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Ring compressor tool

  • SlimJim80
    SlimJim80
    1 year ago
    Hey guys, can anyone recommend a good ring compressor tool? 
    I have a set of CP pistons 4.125" bore size for my 117" softail M8 build that I'm installing into freshly bored and honed cylinders. 
    Cheers
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    1 year ago
    "Hastings" make a good set.   If your in Melbourne you can borrow mine.
  • Grease Monkey
    Grease Monkey
    1 year ago
    Last couple I've done I put the piston an rings into the bore on the bench, then lowered it into position, popped gudgeon in, clip, slid her down, I wouldn't do it that way with big heavy stuff but got a heads up for hd stuff and yeah, works great.
  • obisteve
    obisteve
    1 year ago
    I may be a hillbilly tight arse but I find appropriate size hose clamps with a strip of aluminium shim stock inside them works well. When I was working on Nortons I could cut the aluminium strip from beer cans, but the pistons I was working on just kept getting bigger.
  • SlimJim80
    SlimJim80
    1 year ago
    Quoting tussuck on 27 Jan 2023 08:32 AM

    "Hastings" make a good set.   If your in Melbourne you can borrow mine.

    Thanks, I'm in WA. 
    Cheers anyway. 
  • SlimJim80
    SlimJim80
    1 year ago
    Quoting Grease Monkey on 27 Jan 2023 08:46 AMedited: 27 Jan 2023 08:47 AM

    Last couple I've done I put the piston an rings into the bore on the bench, then lowered it into position, popped gudgeon in, clip, slid her down, I wouldn't do it that way with big heavy stuff but got a heads up for hd stuff and yeah, works great.

    Yeah, that's the way I like to do it a well,  but I still find that I need a ring compressor to get the piston to slide into the bore without the rings catching .... 
  • Scouser
    Scouser
    1 year ago
    Last time I just used a big Jubilee/hose clamp
  • brucefxdl
    brucefxdl
    1 year ago
    i have used the  "blue" steel packing strip ,bit fidly to set up.bend in to a circle with 2 tabs to clamp it [ one per cylinder ] but once you get it sized right and small vice grips to secure it ,works well and slips past the con rod easy....not on HD but suzuki 4 cyl ,but same deal.

  • SlimJim80
    SlimJim80
    1 year ago
    Quoting Scouser on 27 Jan 2023 11:40 PM

    Last time I just used a big Jubilee/hose clamp

    Thanks Scouser, did you just use the clamp itself? Where did you get it? Must've been a pretty big clamp. 
    Cheers
  • Grease Monkey
    Grease Monkey
    1 year ago
    Quoting Grease Monkey on 27 Jan 2023 08:46 AMedited: 27 Jan 2023 08:47 AM

    Last couple I've done I put the piston an rings into the bore on the bench, then lowered it into position, popped gudgeon in, clip, slid her down, I wouldn't do it that way with big heavy stuff but got a heads up for hd stuff and yeah, works great.

    Quoting SlimJim80 on 27 Jan 2023 12:36 PM

    Yeah, that's the way I like to do it a well,  but I still find that I need a ring compressor to get the piston to slide into the bore without the rings catching .... 

    I do have a ring compressor but I usually use my fingers and a flat plastic spatula and don't rush it, smooth is fast.
  • beaglebasher
    beaglebasher
    1 year ago
    I have used cable ties to do it. The bigger the cable tie the better. The big fuck off ones are the go.
    If you want to reuse them use a seal pick or similar to undo the locking wedge in the cable tie and it will be good to go again.

  • SlimJim80
    SlimJim80
    1 year ago
    Picked up one of these today. I think It's a rip off off the Snap On one. We'll see how it goes. 
    20230129_200507.jpg
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