I use 3 small ratchet straps and clock them evenly around the spring, works well.

 

Yeah thats about the same idea i came up with.
Now after looking around i find that make small spring compressors for atv springs but i need to change these today and can not wait till next weekend. Wife wants to ride sunday and don't wanna miss that chance some fun!

 

The fronts only have about an inch of preload on them unless you have spring spacers or something. You don't need a spring compressor to change them. You can leave the strut housing attached to the a-arm and hub and use the weight of the machine with a wood block under the strut to do it by loosening the pinch bolts on the strut cartridge. If you have the struts off the machine, I usually just put the strut housing bottom in a vice and wrap a ratchet strap all the way under the vice/housing bottom and hook to the spring to compress it enough to start the nut. Then pull it on down with the nut. If you have a good strong friend they can usually just push the spring down enough to start the nut too.
The rears are a totally different matter.
Here's a not all that good vid of a guy doing it. Skip all the BS to around 15:00 of the video.
Should be other Youtube vidoes out there to show you as well.

how to sportsman front strut springs - Yahoo Video Search Results

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Well i got it done. Kinda sketchy but both are done and i have no new scares!
Compressed them in a drill press and bailing wired them compressed with a few wire ties for good measure.

 

Awesome 👍 idea

 

LOL... good deal!
There's always more than one way to skin a cat.

 

Well Dang the front end now shimmys and im getting a knocking noise from the front on each side. Kind of think its the axles binding. Is that possible?

 

Did you take any before and after measurements to see how much it raised?

 

No i did not. So here is what i think happened.
When i was changing the spring i flexed the cv joint to far and the axle came out of the splines. Not knowin i put it back together and everything seemed fine until i started moving forward and back under power. Started backing up kinda hard and POP everything smoothed out and felt perfect. Got off it and looked and seen the axle tore out of the joint.

 

Ah... you got them new HD springs so you may as well pop some new axles in too lol.

 

Yup. Problem is around here no one has any so its amazon or ebay. So till i get new ones here im 2wd it this weekend. Should not be a problem, wife will not go anyplace scary!
Guess i should not say no place. Recycled cycles in Hayden has some for $50 each but they are used.

 

Just find a boot and fix the one you have for now

 

Not happening. The splines on the end of the shaft are all torn up from spinning against the cup