What size shop press for farm shop?

[Runner]

You can also rebuild U-joints with a vise and a couple of sockets, which I have done several times.

Now, I have the HF 20 ton press and it is better. I mounted mine on locking casters so that it can be easily moved to an out-of-the-way location when not in use.

 

[weldingisfun]

You should check the HF prices now. Wow! Guess inflation has hit HF too. Harbor Freight Tools

 

[SnowRidge]

You should check the HF prices now. Wow! Guess inflation has hit HF too. Harbor Freight Tools

Those are the normal prices. They go on sale periodically. The trick is wait for the sale price.

 

[Bird]

When I was repairing mechanics' air tools, a 3-ton arbor press was an essential tool, used almost daily. On July 23, 1998, it cost me $108.24, including sales tax, at Northern Tool so the price has more than doubled in 10 years. I have no idea what the 12-ton shop press from Harbor Freight cost in the past, but my brother took one in on trade and left it in my shop. Someone had replaced the hydraulic jack with a 6-ton jack, so it was almost never used.

I only had one broken air tool that I couldn't fix with the arbor press, and it was a Snap-On air chisel with a broken bushing in the barrel that I simply could not move. So when I gave up, I called my expert, from whom I bought most of my parts, to ask him if there was something I didn't know about that tool. He laughed and said, "Just send it to me and I'll change that bushing and send it back. We use a hundred ton hydraulic press for that."

 

[3RRL]

I bought the 12 ton HF press too and it's been good for everything I've needed so far. It was on sale for 99 bucks. If I were to buy one now, would go with the 20 ton unit. You never know if you're ever going to need it...

 

[dfkrug]

I bought my HF 20T a long time ago on sale for $160 or so. I would have
a hard time making one for that price. I HAVE maxed it out several times,
so maybe I should have bought their 35T or 50T. The nicest features I
wish it had are the air-over-hyd jack, and the crank cable/pulley set-up to
adjust the table height.

This is a valuable tool at a very reasonable price.

(You should hear the sound it makes pressing out engine cyliinder liners.)

 

[AlanB]

I bought the HF 20 and returned it, and bought a 30 ton frame with a 20 ton jack from the local wholesale store. It was much more substantial then the HF unit, and that was worth it for me. (press's scare me sometimes)

I use my HF air over hydraulic jack in it.

In the FWIW I lost a hanger bearing in a truck one afternoon and hunted all over to find a machine shop to "do it right" and change it with a press instead of hammering it off and on.

So I finailly found an open machine shop at 530 or so, and they said they would press it off / on.

So the guy goes in the back, I follow, he leans the driveshaft on a 50 ton press, and beats the bearing off with a chisel / hammer. I kind of bite my tounge this is the old one after all... Then he goes to beat the new one on, still LEANING on the press. I said hey, why not use the press, that is why I brought this here. He holds the chisel up too me and shows me that they have blunted the end and says "see this chisel is special to not hurt it"

Bought my press the next day.

 

[schmism]

Don't leave us hanging, what happened ?

i got home with a 10/12T frame press and a 20T bottle jack (the one for the 20T shop press) i modified the top of the 10/12 ton press to take the 20 T bottle jack and have never looked back.

 

[GEB]

Have a look here
Harbor Freight Tools
I have both sets on the top, just the one on the left is really nice to have!
I also have their shop press, but the big u-joint tool covers a lot, without
having to set up the press
Gene

 

[tomd999]

Hiya,

Press for U joints? Wow, never thought of that. Sounds like a lot of trouble and money.

I just use a big vice and a hammer. Pop the clips out, open the vice, put the cap you want out up, either the other yolk or cross on top of the open jaws and hit the other yolk down with the hammer. That top cap will pop outta there in 2 or 3 whacks. Repeat for the others and use the vice to press the new caps in. Works for PTO shafts to the joints on the KW's

My 2 cents,

Tom