M3 Halftrack suspension spring compression tool needed

[maple_leaf_eh]

Folks, who has worked on an M3 halftrack's rear suspension lately?

From Nick at the Cold War Collection:

"Hey gang, to replace the road wheels, I thought I could get away with a work around...no such luck, I need to compress the vertical springs to take the load off the bogie chassis (I don't feel like getting smashed in the face by a bouncing spring.....so)

If you see note AA in the drawing above, there is a female thread inside the base of the spring, and a hole in the top of the cast support arm accessible once the return rollers are removed. Two threaded rods are spun in, and a nut and drive washer combo used to pull up the springs, safely.....taking the pressure off to drop the road wheel bogies out.

All the references I have located have called this threaded rod, a "special tool"...and yes, I'm sure it is , but there is a lack of actual specs ....

I'm asking for help to reach out to folks on your MV contacts list to obtain the thread type so we can source rod locally...or....if we could buy the twin rod tool even. I can't easily tell if its UNF or UNC, but, it looks fine pitched.

This is a track install show stopper for us, so, if you have any time at all to do some research, that would be terrific ! ...."

Can anyone help us, a) locating the tools, or b) selling us a pair? Other conversation has zero'd in on using Grade 8 threaded rod if we are going to make one, and using hand tools not impact wrenches.