Advanced Auto Ball Joint Press Tool - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

DeliveryValve · #16 12-17-2009, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

Below is a pic Deliveryvalve sent me showing how he removed his Ball Joint. I added the Yellow Arrow to show the direction it comes out.
He is using a Socket as the Punch to knock out the Joint.

Note that the Steering Knuckle is upside down. The Factory Service Manual shows it upside down but with part of it held in a Vice so that you can Beat the Joint out.

I had an assistant hold the knuckle for me down on the concrete.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

...

Also I do not remember where he got the Press.
The thing is that when you use Generic Tools to do a job you have to work with more care and have to make a decision if you want to take a chance on the tool or not.
If you see that the Generic Press is not pressing the Ball Joint in straight you have to stop before you cause damage.

That is an Autozone rental press. Not the best fitting equipment. But sufficient at doing the job after removing the ball joint boot. However, I will not recommend this press for anybody who has not used a press before and not have the experience of what they should be doing because you CAN easily deform the joint with this.

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rrgrassi · #17 12-17-2009, 01:56 PM

I had to use a combo of the AZ press and a 10 ton press (located at work), since I did not have access to the proper tool. The proper tool was $90 last time I checked. Next time...I will buy the proper tool. IT took all freaking weekend to do the job. If I had the proper tool in the beginning, the hardest part would have been repacking the bearings.

The AZ tool would have been fine if, and its a BIG if, the AZ tool would have fit flush on the outer lip of the ball joint.

winmutt · #18 12-17-2009, 02:23 PM

I pressed mine in and out by hand using the rental tool from Advanced auto or autozone cant remember. The old ones had been WELDED in.

Phil · #19 12-17-2009, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrgrassi

I had to use a combo of the AZ press and a 10 ton press (located at work), since I did not have access to the proper tool. The proper tool was $90 last time I checked. Next time...I will buy the proper tool. IT took all freaking weekend to do the job. If I had the proper tool in the beginning, the hardest part would have been repacking the bearings.

The AZ tool would have been fine if, and its a BIG if, the AZ tool would have fit flush on the outer lip of the ball joint.

The ball joint press tool that I have seen is around $350.

funola · #20 12-17-2009, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

Below is a pic Deliveryvalve sent me showing how he removed his Ball Joint. I added the Yellow Arrow to show the direction it comes out.
He is using a Socket as the Punch to knock out the Joint.

Note that the Steering Knuckle is upside down. The Factory Service Manual shows it upside down but with part of it held in a Vice so that you can Beat the Joint out.

The yellow arrow is not neccessary (for me anyway

). It is obvious with the position of the hammer/socket/steering knuckle that the ball joint can only come out in one direction.

PS. The assistant holding the socket is very brave (or very foolish) depending how you look at it.

kellynic · #21 12-17-2009, 03:09 PM

If you try using a torch be careful not to use too much heat because it could weaken the steel around the ball joint. that's what my indie told me. The best way to replace a Benz ball joint is with a checkbook. Good luck.

DeliveryValve · #22 12-17-2009, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funola

...
PS. The assistant holding the socket is very brave (or very foolish) depending how you look at it.

It's not that bad! The initial hit was where the assistant was helpful and was able to be positioned far enough away where the hammer could not hit him. After you get the joint going down a bit, the socket now had a place so it will not slip off. Then you can use one hand to hold the socket and knuckle while hammering down.

But I can see if being a problem if the joint was rusted in or perhaps welded.

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dannym · #23 12-17-2009, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangofox007

By what measure did you determine that? Do you have the ability to determine that there has been no deformation to an installed part? (Some deformation occurs every time an interference-fit part is installed.)

I have personally seen one ball joint that was completely loose (meaning that the ball flopped around in the socket) following installation with a generic press. That may have been an extreme case, but there is no doubt that some deformation occurs in any case.

I determine by the fact that I myself and numerous other people have used the Autozone press without damaging the joint.

You however base your comments on speculation since you yourself have never used the Autozone press. And you base your comments on the one or two individuals who weren't successful in using it. These same people probably would have messed it up with the proper tool anyway.

