Shop Press
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 560
Likes: 0
From: Camino CA
Shop Press
I'm looking into getting a press for my control arm bushings, U-joints, etc. What are some good places to get one. And what brand is best to get? I had a 6-ton press about five years ago, but I bent it when I was pressing out a really old U-joint, I want one that won't bend on me.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 15,134
Likes: 477
From: NM
Re: Shop Press (Ben Taylor)
Have you check places like Harbor Frieght? They usualy have some good prices. Something like this:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=32879
Just run a search for "Shop Press" on their site, have them from $59 to $699
tom...
[Modified by Tom73, 7:07 AM 10/15/2002]
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=32879 Just run a search for "Shop Press" on their site, have them from $59 to $699
tom...
[Modified by Tom73, 7:07 AM 10/15/2002]
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,154
Likes: 3,959
From: Connecticut, USA
Re: Shop Press (Ben Taylor)
I have a 20 ton press from Harbor Freight. It works good but I did have to replace the jack with a better one. The original started to leak after a few monthsand we found a bad casting. The frame is ok. I wouldn't go smaller then 20 ton for the vette work.
Gary
Gary
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,286
Likes: 8
From: San Jose California
Re: Shop Press (Ben Taylor)
Ben,
I bought a 20 ton from Harbor Freight just like the one shown above. It works quite well. I don't need no skinking trains to flatten pennies anymore!
Mine came with iron arbor plates. Sometimes they sell them as an option, but you need them. I went to a metal recycling place and bought an assortment of aluminum blocks in numerous sizes to also use as arbor plates for those frequent occasions when I need to stack more plates on one side than the other.
The best tool I found for actually pushing bearrings on and off was the cheap 3/4" metric and English socket drive sets. About $35 each. One setcame with the 3/4" ratchet and extensions too. Along with my 1/2" socket sets, I am able to find virtually every diameter (a 2.5" socket has a 3.25" outside diameter) I need to push on/off any bearing.
Chuck
I bought a 20 ton from Harbor Freight just like the one shown above. It works quite well. I don't need no skinking trains to flatten pennies anymore!
Mine came with iron arbor plates. Sometimes they sell them as an option, but you need them. I went to a metal recycling place and bought an assortment of aluminum blocks in numerous sizes to also use as arbor plates for those frequent occasions when I need to stack more plates on one side than the other.
The best tool I found for actually pushing bearrings on and off was the cheap 3/4" metric and English socket drive sets. About $35 each. One setcame with the 3/4" ratchet and extensions too. Along with my 1/2" socket sets, I am able to find virtually every diameter (a 2.5" socket has a 3.25" outside diameter) I need to push on/off any bearing.
Chuck
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
Re: Shop Press (Ben Taylor)
All good press suggestions. But for CA bushings you may not need a press if you're replacing with poly. My outer shells were just fine ... much of the rubber pulled out ... used a $7 hole saw & needle-nose to hog out the remainder ... use a thin chisel to open the split inner sleeves ... they'll slide off. Then just slide on the new inner sleeves, finger-push the poly bushings in ... you're done ... and you didn't stress the CA or risk bending it. If your outer shells are ok and you're using poly then you can do same. U-joints are another matter ... get a press & a torch.
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Advanced
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: Plano TX
Re: Shop Press (Ben Taylor)
My dad had purchased a press like the one pictured. I don't recommend it for control arm bushings - bent mine - but for all other applications, seems to work quite well - his was a 12 ton -
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 478
Likes: 3
From: Huntsville AL
Re: Shop Press (Ben Taylor)
That is what I bought to do mine, and it works great. Just be sure you support the arms when pressing the new ones in. I think there is a picture of my set up at www.angelfire.com/al/swhite7/frontend.html
YBNormal...drive a vette
YBNormal...drive a vette
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 4,077
Likes: 27
From: Northeast South Dakota
Re: Shop Press (Ybnormal)
I have a 20 ton as well. I suppose it's about the same as the ones that harbor freight sells. I bought it off of a truck that stopped in my yard one day selling shop equipment. A couple of guys from somewhere down south were peddling the stuff. I bought the press and a cherry picker. Neither one is top notch quality, but they both work good for the money, especially for home garage use only.
