I took the steering knuckle (cleaned up) and ball joints to the local indy. He gave them back to me cleaner still with the ball joints installed and painted on the underside. He said that the ball joint press was Mercedes and cost several hundred dollars when these cars were new.

The aftermarket spring compressors work and you should heed the advice to lube the screw. Simple threaded rod with washer & a large socket will press the lower control arm bushings in. Use fine thread of the largest size that will fit the socket. The socket pushes on the rim of the bushing as required. Pushing on the rim only will distort the rim but using wood or washers in the socket to shim enough to support the center of the bushing makes the process relatively easy.

I had to use 1 each new bolt that holds the upper control arm and camber adjusting bolt when doing my SD.

There are 2 bushings in the carrier that hold the guide rod mount. All of my bushings were dry rotted. Just knock them out with a hammer, clean the carrier with a wire wheel, lube the hole and use threaded rod with thick washers to press the bushings in.

Hey delivery valve,

While looking at the dimensions you gave for the pipe " 60.8mm outer diameter and 49.8mm inner diameter.", I can't seem to match it to the sizes available per this chart Pipe Dimension Table
for any of the schedules listed: 5, 10, 40.

Is it a metric black iron pipe?

I don't have a 20 ton press. It took up too much room and was always in the way except for a few times when needed. That was 20 yrs ago. I miss it only infrequently. Welding would be a more useful skill.

I am using a schedule 80 black pipe and that chart you posted is not showing it.
My measurements maybe off somewhat, since I did not clean up the burrs, but it is a nominal 2 inch pipe in this chart.
Schedule 80 Steel Pipe Sizes & Dimensions ANSI - Engineers Edge


.

I didn't know there is even a sched 80. Shows you how much I know about plumbing stuff. It is not very common. Home Depot does not carry it. McMaster has 2" Sched 80 for $41 / ft.!

Where's the best place to find a cutoff piece cheap? What trade /industry use 2" sched 80 pipes? Steam generators? Nuclear reactor plants?

Common pipe for gas welders

My county is a large heavy crude oil producing area. So pipe of that type is needed.
There are a few pipe/steel businesses in town and I can usually get remnant stock at a good price. But it goes up and down depending on the market.

As far as purchasing it online. I have no clue.

.

Gas welders as in?

1. A device that uses gas to weld things together like oxy-acetylene?

or

2. A person that is trained to weld with gas?

Don't forget, I am looking for a schedule 80 2 inch nominal o.d. pipe that is cheap.

Has anyone seen the proper tool for sale used? I live on a bumpy road and see a few more ball joints jobs in my future.

There are a bunch of ball joint tools on amazon for Mercedes but none listed for W123.
Anyone have a part number or a source?

Many thanks.

FSM Job 33-440:
https://www.startekinfo.com/StarTek/outside/12265/disc_2/program/Chassis/33-440.pdf

Lower ball joint removal tool: appropriately sized mandrel (as per the FSM)

Lower ball joint installer: MB part number 116 589 04 62 00, Price = $$$$ from the MB dealer


FourM 4M-012 is a weaker copy of the MB tool, Price=$$$
Fourm 4M-012 Lower ball joint installer


Alternatively, the JTC-1849, price = ???...no active links that I could find.
JTC -1894 is shown in post 4 on this thread: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/179284-write-up-ball-joints-lower-control-arm-bushings-tool-review-pics.html


And finally, a clone of the JTC-1849, the KTC MBZ2012 price = $

The JTC Company has a website: BENZ & BMW TOOL , JTC Auto Tools

This site has the price ($95) of the KTC. https://shop.ktcautotools.com/collections/mercedes-benz-tools?page=10

Renntag,
Many posts here, just search. Most use the "C-clamp" tool to press the new ball joint in. You can rent free from Autozone or buy new at Harbor Freight (I paid ~$35 on sale). A big hammer gets the ball joint out.

C-Press.