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I've been looking around for presses. Common sizes are 6-ton, 12-ton, 2-ton.
a) What's needed to press 240 bushings in/ out?
b) Recommendation on brand? I'll probably just go Harbor Freight (12-ton $199) as I doubt I'll use it more than 4 times/ year.
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If the car has ever seen salt, **12 tons will not cut it**...
We came close to blowing one up trying to pop torque and track rod bushings out. Somethings you're just relegated to blasting them out with an acetylene torch.
-Ryan
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I'm going w/ a 20T+. There are a couple of used 30Ts I've seen around.
Yes, I looked closer at one of the torque rods today and the bushing sleeve is almost as think at the rod end. I can see where cutting/ burning will be needed. Not sure heating the rod end is a good idea though - heat may weaken a rusty one quite a bit.
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No worries with heat. Depending on how many bushings you have to do, you can do the MAPP-torch/hacksaw/die-grinder/bench-vise trick. Not fun or easy, but it's cheap! :-)
-Ryan
--
Athens, Ohio
1987 245 DL 324k, Dog-hauler
1990 245 DL 142k M47, E-codes, GT Sways/Braces, Dracos, A-cam
1990 744GLE 189K 16-valve
1991 745 GL 304k
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All great comments, however, let me add my two cents worth.
I bought a 12 ton "Big Red Jacks" brand press from Pep Boys a couple of years ago for $80 total, after rebates, so that I could press out all of the bushings in the front and rear of my car when I went to full poly bushings.
My car is a rust free Texas car, however, I was only able to press out two of the 14 or so bushings. As mentioned earlier, it is very easy to bend car parts, or risk injury.
If this is the only reason you are buying a press, then you would be better off spending the money on a good sabre saw and a bunch of blades, as I ended up sawing out most of my old bushings, carefully cutting through the rubber and then the metal sleeves.
I also bought a large 6" bench vise, which was very handy for pressing in the new bushings.
I have found it nice to have a 12 ton press from time to time, however, it just sits in the corner taking up space most of the time.
I have found that having an angle grinder comes in handy. I didn't realize how much I needed one until I borrowed one from a friend, now that I have one of my own, it seems like I use it almost every week!
Good luck with your project, and be careful.
--
If it needs to be maintained, repaired or replaced on a 1990 240, I've probably done it. '90 240DL, 295K looking forward to 300K badge (or sticker??). >>You haven't really worked on a car until you draw blood<< :-}
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Thanks for the comments. Good advice.
I wouldn't have thought of Pep Boys. $80 is a great price (NH is ~ $149 on a 12T). Pep Boys web site finds no presses now so maybe that was a one-time thing.
I have sabre saws, angle grinders, and a good vice & I use those for bushings now. if I had a press I'd use it for other things (u-joinds, various farm bushings, bushings on friends' cars) and I'd like to have that option when I go to do a job. I spent hours and broke a vice doing rear a-arm bushings on a PT Cruiser.
I understand about having to cut out rusted-out bushings though. And a friend at a local dealer always uses an air chisel. But I'd still like a press.
re "My car is a rust free Texas car, however, I was only able to press out two of the 14 or so bushings." Art B said he's seen smaller presses fail so he bought a 20T. This reinforces that.
Mostly I think I want it to press the new bushings in. The PT Cruiser bushings cocked easily so it was a lot of fussing and pounding and I wasn't happy with the result.
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Art B said he's seen smaller presses fail so he bought a 20T.
I just wanna be clear on this, especially in light of Rhys' comments. I hadn't seen any smaller presses fail, just read about it here on the Brickboard. That influenced my purchase. Room for it was an important factor -- I don't have a barn.
Some other thoughts crept up, after reading Rhys. How would we know these China-made jacks are doing what they're "rated" for? I have nothing -- not even some good experience -- to measure or even guesstimate what the forces approach just before the bushings first begin to move. All I can do is look at the thickness of the steel or catch a glimpse of the deflection of the beam. If I knew the leverage the jack cylinder gave me, I could go by the force I exerted on the handle, but I have not done that math. Anyway, I wound up thinking Rhys' 6 tons on an 8-ton jack might be as much experience, feel, and common sense as knowing when to let go on an impact gun.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Benjamin Franklin
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Yes Art, you did say "I've heard" not "I've seen". Sorry to misrepresent. I was in a hurry.
Note that some of the better presses (still under $500) have gauges. See Northern Tool's selection.
I wouldn't trust calculations. I don't think there's any noticeable & direct relation between lever resistance and hydraulic pressure. But some of my jacks have bleeder ports and I bet it's easy to add a gauge at a T fitting.
I also don't know is 20T lift is the same as 20T squeeze/ press. It should be of course but manufacturers are notorious for enlarging numbers eg.
- 2-ply tires, 4-PLY RATING
- 10,000-lb winch (rolling weight)
- less than the suggested recommended MDR trans-fats
- The more you buy, the more you save
(Sorry, I digress).
I thought about buying a cheap 12T press and putting my 22T house jack in it but that seems like a candidate for America's Stupidest Home-Accident Videos.
