Tractorsport Flowbench Forum Archive

Posted: **Sun Nov 02, 2008 3:39 pm**

Guys,

have you some experiences on the tiny valve spring testers which are available on ebay ?

Check out:

and

They are quite cheap with shipping of aprox 30-35 US$ to europe.

I just have very light springs in general ( I assume 300 lbs is enough).

Any experiences (or DIY alternatives) ?

Cheers,

Daniel

Posted: **Mon Nov 03, 2008 6:31 pm**

Daniel,

I have a setup made from the second link you posted and a 1/2 ton arbor press like this [url=http://cgi.ebay.com/Arbor-Press-1-2-Ton-Presses-Ratchet-Lever-Heavy-Duty_W0QQitemZ390004898318QQcmdZViewItem?h

ash=item390004898318&_trkparms=39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A15%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14]Press[/url] My only complaint is the gauge size is small and hard to read, it works good and tests against may calibration spring on the money.

But if you want to go 100% DIY then you need to machine a small hydraulic slave cylinder 1.128" bore and that will directly correlate to PSI on a guage.

Rick

Posted: **Tue Nov 04, 2008 5:18 am**

Hi Rick,

I would use our garage press. I don't have to do this often, but it would be nice to check all springs to be sure that they are at least same powerful.

Both sellers above gave my a very similar price including shipping. The first guy send me another photo:

He told me that "his" Gauge would be a larger model than before. So hopefully it is working well.

Should I try to get the first one ? Any Pros / Cons ?

I like the idea of having a second scale (like kg/cm3), but that gauge is definately smaller.

Thanks,

Daniel

Posted: **Fri Nov 28, 2008 11:34 am**

I received the tester today. The gauge is larger than I expected. You can easily differ down to 2 lb ( on the 300 lb gauge ).
I will make some detail photos tonight.

I made a conversion table, so that I can use the lb gauge with metric and imp. systems. However eventually I will exchange the background
of the gauge to kg/Newton for easy reading

Cheers,

Daniel

Posted: **Sat Dec 20, 2008 9:03 pm**

Hi,

Sorry for the late update. I had far too much to do to find some spare time. Here are some photos where you can see the sizes of the gauge.
FYI: I measured in inch.

As you can see, it's a nice size. Note too small and not too huge.

Cheers,

Daniel

Posted: **Sun Dec 21, 2008 6:26 am**

Yeah thats a good size. I'll post pics of mine, it's a TAVIA brand, I just use it in the bench vice with an inside mike, I'll post pics tommorrow

Jim

Posted: **Wed Dec 24, 2008 7:41 am**

Spring Tester, use a micrometer or vernier calipers in between the aluminium soft jaws

Posted: **Wed Dec 24, 2008 7:43 am**

Checking pressure

Posted: **Wed Dec 24, 2008 12:54 pm**

Just a crazy thought as I looked at these pics! It looks like a cylinder for a drum brake could be modified for use as the cylinder and (if lucky) the steel hose fitting used to attach the gauge. Anybody try something like this? I'll have to scrounge around for one of my old cylinders.

Have a Merry Christmas everyone! -- Doug

Just made a quick check and it appears a wheel cylinder costs about $25US and a small pressure gauge about $7US so about 1/2 the cost of the eBay models. The pressure gauge I found is here:

Posted: **Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:03 pm**

Probably work if your wheel cylinder size equaled 1 square inch.
John

Posted: **Wed Dec 24, 2008 4:39 pm**

John, As Rick pointed out, 1.128" D equals 1 sq in but 1.125" D (which might actually exist, maybe my 3/4T Chevy truck?) equals 0.994 sq in which is close enough for me. However, the only thing that 1 sq in does is make the gauge read directly in lbs force on the spring. You still need to get two readings to calculate the lbs/in. The gauge in Daniel's pic shows in psi so it may require a correction factor (though, guessing from the pics and gauge dia, it's pretty close). Put a correction factor (actual area of piston) in the spreadsheet and input psi, output is lbs at whatever height the spring is when measured. Do it twice and calc lbs/in. If you are just comparing springs, when the psi is the same, the force is the same. Then check the length.

A couple of questions though, are the brake line metal fittings NPT, or do they seal with the flared end of the line? Any thoughts about the required stroke?-- Doug

Check this out! 1-1/8 " wheel cylinder on eBay

[url=http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Pinzgauer-Steyr-Puch-710-712-Wheel-Brake-Cylinder-Rear_W0QQitemZ320327160440QQihZ011QQcate
goryZ34199QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem]http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymot....iewItem[/url]

Posted: **Wed Dec 31, 2008 2:26 pm**

I stopped by my "local" NAPA store yesterday and spent a bit of time with the parts guy. He found a brake cylinder for a 1988 V20 Suburban with a 1-1/8 in bore, part number is 37784, price with tax (no discount) was just over $14. Now if I can find the website with the pressure gauges again, I can start building the valve spring tester (when I get home from seeing the grandkids!). Happy New Year!

Doug

Posted: **Fri Jan 02, 2009 6:48 pm**

Have a question for the forum members on B&D stone holders.
Has anybody replaced the worn out bronze pilot bushings?? Any info on what's been done would be helpful.

Posted: **Fri Jan 02, 2009 7:14 pm**

Pablo,

I would think if you have access to lathe you could use a solid bronze valve guide then dril and final ream to size. Should not be to dificult.

Rick

Posted: **Fri Jan 02, 2009 7:23 pm**

Tractorsport Flowbench Forum Archive

Mini valve spring tester