Hydraulic flaring tool or hub grappler

[phikshin]

The wifes buying me a new tool as my Christmas gift. Well to be fair she said I could choose anything I wanted. Clearly a new tool was in order. Anyways, I wrench for a living. I don't do a whole lot of brake lines but I figure the hydraulic tool will save my *** when I do. I do wheel bearings often enough but typically they are just hub bearings which I air hammer out.

So if you had around 300 to spend which would you get.

 

[Strouty]

I had never heard of a hub grappler, if you do a bunch of hubs I would get that. It looks like a fun new toy. I have a hydraulic flaring tool and they work very well, I do not use it very often but it has been a great tool. It can be used for power steering and fuel lines as well.

 

[GTA Matt]

If you live in the rust belt, the flaring tool would be more useful and the hub grappler would be less useful (I've broken a few things on my grappler on heavily rusted hubs and had to use the press). Otherwise, it comes down to whichever one you use the most.

Ooorrrrr, have her get the most expensive one and you buy the cheaper one down the road!

 

[Shadowdog500]

What you need all depends on what type of work you are doing.

Are there any other tools that will speed up what you do a lot of now?

I have the hub grappler and really like how easy it is to pull hubs with it.
I started with the HF hub puller set and upgraded it with the $124 OTC hub grappler upgrade which comes with the impact rated forcing screw. Works good for a weekend guy like me.
Here is the link to the grappler upgrade if you already have the basic hub puller kit
OTC 6575-1 Hub Grappler Puller https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005PL1PDA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I didn't know your u could get a hydraulic brake line flair tool for under $300, I bought the $200 eastwood pro flair tool which is a rebranded brakequip turret flair tool. I really like it, but some don't like that it is bench use only, and that you can't use it under the car. I enjoy doing brake lines with it, and I always make a new line on the bench so not being to be able to use it under the vehicle for a patch repair don't bother me.

If you have a basic hub puller already and don't mind flairing on the bench you could get both for $300


Chris

 

[phikshin]

I live in Canada so we do see brake lines rot. Seem to be more trucks than anything at least where I work..

I don't have a hub puller at all. Ive considered picking up the harbor freight bearing kit. I suppose I could get the hf bearing kit and the otc puller like you have linked. I guess I could get by on that. Don't do a whole lot of pressed bearings. I had a turret flare but many of the dies were missing so I've never used it. It was a kent moore / gm tool I believe.

 

[chickenhauler]

I have the hydraulic flare kit: http://www.tooltopia.com/mastercool-71475prc.aspx
and the Harbor Freight hub puller kit. I have never actually found much use for the hub kit, other than using the plates on the press lol. There's not a single case of all of the press in bearings where I would have even wanted to try working on the car. Rusty, seized, and the snap clip retainers are always a *****. I can't imagine trying to free them up from the backside of the spindle while still on car.

Hydraulic kit has paid for itself 10x over between fuel lines, and brake lines.

 

[Skin]

Hub grappler for sure. Not trying to insult the poster above me but either they're not a full time mechanic or they've never touched the OTC kits. Thing is awesome. Doesn't work on everything and won't replace a press but when it works what a massive time saver. Just make sure to keep the screw threads coated in moly grease. Most don't then they blame OTC when it strips.

Flare kits can be handy but if you don't do much the decision should be obvious. Depending on the vehicle I actually far prefer OE preformed lines, no work required just r&r.

 

[Alienbaby17]

I'm going to agree with Chickenhauler on this. Our shop bought the OTC Hub Grappler around six months ago. After doing bearings with a press for 20 years I was really excited to use it. It does an OK job but I have to admit I personally don't care for it. Maybe I haven't given it a fair chance but I do know my co-worker felt about the same. I probably do at least one bearing a week at the shop and still find it easier to just pull the knuckle and bring it to the press. Also line CH said, the last thing I used the Hub Grappler for was to use the adapters in the press.

 

[dudutzu905]

best of the both worlds - Hydraulic hub grappler
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KIKZOIA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Buckgnarly]

I'm going to agree with Chickenhauler on this. Our shop bought the OTC Hub Grappler around six months ago. After doing bearings with a press for 20 years I was really excited to use it. It does an OK job but I have to admit I personally don't care for it. Maybe I haven't given it a fair chance but I do know my co-worker felt about the same. I probably do at least one bearing a week at the shop and still find it easier to just pull the knuckle and bring it to the press. Also line CH said, the last thing I used the Hub Grappler for was to use the adapters in the press.

X3. My personal experience is that it's just as easy to pull the knuckle as it is to wrestle with a grappler (get it?!). I do need to add I do not have the OTC, but the HF and I do use the **** out of the plates in my press.
I also have a Ridgid flare kit that works great, so I would say to the OP, look at other tools!

 

[Stooge]

vote for the hub grappler, i have the ken version hub shark and it just makes life so much easier when you can use it, especially where you said you do them fairly often.

 

[Formula]

the last thing I used the Hub Grappler for was to use the adapters in the press.

This is what I found most useful about it.

 

[devoncoolman]

I agree with gtamatt and skin. I use my hubgrappler often. Some vehicles its a major time saver and some vehicles its not. Some cars it only takes 10 min to pull the spindle anyway so its not a time saver there. But the adapters can be very usefull on the press as well. I have both the mastercool hydraulic flair kit and the turret style sur&r model. I use both of them often. I personally would buy the flair kit first. I use the **** out of my flair tools. Press in bearings seem to be sporatic. Where ill do a bunch of them then i wont see one for months.

 

[firebox40dash5]

I don't own either, but I've used both.

The hydraulic flare tool was cool, but trying to use it under a vehicle was a giant PITA. I borrowed it because the bar for our hand-flaring set was broken, and after about 3 or 4 uses I was wishing for it back. It does make nice flares consistently, but getting everything set was worse than doing it with a manual setup, and honestly I don't find the actual flaring process that hard, even under a car, with a manual one. I wouldn't mind it if I were making a lot of lines on the bench, but I rarely do.

I've only used the Hub Grappler a couple times, but when I did it was a lifesaver. It does things that can be a real pain to get set up on a press, the adapters I'm sure are plenty useful as press arbors, and it's usually quicker than a press. It's on my very-short list, in fact... I've been trying to get the boss to spring for one for the shop for a while, and hoping he'll do it today while Zoro still has their 25% coupon.