Small accident today......

[Andyboy]

I was compressing an E36 Compact spring - proper all in one compressor - when the spring, which was fully compressed, somehow slipped out. It hit me just below the rib cage and litterally knocked me 5-10 feet across the workshop - lifted me off my feet. Fuck me it hurt - couldn't move or speak for about 2 minutes although my AAAARRGGHH FUCKING BASTARDING HELL!! alerted a few folk.
Anyone know how much force is contained in a fully compressed car spring? It's measured in tons per square inch apparently and I was standing right next to it. A big bruise is bound to appear soon

[thebigone]

I bet that did , better get your ribs checked out m8

[kevin316i]

You are extremely lucky, if it hit you in the head you would probably be dead!!!
What type of spring compressor were you using? Some of them come with clamps that lock into place and are supposed to guarantee that the spring won't slip.

[Pal318is]

Can't help with the spring side of things, besides that their fookin tight, but feel for ya dude....Mahoosive Bruise time..

Pal

[Speedtouch]

Nasty one, just as well it didn't fly into your face...or nuts!! What do you reckon caused it, if using a proper spring compressor? Hope you have a speedy recovery.

[DanThe]

Had one pop out before and tw@ me on the shin, dont know how I stopped myself from picking the compressor up and beating the french piece of shite all the way to the weigh bridge
Ever heard the expression golf ball? This was more like a tennis ball!

If anyone ever asks you to do anything involving removing the front springs on a 406, dont say anything and just calmly walk away....

[dimebag_from_hell]

lucky it didnt hit you in the face mate, could very easily of broken or cracked a rip. count your blessings

[maxfield]

If your talkin tons per inch thenyou have strong ribs if it hasn't broken one.

[Silverfang]

Ouch, best get yourself checked out, I had a rachet flick back on me and smack me in the ribs, didn't break any but it did damned near hurt for days, turns out i'd bruised them badly! Friend cracked 2 while drunk and messing around in tesco

[miniblob]

Was it a decent compressor that should hold the spring in place??

Did it fail or were you livin' dangerously??
If it failed you could have a nice claim off them there.

Lucky escape though - could've been far worse!!

[Jhonno]

If your talkin tons per inch thenyou have strong ribs if it hasn't broken one.

springs arent all that heavy tho..

nasty impact tho

[maxfield]

I know they don't weigh much but the force that will come off the compressor and the distance it travelled. It will hurt alot. a football in the ribs from a distance hurts quite a bit if hit with a bit of power

[Rich_W]

You are extremely lucky, if it hit you in the head you would probably be dead!!!

Exactly, go buy a lotto ticket after you've been to A&E for a X ray. Could have internal injuries

[Andyboy]

It got me just below the ribs - missed by an inch and although there is no bruising at all, it's bloody tender. If it doesn't get better in the next couple of days I'll go down to A&E and see what they say. The compressor is the one I hate - imagine two big C clamps with a common shaft pulling them together. The problem was that the Compact and E36 front spring is wide at the bottom and narrower at the top and I misjudged the size needed for the top coil - it just wasn't up to it and the spring slipped off. It was fully compressed as well. The odd thing is it happened with such speed and force that I only remember a big bang and being shoved across the workshop. You're right about being lucky though - that had enough force to kill if it got you in the head.

Still, at least my Compact has a new o/s/f damper!

[noney82]

iv was working in a garage and we had one fly out hit a wall bounce off and hit a snap on tool chest(which are strong) and it put a big dent in the 3000k tool box so i feel for you mate just like i feel for my old bosses pocket, hope there no serious damage to you mate

[Andyboy]

Me too...........still aches like buggery!

[andyborris]

Try using a couple of narrow ratchet straps, loop them though the spring coils. Sometimes the strap itself can compress the spring, or just tighten them as you use the clamps.

If the clamps slip, the spring is still restrained.

Andy

[Rosc0PColtrane]

So how does the ache compare to that of buggery Andy??

If you're breathing ok then ribs are fine. If it hurts to compress the injured area with your fingers, more than just a bruise would, go see a nice young student nurse and get her to play with your tender bits!!!

[gareth]

i've had a VW scirocco spring slip off a cheap set of clamps and it rapped my knuckes on the way out. that fookin hurt as there's not much skin to take up the impact...

i was outside and it went straight up, missing my head by inches! it took ages to come back down as it went a looooooong way up!

[dan_emaps]

So how does the ache compare to that of buggery Andy??

If you're breathing ok then ribs are fine. If it hurts to compress the injured area with your fingers, more than just a bruise would, go see a nice young student nurse and get her to play with your tender bits!!!

lmao,

thats gotta hurt! glad your ok dude! lucky fella!

[swindy]

I remeber starting work at a VW garage and looking up to a hole in the roofing board 20Ft up, and asking how that happened, reply was simply, "Make sure you clamp springs correctly before undoing the top nut! That always made more careful, got to say I'd be going and checked out, internal bleeding doesnt always bruise.

Mark

[e30bemer]

Ooohh!
bet that hurt!
i would get to the doctors mate asap, best to be on the safe side!
then in a hospital bed!

[stuartgallafant]

you may have internal bleeding andy. i've heard stories of a bloke having his jaw ripped from his face as the spring came out the compressor

i wanna know what the force it hit you at was! the tons/lb.ft sounds hefty!!

[zaust]

You are extremely lucky, if it hit you in the head you would probably be dead!!!
.

Not probably, Definitely, Your lucky full stop.

[Chris-W]

I may be over cautious, but I always treat compressors like loaded shotguns. You were extremely lucky.

[Brianmoooore]

I may be over cautious, but I always treat compressors like loaded shotguns. .

Same here! I always tie them with a few bits of "bale cord" (plastic string).
May or may not be strong enough, but it'll absorb a lot of the energy to break it.