Rate the Harbor Freight Tools Thread- Pass or Fail?

[kingmt01]

Yelp. I looked yours up after seeing $300. Mine is the same one they still sale for $80. Looks like a sawsaw motor on it. If bought it to fill a block wall that I still haven't gotten to. Lol

 

[GA Gyro]

Perhaps a little off topic...

In my young days (in the dark ages... ), was employed as an auto and truck mechanic.

We used the pickle fork looking thing (Snap-On) to remove ball joints and tie rod ends. We called it a 'tuning fork'.
Technique was to back off the nut from the threads... so the nut was a few turns covering the end of the threads, then soak the joint with WD-40, then carefully place the 'tuning fork' in the joint. Give it (the fork) a couple of taps... then give the nut on the joint threaded shaft a couple of taps (note TAPS, not whacks). Repeat the taps on the tuning fork, then the nut, until it comes loose.
A bit less 'exuberance' and a bit more 'finesse', usually loosened the joint without damaging the other parts, the tools, or the workers knuckles (or ego).

Hope this helps...

 

[scsmith42]

Perhaps a little off topic...

In my young days (in the dark ages... ), was employed as an auto and truck mechanic.

We used the pickle fork looking thing (Snap-On) to remove ball joints and tie rod ends. We called it a 'tuning fork'.
Technique was to back off the nut from the threads... so the nut was a few turns covering the end of the threads, then soak the joint with WD-40, then carefully place the 'tuning fork' in the joint. Give it (the fork) a couple of taps... then give the nut on the joint threaded shaft a couple of taps (note TAPS, not whacks). Repeat the taps on the tuning fork, then the nut, until it comes loose.
A bit less 'exuberance' and a bit more 'finesse', usually loosened the joint without damaging the other parts, the tools, or the workers knuckles (or ego).

Hope this helps...

I used a similar technique with the exception of using a brass hammer on the threads. One other thing is if you whack hard enough on the side of the forging outside of the tapered hole that the tie rod stud goes through it will usually spring the hole enough so that the stud pops out.


Scott

 

[MikeWi]

I assume your talking about the C clamp style. I've been a auto tech & a parts retailer for the better part of my life. While I've used those style tools & never had the problem with them & the ones I've used were usually already bent from someone else's abuse. It is a common problem. That is a long distance to put a greater deal of pressure on & your going to get flex which changes the alignment. So even if you started with everything in perfect alignment it wrong start that way.

A suggestion on using this tool is to put what your pressing under load them to smack the piece housing the ball joint with a hammer. It is usually a tapered fit for the ones that look like tie rod ends so they don't even need this tool. All you need to do is have some weight pulling down then start taping the side of the piece the joint is going through. Bushing should work the same way. Apply pressure with the tool then rap on the side of the housing. If they are stobren from carosion wet them with some ATF or kerosene to soak for an hour.

I'll admit that I can't see any deformation, so it may have been built like this in the first place and it took me this long to notice, but I'll post a pic later. Way out of line. There's no flexing going on here, and the bushing removal required a total gap of less than 4" inside the press, so no long distance involved. It's just messed up is all. We used that rap trick all the time at the garage I worked in, and yes it works like a charm and makes peoples jaw drop when they see it for the first time. Doesn't help much here though.. These track bar bushings are notorious for being hard to remove. The rubber comes out of the liner before the liner releases.

 

[MikeWi]

Perhaps a little off topic...
In my young days (in the dark ages... ), was employed as an auto and truck mechanic.
We used the pickle fork looking thing (Snap-On) to remove ball joints and tie rod ends. We called it a 'tuning fork'.
Technique was to back off the nut from the threads... so the nut was a few turns covering the end of the threads, then soak the joint with WD-40, then carefully place the 'tuning fork' in the joint. Give it (the fork) a couple of taps... then give the nut on the joint threaded shaft a couple of taps (note TAPS, not whacks). Repeat the taps on the tuning fork, then the nut, until it comes loose.
A bit less 'exuberance' and a bit more 'finesse', usually loosened the joint without damaging the other parts, the tools, or the workers knuckles (or ego).

Works like a charm on that kind of joint (although I prefer rapping the outside of the joint), but a ball joint holding the hub assembly to the steering knuckle is contained in a can that's pressed into the knuckle. No pickle fork will work on that, so you use this large C-clamp style contraption to push them out.

 

[scsmith42]

Well done with the decorating.... we all have our standards... <grin>

<grin> indeed! It came out quite nice - here are the "before" and "After" pix. Note - the "before" pix was of the box.

 

[royesses]

Been replacing ball joints for 50 years. Leave the nut on the top of the threads as mentioned. Then use a 2 lb hammer to back up one side of the knuckle and give the other side of the knuckle a good rap with a 1 lb ball pien. The joint will drop out of the taper. Works on tie rod ends too. Just a slight deformation of the taper unlocks the grip. This method does not harm the rubber boot if reusing it. There is no damage to the knuckle either. The pickle fork ruins the boot. I've used the C press also but first do the above to loosen the taper. I've never bent or damaged the C press this way.

 

[royesses]

Universal Bench Grinder Stand item #3184 - Pass. I use these for anything that needs to be raised up to working height. Cheap and useful. Weld on a 1" x 1" angle iron frame and mount a wood top on it for drill presses or belt sanders etc.

 

[kingmt01]

royesses
Try some lizard litter from the pet store in that tumbler. It works much better. It won't get stuck in your flash holes.
I forgot to mention it is cheaper also.

 

[royesses]

royesses
Try some lizard litter from the pet store in that tumbler. It works much better. It won't get stuck in your flash holes.

I forgot to mention it is cheaper also.

Thanx for the tip. I've heard that before but forgot. Next time we need dog supplies I'll get some and give it a try.