I saw advertised on one of the aftermarket sled parts sites, so I got another one for my toolkit on my sled and left the other in my tool box.
 
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racerx

Active member
gary_in_neenah said:
I found this 24" Slotted Screw Driver in the bargain bin at Fleet Farm. I cut the two notches on the end and it works great for pulling and installing exhaust springs. The longer reach allows plenty of room outside the engine compartment and clear of any sharp edges.
Click to expand...

That is one BIG screwdriver...

Thanx a ton for all the ideas!!!...this summer I'll be looking ing them as I believe I'm done with the springy beasts for now.

BTW..it was a good thing I dug deeper on the sleds this year as one of our sleds had a tang of one of the spring hose clamps digging into the main oil feed line. It was on the bottom of the line and I could only see it when I took it out and then it was clear to see the pocket made by the tang altho it just started to poke thru and was only a very small pin hole. It wasn't going to be long for that pocket to open up big and drain the oil pretty fast and that could have been bad.
 
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polarisrider1

New member
I would love to learn the boot lace trick, heard much about it. I actually got the headlight spring tool and it works great but does no good in the tool box when I am miles from it.
 
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russholio

Well-known member
I have used both small diameter rope and a spring puller tool (both homemade and manufactured) with success and never had the dreaded bloody knuckles.
 
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