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That's exactly how I do it Art. My eight ton jack has a three piece extension handle, for about a 24 inch lever. I use just two extensions, which limits me to about 6 tons out of the 8 available. As well the jack is a Nike brand, which is Swedish made, and good quality.
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What size brand angle grinder did you get? I've been looking to add one soon.
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I bought a Craftsman (Sears) 7.5 amp, 11,000 rpm 4 1/2 inch angle grinder.
It has a lock button, so that you can lock the trigger in the "On" position, and it also has a very long cord, which is nice.
I bought it because it was on sale, I had a gift card, and I also had a coupon, so I practically made money on this deal! :-)
It is amazing how quickly this cuts through bolts, 3/4" rebar and the occasional piece of sheet metal. Really helpful tool, I wish I had bought one 20 years ago...
--
If it needs to be maintained, repaired or replaced on a 1990 240, I've probably done it. '90 240DL, 295K looking forward to 300K badge (or sticker??). >>You haven't really worked on a car until you draw blood<< :-}
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I have the 20 ton HF and think its your best choice. Just used it last week to do control arm bushings and wheel bearings on my sisters 240. Higher quality presses run 500 plus. I get their store flyers and they often have a 20% off one item coupon. Might even find one on the internet. One other HF item that is usefull with the press is the super large 3/4 metric socket set. I have one and sometimes use sockets as press tools. for example I found a perfect size to press in both the inner and outer wheel bearing races.
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Thanks. I've been looking for used ones for 6 months and if nothing pans out I'll just buy the HF unit. You're another reminder that the 20T is the way to go.
I have the 3/4" sockets too and use them more for pressing than for the tractors. But I've cracked a couple.
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I built an 8 ton press, but I limit it to about 6. I have never found anything on a car that needs more, and 8 tons is enough to mash into porridge most things on a car.
The deal is if you find yourself approaching 20 tons, or even 10, on some job or another, you have to ask "what is causing this?" and stand around the corner of a concrete building in case something lets go with a bang, which it probably will. The amount of strain energy in some flexible component on a car, when released, can do a great deal of damage.
My first introduction to this many years ago was meeting a one-eyed mechanic....press accident....
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Thanks Rhys. I've used various-size presses without noting the -T rating. I've had an easy time on some things with small presses; I've had problems on large presses. Much of it depends on rust, initial alignment, and whether or not you cock it slightly.
It's tempting to get a 6-/8-T unit. Harbor Freight has a 6T for $79. And there's a local one for a similar price.
I do understand you about the danger: I stopped wearing rings when I saw a friend lose a finger in a metal lathe; I have had broken bits from chiseling and pressing go into my skin in different places; a friend almost lost an eye over a tiny bit that came off a hand chisel; I've had parts fly out of presses and dent cans; etc.
I wear safety glasses for all of these things. Including beading tires as I've had rust flakes come out when the bead snaps and draw blood.
Oh, it's tempting to build a press as I have several jacks from 10-25T that I've used for jacking up houses. But I don't have god steel around for it.
I'll keep shopping used. With luck I'll find a good frame with a bad jack.
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That's great - sounds like you have extensive experience.
I built my own press, copying the Snap-On upper A frame and the Christensen (Danish) table and supports. That way I can press valve guides and do axle bearings -width and length were important for those ops.
I used 140 hood hinge springs to return a large bottle jack and machined the big mandrel after welding a plate on it to accept the bottom of the jack.
That was years ago before the inexpensive store bought stuff came on the market - which would have been easier!
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I live on a farm so you have to do a lot of different things. "Extensive experience" probably dignifies it too much.
Yeah, it's weird: I used to build/ repair/ etc lots of things. But now it doesn't make sense as new stuff is so cheap. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy an extension cord than to repair one. And recently I went out to make a 100' out of 12-3 and I bought one a good bit cheaper than the materials. With a lighted F end and all.
Your press sounds great. Especially the reuse of the hinges. If I had any good steel I'd try it.
Thanks again for the feedback.
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I can't give you search references, but before making that decision I read several accounts from brick owners who failed to press out torque rod bushings with the 12-ton HF. No details, but the slight price difference and inconsequential footprint difference led me to the 20-ton version. I've heard it groan in protest on some of the tougher bushings.
Wait for a sale if you can. It took the grand opening sale of a nearby store to lure me in. $160 in '04.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore
A bicycle can't stand alone because it is two-tired.
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Thanks Art, that's exactly the kind of feedback I wanted. And it is primarily for torque rod bushings. I'll wait for a 20T. There are a couple of used ones around for $100-150 but when I add fuel cost a new one makes more sense.
Harbor freight has the 20-ton H-frame for $199 and the A-frame for $249. Free shipping. I'm not a big fan of their tools but for something like this w/ limited use it should be OK. Their transmission jack has served me well sans problems for 10+ years.
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A VERY useful tool for all sorts of things. I'd get the biggest one you can afford consistent with your expectations of quality.
--
82 242 5.0L; '00 Accord; '08 Mini Clubman
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