If you need an inexpensive ball joint press or U Joint tool.....

[Garth Libre]

I was absolutely shocked to see the common price to change out U Joints is well over $200 in today's pricing. I remember in 1984 I needed new U Joints for my 1971 Dodge Dart Swinger and I bought it for way less than $20. Try as I could I could not press the new ones in using whatever crude tools I had at the time (vise, hammer, big C clamp, prayer). I ended up taking my shaft to a garage in the Miami hood (Miami Drive Line). They charged me less than $20 to press them in. I brought the shaft back in the rear seat of my girlfriend's Caprice Classic, and in 5 minutes I rolled under my Dodge, got the shaft in. I washed up and moments later we were ready to go to the dollar movie theater. This is a very simple job if you have the tool. Here, the Torque Test Channel reviews two press tools for things like ball joints and U joints, a cheapy Amazon and a Harbor Freight press, also inexpensive but twice the price. The Amazon failed, and the Harbor Freight excelled for an inexpensive tool (I am a big HF fan).

 

[Garth Libre]

 

[Roert42]

I’ve got the Astro Pneumatics ball joint press. Comes in it’s a few different spacers.

I’ve pressed a ball joint out the wrong way one time with it, completely mangling and destroying the ball joint.

the only thing I would change, I will I got the kit with a bigger variety of spacers. The basic kit only has a couple sizes and it can take a while of getting creative to find a combination that works. Had to make spacers a couple times to fit.

 

[Shran]

All you need for U-joints is a bench vise and a big hammer. Maybe a socket about the same size as the cap. I've never used a press or anything for them although I should build a fixture to change them on my shop press, might make things easier.

As for ball joints I have been using the Harbor Freight press for years. I bent it the first time I used it but it still works. Just have to be careful... it helps to give the area surrounding the ball joint a few whacks with a hammer now and then while you're tightening the press so that the joint has a better chance of breaking free. I also had to make spacers to fit. Seems like I found a couple old wheel bearing races that worked well for that purpose.

 

[sgtsandman]

I have the Harbor Freight kit. It has served me well for years.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

We’ve beat the snot out of the HF Maddox that my buddy got, so far it mostly survived.

For U-joints I stopped smashing sockets years ago if I could avoid it and started using a big bolt as a “punch” to drive them out. Also took to sanding the inside of the ears a little to clean out rust and wipe a thin film of grease so they don’t weld themselves back in with rust. More than once or twice I’ve had to cut the cross out with a torch and beat them out fast with the bolt and a 4# sledge

 

[snoranger]

Ball joint/ u-joint presses suck for u joints. They bend the shit out the ears on the yoke. The problem is that you’re pressing on the u joint from 1 side and holding the other side of the yoke. That crushes the yoke. (The other problem is that all of our driveshafts look like we store them in a mix of salt and calcium chloride… which we kinda do.) Most of the time we have to cut the cross out of the old joint, knock the caps in, then clean the rotted pieces of snap ring out of the grooves.

The Tiger Tool U joint puller is pretty good. If it bends the ears (which still happens sometimes), it bends them outward instead of crushing them in. It’s easier to fix it later.

 

[dvdswan]

I guess I'm old fashioned. I used a ball peen hammer and 3/4" socket to change u-joints.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I've tried using a balljoint press to change U joints but I very soon ran out of arms since I think you need 5 to do that process... I've since switched to two 2x4's, hammer and a cheap 3/4" socket...

I got a HFT balljoint press for like $12 at a garage sale years ago, I've used and abused it, loaned it out to a few people and it's finally expanded to the point it's not easy to use with the goofy angles... so I spent the $60 for another Maddox this time... had it for a year, still haven't opened it, used the beat up one last time trying to press wheel studs out of a tractor axle flange...