I'm in need of a good ball joint press that isn't going to bend the second or third time I use it. Today at the Pawn shop they just happened to have a Used Mac tools one for $60 but the threads on the threaded shaft and inside the c clamp was destroyed. If I knew for a fact it was repairable or could be a warranty deal I would talk them down on it and buy it. Anyone have any experience with fixing one of these? Whoever owned it must had over tightened it to get the threads like they were.
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Damaged ball joint press
- Thread starter Zeroek
- Start date
they just used the ol impact a time or 10 too many...
fwiw, at work we have a 300 dollar kit from o'reilly's with another box of adapters...thing has held up great to the shop using it for two years now...just make sure not to slam into the threads with your hammer...it cleaned up eventually though haha
fwiw, at work we have a 300 dollar kit from o'reilly's with another box of adapters...thing has held up great to the shop using it for two years now...just make sure not to slam into the threads with your hammer...it cleaned up eventually though haha
The Ratchet Man
Well-known member
The OTC kit is Made in the USA again and is on sale at Tooltopia for $103. I just got mine in Thursday. I ordered it through Sears Marketplace so I could do several items all on one transaction. Its a hefty SOB for sure. A good alternative if you decide the other one isn't worth the trouble.
Yeah OTC is on top of my list at the moment. Wish a Mac dealer would warranty something like that but I figure with it being a specialty tool and not a hard line tool. Shows how well EZ pawn's employees look over their tools.
yogitech
Well-known member
If I'm not mistaken all those presses are OTC made? Should be able to get a replacement thru them? I've used a needle file to clean up some buggered threads on mine as well...
If I'm not mistaken all those presses are OTC made? Should be able to get a replacement thru them? I've used a needle file to clean up some buggered threads on mine as well...
Yeah the threads on the shank I could have fixed. But the threads inside the big C I was worried I wouldn't had been able to fix it. Could find a giant tape for it I suppose.
sberry
Banned
Why spend 60 on a broke one?
Alienbaby17
Well-known member
If I had to do it over again I would buy the OTC model instead of the cheapo HF model I did buy. It wasn't a tool I used that much and I honestly thought the OTC model would have been considerably more expensive than it is. Besides me there are two other guys in my shop with the HF model. The c-clamp part is bent on ALL of them after a few uses. I tried to straighten mine and have used it a couple times since then but don't really trust it any more. Another guy in the shop has the MAC tool and it has held up really well.
sberry
Banned
I bent my HF the other day, we got in a hurry, in the dark with the impact etc. might score the OTC, its priced reasonable. I doubt HF will give up a new one but it earned its keep when it was used right.
The OTC kit is Made in the USA again and is on sale at Tooltopia for $103.
I just bought a ball joint press a few months ago. I didn't pay the extra $ to get the OTC because it was made in China, so I went with another China made BJP.
Are you sure they are making them in the USA now? I really hated to by a China tool, but I needed it.
Yeah $60 for a broken tool isn't an ideal thing to do but if it was something I could warranty or fix easy I'd bought it rather than spending another $50 or more for the OTC one. I'm going to look around and see how much the clamp is.
The Ratchet Man
Well-known member
Are you sure they are making them in the USA now? I really hated to by a China tool, but I needed it.
Yes, it is on the sticker on the case and in raised letters on the press itself. This was from Tooltopia. Other places might have older stock so I can't vouch for them. There was also another thread where someone received USA from another online site. I can't recall which site but it was recent. That thread caused me to test my luck with Tooltopia since they probably have a high inventory turnover rate.
Yes, it is on the sticker on the case and in raised letters on the press itself. This was from Tooltopia. Other places might have older stock so I can't vouch for them. There was also another thread where someone received USA from another online site. I can't recall which site but it was recent. That thread caused me to test my luck with Tooltopia since they probably have a high inventory turnover rate.
Yep they sell a lot of tools direct shipped from ISN just like most online retailers. Tooltopia keeps some inventory mostly faster moving stuff, but most bigger more expensive stuff is drop shipped from an ISN warehouse.
ISN aka Intergrated Supply Network, is a WD that sells to tool trucks, small tool and equipment stores and those internet store fronts.