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HF ball joint press?? opinions? options?

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devilphrog

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Sep 13, 2009
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Melbourne, Florida
I think you can get the OTC branded one offline for around the same price. Don't know if it is any better (not to start any COO debate at all) but it is a pretty well known brand. I would search google for comparables or at least a 20% off coupon!
 
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00S4Boy

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Feb 4, 2010
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Yea I factored that in to my buying of a bj tool, all the off brand name ones even the mac one one of my coworkers has the frame is made of some sort of soft steel. It bends and it mars and doesn't get the job done. I know your not a tech so longevity doesn't matter for you i'd still say otc is probably higher quality then HF.
 
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fordracing200

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where can I get an otc one? will it come with the cup/attachment I need or do I have to buy an accesory kit? thanks for the quick response guys, i really appreciate it.
 
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d33pt

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Oct 26, 2008
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i have used that kit several times, and it's done the job with no issues. hardest job for it was the ball joint off a D44 knuckle.
 
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9GUY9

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Oct 12, 2009
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Mankato, MN
I worked at a shop where 3 techs shared the same OTC kit, and we did a LOT of ball joints. It held up great the 7 years I was there.

Use a impact on it.
 
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jeepnut24

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Aug 23, 2006
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Morrison CO
Mine has been awesome and easily worth the savings. Use it on my D44 and it has taken some abuse as well. Not bent yet either.
 
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caper

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If you don't want to bend your ball joint press the trick is to go easy with the air gun.Don't keep hammering away if the gun slows way down and stops.Stop and give the pressure screw a whack with a hammer.This will help when the balljoint starts to "stick" on the way in the control arm and take alot of the strain off the tool.When you put the gun back on it you'll feel the difference in the amount of effort the gun is taking pushing the balljoint in place.Been using the same OTC press for 15 yrs without bending it.
 
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sasquach

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pittsburgh pa
When using the OTC for pushing out truck anchor pins for breaks does the pin go through the other end same goes for the Harbor Freight
 
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caper

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Nope,it's a serious design flaw.The anchor pin will fit but the bushing won't.Considering that they are usually rusted together around here it's a major pain.If they had just made the hole in the press a 1/4" bigger it would be a much more versatile tool.I have the Princess Auto version and it's identical to the OTC.I ground out the PA version to do anchor pins.
 
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Romanova

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Apr 22, 2008
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Cypress, TX
I got the HF one with the 20% off coupon. Kind of a *************, though to be expected. Did what I needed it to do, and I rarely do ball joints, though my VR-4 has six of them so it came in handy.
 
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sasquach

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caper said:
Nope,it's a serious design flaw.The anchor pin will fit but the bushing won't.Considering that they are usually rusted together around here it's a major pain.If they had just made the hole in the press a 1/4" bigger it would be a much more versatile tool.I have the Princess Auto version and it's identical to the OTC.I ground out the PA version to do anchor pins.
Click to expand...

I'm not worried about the bushing but the pin itself . I really never had a problem getting the bushings out butthe pins are another story . :beer:
 
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peterbilr98

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oakley,idaho
sasquach said:
When using the OTC for pushing out truck anchor pins for breaks does the pin go through the other end same goes for the Harbor Freight
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yes it will i bent my frame doing truck ancor pins. so i went and bought the snap on ancor pin press works great.
 
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IONH

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I have been eying the ball joint kit myself lately. Might actually pick one up seeing as a friend has asked me to change a couple of his recently and I've been putting it off.

As a side note, both this tool and external suspension spring compressors are available from most large chain local parts stores as loaner tools. You pay for them, use them, then return for a full refund. If you break it, you still get your money back.

I purchased an external spring compressor from HF a while ago because I did not want to risk the local parts store not having one available when I needed it. Plus I always know the parts store is there if I do break it.

In addition. I don't know how the ball joints in question are installed, but you may be able to do it with the appropriate size sockets (rather huge ones) to act as the cup and a C-Clamp.
 
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00S4Boy

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Feb 4, 2010
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IONH said:
I have been eying the ball joint kit myself lately. Might actually pick one up seeing as a friend has asked me to change a couple of his recently and I've been putting it off.

