ball joint press

Anyone had success with the OTC Ball Joint Press and
the additional Honda adapter set.

I have the press, can spend $70 on the adapter set. OR I can do without the
car for a day and take them to get a machine shop. Money isn't the issue, I
just want to know if getting the adapter set works.

The ball joints have about 120,000 miles on them. It's an 87 honda and they
need to be pressed out of the knuckle.

 

it works great. i use mine daily on hondas.
Chip

 

on my 87 prelude i took off the whole steering knuckle
and used a big socket(36mm)to whack out the lower balljoint.

It seemed to work OK, and I just whacked the new one in.

t

 

it's never ok to pound in a ball joint, it's as bad as pounding in
a bearing. they never last the same.
Chip

 

I don't understand how whacking the base of the ball joint
would affect the functionality. I wasn't hitting any of
the moving parts, the ball or socket. I just used a
socket on the base of the balljoint, and it slid perfectly
into place. Its been there for over 6 months too, and I
haven't noticed any handling probs, or odd tire wear.
(Plus I never actually realigned it, but I think that was
just pure luck, either that or skillful whacking!!)

As far as whacking in a bearing, that would be totally different, as you
would have to hit it on a surface that would affect the functionality of
the bearing, either buggering up the balls or somethin, I wouldn't dream
of doing that. UNLESS you had a socket that was exactly the same size as
the bearing, and you could work on it on a bench (IE fashion a press of
your own).

The balljoint is not really that tight in the steering knuckle, and they
provide this circlip thingy to keep it
from moving around. I didn't have to wail on it that hard to get it in.

But hey, I am humble enough, if in 5 years my ball joint
fails, I guess I'll just replace it again, on lifetime
warranty....

t

 

i've seen a lot of them that were hit right in the middle and the
ball works at the top of the socket until it's loose.
most of the honda ball joints are tight, and they don't always come
with circlips anymore because of the tight fit.
Chip

 

The 2K Accord Helm manual doesn't even show a ball joint as a separately
replaceable part. I guess this means just replace the whole knuckle?

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

My haynes manual for my civic also says that if the upper
ball joint wears out, you have to replace the whole upper
control arm. Thats not true, since you can buy the
balljoint from NAPA for $40 (canadian), versus $220 for
the control arm from anywhere else. I did get it pressed
in at a shop, since the metal on the control arm is fairly
thin, making it pretty easy to bend it if I had tried to
whack it in.

The book also says that you need to take the steering
knuckle into a shop to have the lower balljoints replaced,
but I didn't do that either, however at the behest of Chip,
perhaps I should have? Oh well, it went in so smoothly
when I had it on the work bench, I don't see why that
would be necessary...

t

t