Harbor Freight ball joint tool versus Little Red

[whatevah]

Unfortunately, when putting the driver's side back in, the hub assembly bolts were wicked impossible to go in for some reason, and I snapped one of them clean off inside. At that point I finished up and drove it one block to the nearest garage with two bolts in the hub. It was Saturday, so I'm still waiting for them to fix it. They said they'll put a new hub on rather than try to get the stuck bolt out. After four days of working on it, I don't care what they do. I would do it myself, even the guy at the garage said I should just do it myself, but I'm working 13 hour days for the next 6 days, and I really want the damn thing back. I hate having one car between the wife and I. I'm so glad for the forums though, couldn't have done this job without them.

getting the hub bolts loose the first time (since being installed at the factory, 7 years earlier) was a pain... so after I finally got them out, I let them soak in PB Blaster for a while... took a wire brush to the threads, and sprayed them with PB Blaster again while I did the rest of the work. Used a liberal amount of anti-sieze on them when I put them in the new hubs, and they're a breeze now! PB Blaster and anti-sieze are your friends.

 

[tomcat]

Hey, I didnt' use any impact tools. I was using a three foot breaker bar at the time, but I don't think I'm that huge of a guy. The PB-blast did work wonders on the second side. Used Liquid-Wrench on the first side, I'm not sure that did anything at all. Putting them in the second time around was even smoother, thanks to whoever it was that suggested putting them in the freezer.

a three foot breaker bar will put apply more torque than an impact gun can. for the sake a easy math, lets say your are capable of 100 ft/lbs through a regular ratchet handle, approximately 1 foot in length. put a 3 foot handle on that, and you are pulling 300 ft/lbs. it probably isn't easy math like that, but pretty close.
most times I will grab the breaker bar when the impact gun won't do....

 

[markw]

you should not be using impact guns, or he-man torque on the presses, only hand tools. you should get them really tight using hand tools, then use a hammer and smack the piece that is holding what you are trying to get out (driveshaft ears, inner-C etc.)

you want some tension in the press to actually push the part, but shocking the item that is holding the part in is what pops them out. some PB-blast, and heat if all else fails.

not surprised you broke that press.

it reminds me of tech's using the bearing separators at a friends shop. they tighten them up with impact guns to try to press bearings off of carriers or axles, instead of snugging them up, and using the press to do the work.

The HF press is going to break no matter what, those things break left and right. If you look at the break, I'll bet there are voids in the casting. I've seen people crack them without using an impact. You'll never have that issue with the OTC or similar quality press.

 

[jeepdeez]

the doors on that XJ are so sweet! Go Blue Devils!

 

[Shorty]

the doors on that XJ are so sweet! Go Blue Devils!

thanx!
just a quick afternoon with nuthin' to do and a cut off wheel, rattle cans, and some pinstripe! It kinda sux balz on days like today when it's pouring down rain and your flares don't cover the tires, but it's still drier than the bikes! I saved the original doors to "quick change" back for bad weather, but I'm too lazy to hang them most of the time.

--Shorty

P.S. FEAR THE TURTLE!!

 

[LittleRedXJ]

getting the hub bolts loose the first time (since being installed at the factory, 7 years earlier) was a pain... so after I finally got them out, I let them soak in PB Blaster for a while... took a wire brush to the threads, and sprayed them with PB Blaster again while I did the rest of the work. Used a liberal amount of anti-sieze on them when I put them in the new hubs, and they're a breeze now! PB Blaster and anti-sieze are your friends.

Yeah, that's what I should have done. I'm not really an experienced wrencher, and I wasn't sure what if anything I could use on the bolts. The second side I did spray the heck out of them with PB while I was doing the rest of the work, and when I went to put the hub back on, it went pretty easy. Oh well, lesson learned. I didn't have any free time this week, so I had the mechanic put a new hub on for me. Maybe now he'll pass the damn thing and we can drive it again!

 

[PornstaR]

Wow thats some serious flex with drop brackets and stock lowers :gee:

 

[Shorty]

oh yeah, I think the wheel actually moved up an inch or so before the track bar hit the mount and the tire started ripping the flare off! Needless to say, it was still a work in progress at that point.....

 

[PornstaR]

oh yeah, I think the wheel actually moved up an inch or so before the track bar hit the mount and the tire started ripping the flare off! Needless to say, it was still a work in progress at that point.....

Yea I got the same problem........ damn that one inch of flex!!!

:doh:

 

[cal]

a three foot breaker bar will put apply more torque than an impact gun can. for the sake a easy math, lets say your are capable of 100 ft/lbs through a regular ratchet handle, approximately 1 foot in length. put a 3 foot handle on that, and you are pulling 300 ft/lbs. it probably isn't easy math like that, but pretty close.
most times I will grab the breaker bar when the impact gun won't do....

Except that the point of an impact is that it will hammer on the nut repeatedly until it breaks loose - its not a linear torque curve like a breaker bar would be. Depending on the quality of the impact, most can do FAR more damage than a breaker bar can.

 

[FlexdXJ]

We used on of those on my buddies 01. He was hitting it with the impact the whole time. No problem at all

 

[alwaysready]

all the mechanics at the dealership by me use an impact on their presses..
of course they are all OTC units..
when i barrowed the one from autozone it was an OTC amazingly.
which prompted me to buy an otc unit
i have stalled my CP impact on my OTC unit trying to press out a snow plow pin (1" by 4" siezed).

 

[dartworth]

Recently picked up an OTC7249 Ball Joint Service Tool and an OTC7894 Dodge Ram/Jeep Ball Joint Service Adapter Kit from ToolTopia. I already had the ball joint tool from Harbor Freight and bent it using on my Ram. The OTC kit appears to be great quality and made in the USA.

yes...I am a geek too :wave: