Lower Ball Joint -1; POS Harbor Freight Vice - 0 - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Diesel911 · #16 07-03-2010, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Local2ED

Rule# 1-Don't buy HF tools
Rule# 2-Obey all rules

I have quite a few Harbor Freight tools to include a Cement Mixer and a Manual Tire Changer.

I have a HF Multimeter for each Car as well as there Electric Tire Changing 12 Volt Impact Wrenches which have proved to do almost all of the jobs a Air powered Impact can do and the list goes on.

I have had good luck with my HF stuff but I know I am not wroking with the Best and try to use them accordingly.

Also I try to get what I want only when it is on sale and pay even less.

tankowner · #17 07-03-2010, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Local2ED

Rule# 1-Don't buy HF tools
Rule# 2-Obey all rules

I know some take this approach for various reasons and I understand why. I actually hold nothing agaist HF. They sell low quality tools for cheap - that's their thing. The reason I continue to go back is because when something breaks, they take it back without questioning.

As a matter of fact, when i returned the vice, I opened up the box to show it to the girl at the check out counter and she said (I quote): "Wow, that's the second one today.

I'm not kidding.

I happily accepted store credit because I know I will use it. Honestly, I have bought lots of things from HF and most of it is half-decent stuff that I still use. I can only think of two things I have bought there that have broken - the vice and a hole saw set. I think I paid $2 for that, so I just threw it away. Like I said, throw-away-tools. If HF put up a fight every time some HF tools broke, well, they wouldn't be in business anymore.

I won't buy another vice from HF, I learned my lesson. And I don't buy all my tools from there either. Some things are too important to have to worry about them breaking all the time. But, I'll keep going back to HF for some things.

tankowner · #18 07-03-2010, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

I have quite a few Harbor Freight tools to include a Cement Mixer and a Manual Tire Changer.

I have a HF Multimeter for each Car as well as there Electric Tire Changing 12 Volt Impact Wrenches which have proved to do almost all of the jobs a Air powered Impact can do and the list goes on.

I have had good luck with my HF stuff but I know I am not wroking with the Best and try to use them accordingly.

Also I try to get what I want only when it is on sale and pay even less.

Amen.

Local2ED · #19 07-03-2010, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tankowner

I know some take this approach for various reasons and I understand why. I actually hold nothing agaist HF. They sell low quality tools for cheap - that's their thing. The reason I continue to go back is because when something breaks, they take it back without questioning.

As a matter of fact, when i returned the vice, I opened up the box to show it to the girl at the check out counter and she said (I quote): "Wow, that's the second one today.

I'm not kidding.

I happily accepted store credit because I know I will use it. Honestly, I have bought lots of things from HF and most of it is half-decent stuff that I still use. I can only think of two things I have bought there that have broken - the vice and a hole saw set. I think I paid $2 for that, so I just threw it away. Like I said, throw-away-tools. If HF put up a fight every time some HF tools broke, well, they wouldn't be in business anymore.

I won't buy another vice from HF, I learned my lesson. And I don't buy all my tools from there either. Some things are too important to have to worry about them breaking all the time. But, I'll keep going back to HF for some things.

Ahh, you did'nt throw away a $2.00 dollar hole saw set, you threw away $2.00. Never could understand the reasoning" well it did'nt cost too much so i just threw it away and bought another". Why not by a quality tool to begin with and probably have it for life?

tankowner · #20 07-03-2010, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JEBalles

For my LBJ (har!) I just set the knuckle on its side, the top part against the base of my sand filled basketball hoop, taped a big socket on to the bottom of the joint and hit it with an 8 (?) Lb sledge. Came out with only a few hits and I'm pretty deep in the rust belt.

JEBalles, thanks for the inspiration - I thought about what you said, came up with a similar approach and lo-and-behold the LBJ IS FREE!!! After Lux's comment about the 20-ton press not doing the job, I thought I was finished. But, being home alone with nothing else to do, I decided to give it one more try.

I gathered up 3 pieces of 6x6 lumber about roughly 2 feet long each, laid them side-by-side and butted them up to the foundation of the house. Then I took another piece and laid it perpendicular across those three - also butting it up against the house. As you suggested, I taped (with lots of electrical tape - no duct tape on hand) a socket to the bottom of the LBJ. I laid the knuckle down on the middle piece (out of the 3) of lumber and secured the long end (where the UCA connects) against the other piece of 6x6 that I had laid perpendicular across the top. The arrangement was such that the socket just stuck out over the lumber. Then I stood on top of the outside pieces of lumber straddling the knuckle. Raising the 8 lb sledge up over my head, I really laid into it. (CAUTION: If you miss your target and veer off to either side, this is a guaranteed ankle breaker.) I railed on that thing about 8 to 10 times and was about to give up, but then I looked and it appeared to have budged just a little. With a couple of more whacks I could detect a little more movement. I took a little rest so as to avoid the ankle breaking swing that comes with fatigue. Finally after a couple more swings, the LBJ came out. Unbelievable, but it's out.

So, what have I learned? Well, for one thing, I can get a lot more force out of swinging a sledge like a pendulum over my head and down toward the ground than I can trying to hit the target in a bench vice. And, despite the broken HF vice in the "vice as a press" debacle, I can tell you that had I laid into the knuckle/LBJ like that while it was in the vice, the vice would still be broken.

So, at the end of the day, the LBJ is out, I am out a vice, but I have $65 in HF credit. More importantly, I now know how to approach the other LBJ. But, before I get ahead of myself, how exactly do I get the new LBJ in???

Just kidding, I'll use the search function. (But if anyone has any suggestions.

)

Thanks guys.

roundout · #21 07-03-2010, 07:55 PM

Take it to a shop with a press. There are some things you just can't do without one. It would have been easier to take the whole knuckle there to begin with and have them do the R&R.

You're also fortunate that the HF tool didn't take out part of you along with it. One of their India wrenches snapped in half on me one day and I punched a control arm. I was more amazed that I didn't have any broken bones than I was at the wrench breaking. For some reason that day I was wearing mechanic's gloves, which is out of the ordinary for me. It's a good thing I had them on.

I only use HF tools for things that don't undertake a lot of stress; picks, screwdrivers, rubber mallet, etc.. I will never buy another "working" tool from them after that wrench broke on me.

tankowner · #22 07-03-2010, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Local2ED

Ahh, you did'nt throw away a $2.00 dollar hole saw set, you threw away $2.00. Never could understand the reasoning" well it did'nt cost too much so i just threw it away and bought another". Why not by a quality tool to begin with and probably have it for life?

Because I usually don't need a hole saw set. Now, if I were a carpenter,well then I would agree with you on the hole saw set. But, for $2, HF won that time.

As a final note, I just realized that the 8 lb seldge that I used to finally drive the LBJ out was purchased at HF. See . . . everybody wins. Even the Chinese facotry worker who gets to make another 5" vice - but let's not go there, okay.

tankowner · #23 07-03-2010, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roundout

Take it to a shop with a press. There are some things you just can't do without one. It would have been easier to take the whole knuckle there to begin with and have them do the R&R.

Too late, the LBJ is free, FREE I say!

Quote:

Originally Posted by roundout

You're also fortunate that the HF tool didn't take out part of you along with it.

Agreed. That's why I put on the safety glasses and placed a shield between myself and the vice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by roundout

I only use HF tools for things that don't undertake a lot of stress; picks, screwdrivers, rubber mallet, etc.. I will never buy another "working" tool from them after that wrench broke on me.

Again, I agree. When you buy HF you have to keep in mind the quality issues as it pertains to your safety. Like I said, there are some things I do not buy from HF - wrenches is one. Add vices to the list now, too.

jkubica · #24 07-03-2010, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tankowner

I think after stopping by HF tomorrow I will drive down to the shop and see how much it will cost to have these pressed out and new ones pressed in - sometimes you just have to know when to say when.

Oh, and BTW, the vice in question is Item # 32115. "Industrial Quality" 5 inch - 360 degree swivel vise. My wife has the camera or I would definately post a pic of this piece of garbage.

