Seems illogical that it could be "much easier" if the alternative method involves the additional steps including compressing the spring, disconnecting the front sway bar, marking the LCA eccentric bolt positions in order to restore them to their original position, removing the two eccentrics and the LCA and then repeating all those additional steps upon reassembly.

I have two tools for R&Ring the 201/124/129 ball joints a screw type press made by Baum and a hydraulic powered tool from Germany, once the wheel carrier is separated the old ball joint can be removed in a minute or two and the new one installed in a minute or two, the wheel carrier reinstalled and shock reconnected in 5 or 10 minutes at the most.

I think this DIY four screw tool is probably a bit slower because one needs to turn four nuts as opposed to a single screw, but because there is less related parts disconnected it seems quicker and less work than removing the entire LCA would define "much easier".

I agree with you that this seems easier than pulling the LCA, but how to address the control arm bushings? If your ball joints look like the ones in the picture chances are your control arm bushings are toast too. That will require spring compression and removal of the LCA to address.

I also am worried about using a jack stand to hold back that charged spring. Just looks scary from the photo.

Vstech and I just did the LCA job on my wagon, in the pouring rain, last Thursday. It's more like pump, pump, pump, BOOM then a few unrepeatable words of surprise when it lets go so be prepared.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

Yes this tool is slower than the single screw type and much slower than the hydraulic type - but for the DIYer - its pretty reasonable - I was done with both ball joints in about 3 hours which included a lunch break, phone calls and pictures too.

The average DIY person tackling the W124/201/129 joints faces the dilemma of somehow trying to steady the C shaped generic press while trying to torque it and if the joints are rusted up it has been known for the press to open up making it useless. This one is very steady in place.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

That spring is way longer than that, and the jackstand is just sitting there with no lift supporting the arm while another pair is supporting the front jack points of the car. So unless the car starts to float or the metal of the jackstand bends Im pretty good.

btw when I changing the struts on this car I used a jack under the LCA - which slipped whilst the strut was out - causing the LCA to go downwards unsupported, The anti roll bar limited the down movement of the arm which kept the spring in place.

If you tackle this job and dont feel comfy you can choose to tie the spring to the arm and car with a chain or nylon band used to tie goods on trucks - I did not have those handy.

Later on Im going to get a spring compressor to do the bushings, I'll probably use this same press, they last a very long time on the W124, specially the updated ones used in the later models like I have.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

Nice press! If I were to make one, I would use 3 bolt instead of 4.

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

Doesn't the ball joint press Autozone loans for free (net) do the job more quickly?

Sixto
87 300D

the autozone press does not work as is, you need to grind the bottom space piece to clear the bulge in the control arm. It also is known to spread apart if used on highly rusted ball joints. To make use of that you need to make a special spacer piece on a lathe and a grinder. Even then the C press is known to spread apart making it useless.

In my press Im using a very thin pipe socket that just clears the ball joint at 1/8 inch and sits flush on the boss - The other pipe socket rests on the thicker joint collar and everything is held very tight and square between the plates.

The first joint I did was rusted solid - so I loaded up the press really tight and hit the top plate hard with a hammer, it broke the rust bond and then the joint easily pressed out in 5 minutes of cranking.

and this costs almost nothing when compared to a shop and has way less swear potential or injury risk as compared to the C shaped clamp

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

Threaded rod comes in 1" size too.

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1985 300D 198K sold
1982 300D 202K
1989 300E 125K
1992 940T

"If you dont have time to do it safely, you dont have time to do it"

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

I really like your invention! I used the 10lb hammer method to change mine, but your setup is much better.

A suggestion would be to cut some pipe spacers to go over your threaded rods between your top metal plate and nuts to push the nuts up close to the end of the threaded rods. This way you could use a deep well socket and an impact wrench to apply the torque instead of having to crank with a wrench.

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You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime you just might find you get what you need.

VSTECH,
just wondering if you still have the ball joint removal tool and spring compressor for a 1992 MB 300E? Are you renting it out and how much? I live in Norfolk Virginia.