Lock Technology lower control arm tool

[signcrafter]

Anyone have one of these? http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-16376-lower-control-arm-unit.aspx

Seems like a decent idea. Probably not a must have tool but could come in handy. I was thinking about picking up a stick of pipe and making my own. I have to do some ball joints so it would be an excuse to make a new tool. Just wondering if anyone has one and how they like it? Better then using pickle forks or ball joint puller to pop the ball joint out of the knuckle?

Here's a youtube video,

 

[Deafautotech]

i did research and it was nice but not for me.... ford has different style control arms... so it will not work on new fords...

 

[Stooge]

Ive seen pictures of those but i never bothered to figure out how they work, i think SO, matco and mac all carry them too. I guess its a reasonable enough idea but ive never had any issues with a big fancy hammer and a pry bar. If its really frozen in or im replacing the balljoints too, then an air hammer usually does the trick.

The music made me feel like i was watching the opening credits to a Molly Ringwald movie

 

[dsmnickk90]

I try the 36" prybar first it that dont work I get out the 48"

 

[DanCo]

Used one at my last shop, it does work. It was a Snappy, since it suppose to work on all cars finding the sweet spot on the car to provide leverage can be tricky. 36/48" pry bar would work better, or you could fab up your own for less than $30.

Dan

 

[signcrafter]

Used one at my last shop, it does work. It was a Snappy, since it suppose to work on all cars finding the sweet spot on the car to provide leverage can be tricky. 36/48" pry bar would work better, or you could fab up your own for less than $30.
Dan

This is what I am planning on doing. I wouldn't pay full price for one. That's the first thing I thought of when I ran across this one, looks simple to make.

 

[jamesc]

I like to just use a short length of chain to go around the arm then slide the long pry bar in between the chain and the arm then pry down, somtimes you can just shove your bar in between the arm and frame and pry down other times I use the chain method.

 

[xj31]

It works, but if you're careless, it is possible to bend steel control arms. I saw it happen

 

[GTA Matt]

I can see where it could be handy every now and then. However, take one sway bar end link out and you will fight a whole lot less regardless of what you are using.....

 

[Fireball027]

I try the 36" prybar first it that dont work I get out the 48"

And if the 48" one doesn't work I grab my 58" one.


I have used the tool before and as others have said you have to find the sweet spot for it to work properly and can take more time to use then a prybar.

 

[Haveblue]

^^^ exactly What GTA matt said! Why use so much force, when you can pull the link.. a lot of worn suspensions I see need a sway bar link kit anyway. Depends on the situation, I guess.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I have one, it's very good and very useful. Especially on cars where the lower ball joint uses a pinch bolt, and the groove on the balljoint "stud" gets stuck in the hub pinch. Usually this is on Euro Fords, this tool makes removing them much easier.

Makes more wishbone/control arm work easier really. I paid a similar amount to that one for mine, it was well worth it.

 

[elderstarr]

Have a 5 gallon pail at work nearly full of wheel weights. It weighs 100+ pounds.

I'll drag it underneath the control arm while the vehicle is on the hoist, hook a chain between the bucket handle and the arm and raise the hoist.

Saves me plenty of time and frustration

 

[GTA Matt]

Have a 5 gallon pail at work nearly full of wheel weights. It weighs 100+ pounds.

I'll drag it underneath the control arm while the vehicle is on the hoist, hook a chain between the bucket handle and the arm and raise the hoist.

Saves me plenty of time and frustration

Put wheels on that bucket and you might be on to something!

 

[Stick]

We had two at my last job, one "factory", and a homemade copy we built. They work great for struts, balljoints, CV axles, or any other work that requires manipulation of the lower control arm. Never did use them to pop balljoints loose, but they saw plenty of use. Most common for us was struts, undo the bolts, pop the lower balljoint, set up the tool, sit on tool and use both hands to finish getting the strut out.

 

[DanCo]

Have a 5 gallon pail at work nearly full of wheel weights. It weighs 100+ pounds.

I'll drag it underneath the control arm while the vehicle is on the hoist, hook a chain between the bucket handle and the arm and raise the hoist.

Saves me plenty of time and frustration

Never thought of that.

Dan

 

[signcrafter]

Thanks for all the input. I'm going to try and make one if nothing else for fun. Seems like it should be easy enough to make and come in handy here and there.

 

[70C-10]

Put wheels on that bucket and you might be on to something!

What he said ^

 

[greasemonkey44]

the other guy had one at our shop
like moose said its awesome for pinch bolt ball joints
ive used the chain and pry bar method with mixed sucess
i tried building one with pipe fittings......terrible idea
welded a piece of chain to a pipe and a bolt to the other to hold the other side of the chain
works like a champ

 

[signcrafter]

I picked up a piece of 1" black pipe from HD today while I was out and am going to attempt to make one of these. I'm replacing the ball joints on a car that has pinch bolt ball joints so will be good to try it out on. I have one side done and the other side out so I don't really "NEED" this tool but figure for the 15-20 bucks it will cost in metal it's worth it to have around. If I don't do it now it will get put on the back burner forever so might as well get it done. Might not end up as nice as the lock technology one but it should get the job done at an economical price.

Heading out to the garage to see what kind of mess I can make!

 

[Moose-LandTran]

On certain (thin) control arms i used to use a big shackle/D-ring and bar instead of a chain. Worked very well most of the time.

 

[signcrafter]

I spent the last couple hours working on this and got it done. It worked pretty good for the ball joint I needed to install. I used metal I had in the garage and I think I'm going to have to beef up the "S" shaped arm. It had some flex and ended up bending when I really cranked down on it just to see how strong it was. So I will call this one my prototype. Not to bad for a 12 dollar piece of pipe and some metal I had laying around. Don't mind the sloppy welds!

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I spent the last couple hours working on this and got it done. It worked pretty good for the ball joint I needed to install. I used metal I had in the garage and I think I'm going to have to beef up the "S" shaped arm. It had some flex and ended up bending when I really cranked down on it just to see how strong it was. So I will call this one my prototype. Not to bad for a 12 dollar piece of pipe and some metal I had laying around. Don't mind the sloppy welds!

Cool! Nicely done dude!

Sloppy welds? You must be joking, that's built like a brick *********!

 

[GTA Matt]

^^^^Looks good. I have an aftermarket panhard bar off my car I was trying to sell when I went to an adjustable one. I might try something similar with it, however it's chromoly, not sure how well I can get MIG to stick to it.

 

[signcrafter]

Thanks guys. My welds aren't the prettiest but they hold pretty good! The weak link is the "S" shaped bracket that bolts to the adjustable round stock arm and the main bar. I didn't have any thick metal so used some 1/4" thick metal and I bent a little. So I will have to pick up some 3/8" or 1/2" thick metal and redo that part. I like to overbuild things so I don't have to worry about it breaking in the middle of using it.

 

[signcrafter]

I was using this again today and the adjustable arm bent pretty good. Just used too thin of material. I'll have to get some thicker metal and redo that part. Then will be good to go.

 

[signcrafter]

Anyone have suggestions as to how to make this part stronger and not bend? Will thicker metal get the job done or is it something with my joints or welds?

 

[metaleltr]

Gussets just like you have on the main bar, welds on the bolted joints would also help.