OTC ball joint presses??? 6529 vs 6539 kits

[volaredon]

I currently have an OTC "basic" kit, the C frame the end caps and the 3 "standard" adapters that used to come with them.
this used to be enough for ~80-90% of all the apps that I would need, but having recently gotten back into professional wrenching and now work for a Fleet (State of Illinois) So far I have had a couple '94-01 Dodges, a couple GM products (riveted, OTC tool not needed) and a BUNCH of Ford stuff; Cop clown vics, E 350 Vans and '00 and newer Tauruses are the bulk of what I work on.
I have found myself lacking and "improvising", having to use sockets and other things not intended for press adapters.
Besides my BJ press not having enough adapters, what I DO have is just plum wore out.

I have been looking at the #6539 and the 6529 kits to buy lately. (NOT buying both LOL) I wish I could afford the #6559 version but can't at the moment. I see tons of kits for various vehicles as "add on" kits for each kit to "complete" the other one. Am I better to get the "car" kit (6529) now and add the "truck" 6539-10 later? Or get the 6539 "truck" kit now and then the 6529-10 "car" kit later?
They have "import" adapters, a Chry/Mitsu kit, and a GM kit for the cars (no C frame just a few select adapters in which ever add on kit you choose)

But what I DON'T want when all is said and done, is alot of duplicate adapters. but I also don't see a breakdown anywhere that shows what each kit comes with, or doesn't. Being that OTC stuff has a life time warranty I would not mind if somehow I could trade in my old worn out adapoters for the kit I have now and instead of getting new replacement adapters, have the value applied toward the price of one of these "master" kits either the 6529 or 6539.
and, no, I am not interested in anything that HF may have.

 

[ex-x-fire]

Snap on makes a newer one.
HF does have a bj adaptor kit. No press in it.

 

[volaredon]

yup I am sure they do. the 6529 has 50 pieces the 6539 has "55+" and both have " add ons" to complete the other kit.
What I want, is an inventory list to see what all comes with each kit so I can get what I need w/o having 3 of some pieces and none of another.

and speaking of OTC; (I hope someone sees this that can answer this w/o starting a seperate thread about it) What about the warranty on my current old worn out set? Id like to get it warrantied and keep this "basic" old set at home.

 

[volaredon]

well ended up gettinmg the 6539 truck kit from Ebay since the listing at same cost from Amazon showed "usually ships within 1 to 2 MONTHS and the other 11 sellers of the same set were MUCH more expensive.

I then got a 6529-3 Ford/Mazda car add on kit found one marked used for $90; new were all over $200. I figure the one I go will be used as soon as I open it teh 1st time anyway. I still have yet to find a master list of kit contents, I have a feeling I'll have some duplicates... I really wanted teh #6559 kit but wow I dont have the $$ for that. I will eventually "build" what I got into that. It appeasr I am only missing a few pcs, hopefully I can pick those up seperately somewhere though you wanna talk expensive... the few indiv pieces I saw sure were;

In looking thru some of the other OTC listings I saw a #7249 (the basic kit) listed on Ebay and in letters plain as day "made in China" right on the label. I will be PISSED if what I bought tonite is as well....

 

[braol]

I have warrantied several pieces of the OTC adapters over the years. Always used a Mac or Matco dealer warranty them out. Never tried sending them in to anybody.

My suggestion is to keep an eye out for a used SO BJP1 balljoint set. You will wonder why you ever fooled with the OTC or anything else. Or trade your OTC set in to the SO man for it. This isnt because its SO, its because it is by far the best balljoint press set available.

 

[MattPersman]

I have warrantied several pieces of the OTC adapters over the years. Always used a Mac or Matco dealer warranty them out. Never tried sending them in to anybody.

My suggestion is to keep an eye out for a used SO BJP1 balljoint set. You will wonder why you ever fooled with the OTC or anything else. Or trade your OTC set in to the SO man for it. This isnt because its SO, its because it is by far the best balljoint press set available.

+1 I have both the snap on is all I use since I bought that. It is so much better.

 

[signcrafter]

In looking thru some of the other OTC listings I saw a #7249 (the basic kit) listed on Ebay and in letters plain as day "made in China" right on the label. I will be PISSED if what I bought tonite is as well....

As far as I know all OTC ball joint presses have been made overseas for a while now. How come you didn't call OTC to ask them the COO of the kit you wanted before buying if COO was important to you?

So the 6539 truck kit is 600 give or take and the ford set was 90 and you still want to buy more adapters? The made in the USA snap on set is 680.

 

[sberry]

Mechanic,,, skilled in the use of tools,,, aint no way in hell if I had the basic tool and most of the parts not to simply make a couple additional things as needed. Take a chance, cough up 20 for the HF one, throw away stuff you dont need or make ones you do from them.

But,, in the long run this is a place there is a lot of testimoney from people that have used both, the snappy appears to have benifit and in a production world given enough use may be worth extra. Certainly would be worth consideration as the "shop" tool. Mine only OTC and now a HF and my bud with the otc was a generalguy as am I and have had to make about 2 adapters, he bought a 3/4 set one day, a china for 40 $ and probably used it once but it made a great set of adapters, last one I recall I needed for some odd ball joint job like that a socket was perfect, havnt done it since. Most of the pieces you collect after the basic set you will never use.

We talked about this same concept with C clamps and pliers, if avg mechanic has every kind they ever invented then he has a lot of energy and fuss stored, money too. Same for every wrench they invented.