The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network







Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Go Back   The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network > General Truck Forums > Tools, Shops and Shop Safety

Web 67-72chevytrucks.com


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-11-2010, 08:18 PM   #1
benoit454
Chris
 
benoit454's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Monaville, WV
Posts: 3,737
lower BJ press c-clamp tool, rant

Anybody ever use one of those big c-clamp type ball joint press/service kit?

We'll we rented one from autozone, POS wasn't big enough. You could not use the plate and cup on bottom with a plate on top, not enough room to get it on there. We had to pull the end out of it, use a tip off a gear/harmonic balancer puller, let the Ball joint stud stick up into the top where the shaft you tighten is, and use it that way. Worked decent after you got it lined up, took like 5 seconds to remove the bottom ball joint with it being turned by an impact.

Reinstall was the same way, not enough room in the c for the adapters, plates and cups, and ball joint stud too tall. So again we left the top open and let the bk stud come up into the screw shaft, which is hollow, maybe it's made for that reason? Then had a cup and plate around it on top of the LCA and a plate under the ball joint, it worked, but only the backside of the bj went in, front did not. It would not line up and work straight, ended up tapping it on bottom with a hammer, then jack under it and hit the control arm around the ball joint to drive it into the control arm.

I mean come on they make the tool for the job why not be wide enough to work? It worked great removing it, with our own home made stop inside the screw shaft, which made it short enough to make use of the cup and plate on bottom. Putting it back in just did not work, but it wasn't hard to go back in with a hammer and jack. Still have the ps to do tomorrow I guess.
__________________
Chris



GIT R DONE!!!!!!

Check out all our rides,
http://www.cardomain.com/id/benwa454
benoit454 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2010, 12:17 AM   #2
87chevy.com
BMW & ASE Master Certified
 
87chevy.com's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 1,266
Re: lower BJ press c-clamp tool, rant

I bought one from harborfreight, looks just like the autozone one... worked fine for me... 87 silverado... ? operator error maybe?
__________________
1987 Silverado - L83 5.3 w/ 6L80e ,A/C,P/W,P/L,TILT, HID projectors, Wilwood C-10 Pro Spindles w/ 2018 silverado front brakes & C-5 Corvette Rear Disc Brakes
1999 BMW 528i - 5.7 LS1 w/ 4l60e, Ford 8.8 IRS w31 spline posi & FX-r projector retrofit

New project: 2006 BMW x5 6cyl AWD to L83 6l80e 4wd to 2WD / RWD

A poor man buy's it twice

finally got my domain name back, 87chevy.com.... site rework in progress
87chevy.com is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2010, 10:21 AM   #3
cdowns
Senior Member
 
cdowns's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: daytonabeach
Posts: 22,956
Re: lower BJ press c-clamp tool, rant

if you buy your own quality tools they tend to work and last a lifetime
__________________
71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane

MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF

DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK

TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY
cdowns is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-12-2010, 05:19 PM   #4
benoit454
Chris
 
benoit454's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Monaville, WV
Posts: 3,737
Re: lower BJ press c-clamp tool, rant

It was more tool error, if they made it so the balljoint stud goes up into the main shaft then it works fine, just worried me about threads. it worked good for removing both sides, and today I put the PS in with it, worked alot better, more time and care had to be taken on my part to make sure the balljoint started and started level all around, and keep the tool straight, then it worked great.

So I guess I can withdrawl my rant, if you do alot of balljoints or need to do one it's worth the rent or purchase price, cuz your buddies are gonna want to use it.

It did need a different thing up top to push the balljoint out as you could not use the cup for it, but after thinking about it the bigger cup may have worked to let the stud go thru into the shaft, but it's made to fit the bottom of the c-clamp and we did not have the truck in the air high enough. If you got as lift or can get the front end 3 or 4 feet off the ground you'd be set and be perfect. not having directions or anything kinda hurt us too, in the end it worked and done it's job. it saved on alot of pounding and beating.
__________________
Chris



GIT R DONE!!!!!!

Check out all our rides,
http://www.cardomain.com/id/benwa454
benoit454 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2010, 12:24 AM   #5
ERASER5
Registered User
 
ERASER5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Indiana
Posts: 4,859
Re: lower BJ press c-clamp tool, rant

No! I kill you! dumba$$!
__________________
'70 GMC C1500 LWB
Power disc brakes. WooHoo!
Posi 6 Lug Dana 60
ERASER5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2010, 01:47 AM   #6
MalibuSSwagon
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Weare,NH
Posts: 1,592
Re: lower BJ press c-clamp tool, rant

Worked fine for me, it is frustrating to set it up plus my jack sucks and doesnt lift the truck very high. I destroyed a new ball joint for my Honda once because my ADD must have in overdrive, I didn't notice I had it setup wrong and just impacted the hell outta it until i noticed it stopped moving halfway in, pulled it apart and the BJ was crushed lol
MalibuSSwagon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2010, 12:56 AM   #7
benoit454
Chris
 
benoit454's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Monaville, WV
Posts: 3,737
Re: lower BJ press c-clamp tool, rant

ouch lol.

Yea it worked alot better the 2nd day, more calm not in a rush just wanted to try it out and see if it do both jobs and it did. Would have been easier if the truck was on a lift or soemthing, maybe like 3-4 feet off the ground, then the bolt you turn on the clamp would face down and work better.
__________________
Chris



GIT R DONE!!!!!!

Check out all our rides,
http://www.cardomain.com/id/benwa454
benoit454 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-17-2010, 11:12 PM   #8
BarryB
Senior Member
 
BarryB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Blountville, Tn.
Posts: 3,904
Re: lower BJ press c-clamp tool, rant

I bought one off the mac tool guy (OTC brand) s few years ago, I haven't removed a balljoint yet with it. But I have in my tool box whenever I do need it. Now, I have used it for removing and installing u-joints.
__________________
*We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp; some are pretty;and some are dull. Some have weird names; and all are different colours;but they all have to live in the same box.

* You may be only one person in the world, But you may also be the world to one person.

* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.

Two rules in life.
1. Never sweat the small stuff!
2. Everything is small stuff!
BarryB is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:35 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 1997-2022 67-72chevytrucks.com