As a side note, both this tool and external suspension spring compressors are available from most large chain local parts stores as loaner tools. You pay for them, use them, then return for a full refund. If you break it, you still get your money back.

I purchased an external spring compressor from HF a while ago because I did not want to risk the local parts store not having one available when I needed it. Plus I always know the parts store is there if I do break it.

In addition. I don't know how the ball joints in question are installed, but you may be able to do it with the appropriate size sockets (rather huge ones) to act as the cup and a C-Clamp.
Click to expand...

It's an f-150 he'll bend the **** out of a c clamp trying to install it.
 
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Deafautotech

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Indianapolis, Indiana
00S4Boy said:
It's an f-150 he'll bend the **** out of a c clamp trying to install it.
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oh yeah! that why i have mac tool universal joints/ ball joint kit... i used it a lot and it take a beat!! no problems but i kept lube the threads... i did a many f-150 ball joints- it is not that hard but sometime it need hit so hard to shock it up so it can get break loose a little if it has a rusted on it...
 
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fordracing200

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thanks for the info guys, anyone done ball joints in one of these trucks with an otc, astro pneumatic or HF press? its a 00 f150..wondering if they'll get the job done or??
 
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sasquach

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pittsburgh pa
I did them in my Explorer and didnt use the press. I had on but it seemed like a pain in the *** . After doing some homework on the OTC that deal fromtooldiscounter.com is the way i'm gonna go for using as a brake pin press .
 
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pmohr

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Maryville, TN
fordracing200 said:
thanks for the info guys, anyone done ball joints in one of these trucks with an otc, astro pneumatic or HF press? its a 00 f150..wondering if they'll get the job done or??
Click to expand...

I've done balljoints on those with both the OTC and the AP set, they both work decently well. Nothing like a BJP1, but...
 
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caper

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fordracing200 said:
thanks for the info guys, anyone done ball joints in one of these trucks with an otc, astro pneumatic or HF press? its a 00 f150..wondering if they'll get the job done or??
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When I worked at the Ford dealer I did a few hundred balljoints in that style F-150 with my OTC press.Never had any trouble with it.:thumbup:That body style was prone to Balljoint failures,not many came in with our crappy roads that didn't have one gone.Ford's spec was increased to some ridiculous number because they were warrantying so many ball joints.
 
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Poncho Villa

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Dec 23, 2005
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Oklahoma City, OK USA
I picked up the HF 3 in 1 ball joint press today & it worked well on the driver's side upper & lower ball joints on a '99 Dodge Ram pickup. I'm having trouble pressing the bottom ball joint back into the lower A arm but I think I'd have the same problem with any press. Removing the old ones was easy with the press.

If the passenger side breaks the press, I'll follow up.
 
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Poncho Villa

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Oklahoma City, OK USA
Follow up on the HF press - I finally got the driver's side lower ball joint installed after finding hell and returning. With much anger and disgust, I forced that little SOB into place. The control arm is probably contorted and the formerly round hole in which the ball joint resides is likely an oval now. Stupid thing is stuck in there though.

All of that is to say that the torque I applied on the press deflected it nearly 1/2". I'm not sure how much of that is due to being a cheap tool and how much is due to misuse of the tool. Did I say that I forced that little fv[k3r in there?

Tonight I used the mangled press to remove both passenger side ball joints. No problemo. However, I've yet to stab the new ball joints into place. Hell awaits me.
 
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caper

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cape breton
Poncho Villa said:
Follow up on the HF press - I finally got the driver's side lower ball joint installed after finding hell and returning. With much anger and disgust, I forced that little SOB into place. The control arm is probably contorted and the formerly round hole in which the ball joint resides is likely an oval now. Stupid thing is stuck in there though.

All of that is to say that the torque I applied on the press deflected it nearly 1/2". I'm not sure how much of that is due to being a cheap tool and how much is due to misuse of the tool. Did I say that I forced that little fv[k3r in there?

Tonight I used the mangled press to remove both passenger side ball joints. No problemo. However, I've yet to stab the new ball joints into place. Hell awaits me.
Click to expand...

When the press starts to deflect smack the pressure screw with a hammer.Saves a lot of time and effort.Make sure the the balljoint is going in straight as well.If it's cocked at all it will make it really hard to install.
 
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