I am about to do a full rebuild on the front end, and am getting a used 20 ton press. I know the press will be useful for all the bushings and so on, but here is my question, after reading many posts on this:

Would a 20 ton press be enough to remove the ball joints? I am planning to chill the old lower control arm ball joints with Radio Shack component chiller before pressing them out. The stuff does wonders in some cases.

The reason why I am asking is that in the case I do have enough power to push them out, I'd rather rent the proper Mercedes tool for inserting the new ball joints rather than taking them to a shop to have them pressed in.

Thanks for any advice.

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Henry Bofinger
1989 560 SEL (black/black)
2001 Audi TT Roadster (silver/grey)

If a 20 ton press doesn't do it I guess you'll be breaking something before it seats properly. I can't imagine that you'd have any trouble.

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I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

I've found that getting the ball joints out is realativiy easy. Getting the new ones in has been the tricky part. I just take 'em to this shop where the guy has the right tool. Takes literally 5min. Not terribly expensive.

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Current fleet
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That is what I would recommend. Remove the spindle/steering knucle and take it and the new ball jt to an independent that won't mind pressing it in for you. As already stated it should not take more than about 5 minutes.

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Jim

How much would it cost to have it done?

Because I just made a discovery: You can get a new type of tool to insert the ball joint for roughly $ 100. It is modeled after a home-built design that someone here on this forum came up with! You need to have a press, though. I am investing in a press anyhow, since I found a 20 ton used one for $140, and I know it will be useful for bushings and other projects.

So at $100, given time to travel to a shop to have them installed, it might be worth my time to simply buy the $ 100 tool.

My original question was if a 20 ton press would be strong enough to get the old ball joint out, not the new one in. The next question I am asking (not to the forum but to the toolmaker) is if that 20 ton press will be strong enough to push the new joint in using their tool....

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Henry Bofinger
1989 560 SEL (black/black)
2001 Audi TT Roadster (silver/grey)

My original question was if a 20 ton press would be strong enough to get the old ball joint out

yes, but a small sledge hammer will do the same thing.


The next question I am asking (not to the forum but to the toolmaker) is if that 20 ton press will be strong enough to push the new joint in using their tool

yes again BUT it has to do it at the proper angle.

About a year ago, while waiting for the proper MB tool to come in, I took it to an independent shop that pressed both of them in for $20.

I'd go ahead with the plans to get the 20 ton press though.

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Jim

That answers my question. Yes on the press, no on the $100 tool, spend $20 instead, save $80.

Thanks!

__________________
Henry Bofinger
1989 560 SEL (black/black)
2001 Audi TT Roadster (silver/grey)

Just make sure you take them the spindle/steering knucle and new ball joint and have the old ball joint already out.

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Jim

Yeah, the problem is that the spindle bends back across the ball joint, making a normal press tool useless; so that $100 adaptor you were mentioning would be required. Pressing the old ones out is a similar issuue, but of course you can get down and dirty with the old ones and get them out any way you can - big hammer, drill, etc.
When I did mine about 10 years ago, I banged the old ones out (tough) and then the local Euro shop charged $100 just to press in the new ones, sounds like I got ripped off. The infamous $300 hand tool doesn't generate near 20 tons, so no power problem if you can get the the spacers in and aligned around the spindle.

DG

I own that gigantic $300 tool, works great for install.

Removal is the pain, best I have found is to just beat it out with a 5lb sledge hammer and a crap socket that fits in that hole. About 28-32mm area fits well. Just make sure to spray the thing with some penetrating oil in advance, this makes removal far easier.

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The factory manual , says to use a hammer and knock them out , thats the way ive been doing these , then use the c clamp press tool to press them in,i remove new boot so they dont tear and press away until seated.

I removed mine myself with a sledge/air hammer, but to have it put in I had a shop do it. They said their press ran out of umph around 80% of the way in (Lemfoerder joints) so he had to hand hammer them in with a mega air chisel, marred up the edges a bit but he did get it seated all the way, vibration probably helped a bit. Cost $40 for them to do it, and all I had to do was drop off/pick up.

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The tool for putting the lower ball joints in is more like $800-$1000 last I checked. The only parts I had to have someone else install in the front suspension were the lower control arm bushings and the lower ball joints, the rest was easy with a normal press.

Here is a link to the new tool that you can get for around $120 that works as long as you have a press:

W126 ball joint tool | eBay

It seems to be modeled after a tool that someone came up with here on this board:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/48647-ball-joints-done.html#post281603

__________________
Henry Bofinger
1989 560 SEL (black/black)
2001 Audi TT Roadster (silver/grey)