Hi
Harbor Freight also carries a tool made for the job. Its number 32335. Its a C-frame Press for ball/U Joints $39.99 and you can always find a 20% off coupon.
Joseph

Diesel911 · #25 07-03-2010, 09:30 PM

He can get a Free Rental (if returned) C press from Auto Zone. And the Autozone one appears to be a better quality.

tangofox007 · #26 07-03-2010, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkubica

Hi
Harbor Freight also carries a tool made for the job. Its number 32335. Its a C-frame Press for ball/U Joints $39.99 and you can always find a 20% off coupon.
Joseph

You can also typically find a few of those presses listed on eBay. All bent or broken. They are neither made for the job nor up to the job.

TOPGUN · #27 07-03-2010, 10:34 PM

The infamous chi com cast iron used in most jack stands for sale at most retailers would bother me if under a car.

vstech · #28 07-03-2010, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TOPGUN

The infamous chi com cast iron used in most jack stands for sale at most retailers would bother me if under a car.

what. you mean you don't trust their 12 ton cast iron jack stands to hold up a 3K car...?
I doubt I would trust 4 of them to support a 48ton truck, but I'm ok with using them to hold up a 3ish K vehicle, less than 1/12th their rated capacity should be fine...

TOPGUN · #29 07-04-2010, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

what. you mean you don't trust their 12 ton cast iron jack stands to hold up a 3K car...?
I doubt I would trust 4 of them to support a 48ton truck, but I'm ok with using them to hold up a 3ish K vehicle, less than 1/12th their rated capacity should be fine...

I agree with you. I guess I just have a predisposed bad attitude toward the chi-coms.

funola · #30 07-04-2010, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tankowner

JEBalles, thanks for the inspiration - I thought about what you said, came up with a similar approach and lo-and-behold the LBJ IS FREE!!! After Lux's comment about the 20-ton press not doing the job, I thought I was finished. But, being home alone with nothing else to do, I decided to give it one more try.

I gathered up 3 pieces of 6x6 lumber about roughly 2 feet long each, laid them side-by-side and butted them up to the foundation of the house. Then I took another piece and laid it perpendicular across those three - also butting it up against the house. As you suggested, I taped (with lots of electrical tape - no duct tape on hand) a socket to the bottom of the LBJ. I laid the knuckle down on the middle piece (out of the 3) of lumber and secured the long end (where the UCA connects) against the other piece of 6x6 that I had laid perpendicular across the top. The arrangement was such that the socket just stuck out over the lumber. Then I stood on top of the outside pieces of lumber straddling the knuckle. Raising the 8 lb sledge up over my head, I really laid into it. (CAUTION: If you miss your target and veer off to either side, this is a guaranteed ankle breaker.) I railed on that thing about 8 to 10 times and was about to give up, but then I looked and it appeared to have budged just a little. With a couple of more whacks I could detect a little more movement. I took a little rest so as to avoid the ankle breaking swing that comes with fatigue. Finally after a couple more swings, the LBJ came out. Unbelievable, but it's out.

So, what have I learned? Well, for one thing, I can get a lot more force out of swinging a sledge like a pendulum over my head and down toward the ground than I can trying to hit the target in a bench vice. And, despite the broken HF vice in the "vice as a press" debacle, I can tell you that had I laid into the knuckle/LBJ like that while it was in the vice, the vice would still be broken.

So, at the end of the day, the LBJ is out, I am out a vice, but I have $65 in HF credit. More importantly, I now know how to approach the other LBJ. But, before I get ahead of myself, how exactly do I get the new LBJ in???

Just kidding, I'll use the search function. (But if anyone has any suggestions.

)

Thanks guys.

Swinging the sledge like a pendulum? Ha! In a prior discussion when JEBalles was doing his LBJ, I described the swing of the sledge that he needed was a splitting wood motion. You have to hit it that hard! And mutiple times too! Don't forget F=MA

ps, to not smash your ankles in case you miss, could you have nailed some boards in to protect them?