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Was working with this newly acquired tool last night having bought it from mini spares to finish off my head. At its minimum setting it barely compresses the spring leaving me having to put a wedge of wood into the chamber to take up the slack.

Minispares say it's the right tool but I'm not so sure. Surely I shouldn't have to bodge along with bits of wood on job that has potential to send springs flying around the workshop?

Anyone else had any experience with this?

Yeap, had the same trouble.

I ended up welding a but nut to the 'head' to get enough travel. It's also a bit on the big and cumbersome size for these heads. I ended up finding another one which fits better.

Glad it's not just me then. Why on earth would MiniSpares (and MiniSport for that matter) sell a tool which isn't really suitable!?

... and me!

Totally useless (and a waste of money).
After several years of it just taking up space in my garage, I just gave it away.

I would be very interested to hear from anybody that has actually managed
to use this "proper tool" successfully.

I use what can only be described as a glorified "fork-ended-G-clamp-type-thing"...
It's decades old, but works perfectly every time. (But I did have to stick it in a
fly-press to straighten it out a while back).

Ian

I've found a good way of using this... 30mm socket. No welding, no messing about with washers, nuts and bolts or wooden wedges. Now, if only MiniSpares would start selling the right tool!

I use a socket in mine like that

I don't think sykes sell the right length one for mini heads anymore

ive got a old 1960's one that's perfect, but they have deleted it from their range now.

This head was brilliant. Every single valve had almost seized in the guide! All needed drifting out! Still, it's yielded caps and collets for my 295 so it's come in useful. I bet the car it came off wasn't a happy runner though.

I haven't used a compressor like that for years. I made a little tool that fits in my pillar drill & it works a treat.

An old cylinder head stud welded onto a large thick washer compresses the spring perfectly & allows you to remove collets, cap & springs easily.