Ball joint tool recommendation
#1
Ball joint tool recommendation
I have a 2003 Ranger XLT with the 4L engine and 4WD. This truck needs all new ball joints and i have ordered the correct MOOG parts. The truck is located on Roatan, and island off the north coast of Honduras, and the mechanic I use (and like) does not have a c clamp style tool set to remove and replace the lower joints. He removes the whole lower control arm and takes it to a shop to use their hydraulic press. That costs him a lot of time and money for a job that could be done without removing the LCA.
I can get a great deal on labor if I supply him with the tools he needs to do without removing the LCA, but need a recommendation from someone who has used either the Harbor Freight 4WD tool set (their item 4065) or the slightly higher priced Astro Pneumatic (AST7865) available at Sears.
The question is whether someone can confirm that one or both of these come with the right sizes of adapters to handle my 2003 lower ball joints. Harbor Freight has a set of add on adapters that would likely cover any make of car/truck, but the extra adapters cost as much as the basic 4WD set.
I can get a great deal on labor if I supply him with the tools he needs to do without removing the LCA, but need a recommendation from someone who has used either the Harbor Freight 4WD tool set (their item 4065) or the slightly higher priced Astro Pneumatic (AST7865) available at Sears.
The question is whether someone can confirm that one or both of these come with the right sizes of adapters to handle my 2003 lower ball joints. Harbor Freight has a set of add on adapters that would likely cover any make of car/truck, but the extra adapters cost as much as the basic 4WD set.
#2
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The basic HF kit will do the ball joints with the adaptors that come with it. I have both kits, but am looking to upgrade the C clamp portion of my HF kit actually. The adapter kit is great, not even HF can mess up simple steel adaptors.
OTC and Astro would be better than the HF clamp, also if you can find used Mac, Matco, or old OTC they will be US made. Newer OTC is Taiwan IIRC.
OTC and Astro would be better than the HF clamp, also if you can find used Mac, Matco, or old OTC they will be US made. Newer OTC is Taiwan IIRC.
#3
#5
#8
the lower control arm type that press in from below?
take off the ring with a flat head. with a jack under the control arm, get a big fukin hammer and smack it out.
then take a large socket (BIG ONE) that fits over the snout on the new balljoint. line up the balljoint in the hole with the socet on the bottom, and use the jack to push up on the socket and balljoint. now start to jack it up, and as you do, hit the control arm down with a hammer. then snap the ring back on and your done!
now jack and hit the control arm:
works every time, i can change out a lower BJ in about 10 minutes.
take off the ring with a flat head. with a jack under the control arm, get a big fukin hammer and smack it out.
then take a large socket (BIG ONE) that fits over the snout on the new balljoint. line up the balljoint in the hole with the socet on the bottom, and use the jack to push up on the socket and balljoint. now start to jack it up, and as you do, hit the control arm down with a hammer. then snap the ring back on and your done!
now jack and hit the control arm:
works every time, i can change out a lower BJ in about 10 minutes.
#9
#10
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I am not a big fan of HF, but I will admit it has held up to some rusted in balljoints and REALLY rusted in ujoints that I have done over the past 6 years or so. I'm more worried about the threads than bending actually, but it's not a bad tool.
#11
the lower control arm type that press in from below?
take off the ring with a flat head. with a jack under the control arm, get a big fukin hammer and smack it out.
then take a large socket (BIG ONE) that fits over the snout on the new balljoint. line up the balljoint in the hole with the socet on the bottom, and use the jack to push up on the socket and balljoint. now start to jack it up, and as you do, hit the control arm down with a hammer. then snap the ring back on and your done!
now jack and hit the control arm:
works every time, i can change out a lower BJ in about 10 minutes.
take off the ring with a flat head. with a jack under the control arm, get a big fukin hammer and smack it out.
then take a large socket (BIG ONE) that fits over the snout on the new balljoint. line up the balljoint in the hole with the socet on the bottom, and use the jack to push up on the socket and balljoint. now start to jack it up, and as you do, hit the control arm down with a hammer. then snap the ring back on and your done!
now jack and hit the control arm:
works every time, i can change out a lower BJ in about 10 minutes.
#13
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