I just posted on my custom Blue Diaclone Hoist.  It is mostly original, used a blue Trailbreaker and intended to have a repro head made in blue and use that.  Even had a more yellow tow truck hitch cap, but Ken got ill and TransRepro went down before I could even send the doner parts.

At any rate, I posted all about the project in the Custom section. 

BUT I wanted to mention or show the SPRING difference in Diaclone VS TF. 

AS you can see below in the pict, the spring is nearly twice as long in the original version as in the TF.  The clip I believe is pretty much the same, its all in the spring action. 

It was really a simple swap, well it would have if the hinge for the head wasn't broken, and if the TransRepro place was still active (hope Ken is OK).  Borrowed some picts from the net to compare the 2 Blue Diaclone trucks side by side. 

Wish I had a Red one now to complete the set. 

Here's the custom story

http://www.TFans.com/talk/index.php?showtopic=45827

Side by side

Did you use a US Hoist for the spring comparison?

Maybe a Japanese release TF Hoist would have a similar spring to the Japanese release, as may a GiG Hilux Wrecker.

The early Japanese TF Hoists even said "Wrecker" on the side, who knows what other features it may have in common with the Diaclone Wreckers.

All the best
Maz

The spring on top (larger) came out of a Italian TraSformer Hoist. 
The spring on the bottom came from a Blue Diakron Trailbreaker (US version)

From the TraS hoist I took the springs and the WRECKER side stickers. 
Blue TB gave up everything else, and I had to make a hinge repair kit as well as paint the green head, as I did the tow hatch back. 

It should be more yellow but what am I to do.  Its good enough for my custom Diaclone set. 

i've got a question related to the whole spring thing

i've got us hasbro reissues and i was wondering how i would go about "unuetering" the spring loaded parts (missle launchers, arms, ect...).  are they glued together?  i'm kinda afriad of pulling them apart kuz i dun know if they are or not and what kinda springs would i use?

You could try the old stand by and cut a click pen's spring to size.  Probably be pretty strong. 

Here's a pict of the dissassembly.  2 screws holds it all in place. 

Chrome arm just pulls out of the slot and comes apart in 4 pieces, 2 arm 1 trigger and the collar + the spring. 

thanks!  i'll deffinatly have a look see when i get home, good idea with the pen.