I have read a lot of your posts and your a great asset to this site but your not always right.
The bottom line is if your going to make a comment base it on facts not speculation.

Danny

funola · #24 12-17-2009, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeliveryValve

It's not that bad! The initial hit was where the assistant was helpful and was able to be positioned far enough away where the hammer could not hit him. After you get the joint going down a bit, the socket now had a place so it will not slip off. Then you can use one hand to hold the socket and knuckle while hammering down.

But I can see if being a problem if the joint was rusted in or perhaps welded.

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The ball joint in your pic must not have rusted in place and didn't require a lot of force. That's probably why it came out without clamping the knuckle in a vise and just resting it on the floor. I watched a shop do mine. They had the knuckle in a big vise on a metal bench (heavy and sturdy). With goggles and leather gloves on, one guy held a cylindrical brass hammer as a punch resting on the ball joint (which puts his hand safely 12" away), the other guy with a 3 ft long handle sledge hammer swung it like splitting wood. Took 3 shots and it came out. That would have been dangerous if not properly set up.

DeliveryValve · #25 12-17-2009, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funola

The ball joint in your pic must not have rusted in place and didn't require a lot of force..... ....

The perks of Californian vehicles.

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NoCalMer · #26 12-17-2009, 04:03 PM

I agree. The autozone press worked great for me with 10K miles on my ball joints with no issues.

The ball joints holds the weight of the car?

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannym

I determine by the fact that I myself and numerous other people have used the Autozone press without damaging the joint.

You however base your comments on speculation since you yourself have never used the Autozone press. And you base your comments on the one or two individuals who weren't successful in using it. These same people probably would have messed it up with the proper tool anyway.

I have read a lot of your posts and your a great asset to this site but your not always right.
The bottom line is if your going to make a comment base it on facts not speculation.

Danny

JEBalles · #27 12-17-2009, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil

When I did mine I knocked out the old joint the way it shows in the picture posted above but I did my best to suport the steering knuckle so it wouldn't get damaged. To press in the new ball joint I took the knuckle and joint to a local indi shop that had the factory tool and they charged around $25 each but after watching them do it I was glad to pay them.

Yeah, I wanted to bring the knuckle to any indy to do removal and and installation, but just about every shop I asked said they'd charge me an hour (80-90) and the one shop that wouldn't charge me the whole seemed so unsure about the process that I don't really feel comfortable going to him (potentially wrong tools, indeterminate charge).

Phil · #28 12-17-2009, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JEBalles

Yeah, I wanted to bring the knuckle to any indy to do removal and and installation, but just about every shop I asked said they'd charge me an hour (80-90) and the one shop that wouldn't charge me the whole seemed so unsure about the process that I don't really feel comfortable going to him (potentially wrong tools, indeterminate charge).

I see why you chose not to go that route. I was lucky because there are a number of MB only shops around that had the tool. You might look in the tool rental section on this site or Performance Products also has the tool for rent. I remember watching the guys at the place that I took the parts and the put the press in a vice and then 2 guys pulled on the LONG breaker bar they used to turn the press screw.

JEBalles · #29 12-17-2009, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil

I see why you chose not to go that route. I was lucky because there are a number of MB only shops around that had the tool. You might look in the tool rental section on this site or Performance Products also has the tool for rent. I remember watching the guys at the place that I took the parts and the put the press in a vice and then 2 guys pulled on the LONG breaker bar they used to turn the press screw.

Damn, I can see why people think this is the single hardest job to do on the W123. Anyway, I took my sledge (long handle, maybe 10 lbs?), and a 1/2" diameter pipe and started hitting away. No go, torched where the joint meets the knuckle, tried again, no go. I also drilled a .5 cm hole in the bottom, more out of curiosity than anything else. I think I'm going to take paul up on his offer.

rrgrassi · #30 12-17-2009, 05:51 PM

The ball joints on my car came out with a few whacks of a 3 lb sledge and big solid stainless steel scrap rod piece I found in the shop. I used a piece of wood on the concrete floor for knuckle.