Ball joint tool
#1
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Thread Starter
Ball joint tool
I'll be starting my 95 SLE trans replacement in a couple of days and I would like to find a tool I can use to separate the ball joint without damaging the grease cup. My local parts house that usually has such stuff has nothing but the pickle fork type which I already have.
Have any of you found a good tool applicable to the Bonneville that will separate the joint and save the grease cup?
Thanks,
Have any of you found a good tool applicable to the Bonneville that will separate the joint and save the grease cup?
Thanks,
#4
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Thread Starter
Yep,I believe that'* what I am looking for. A lot more elegant than the barbaric pickle fork. Do you know if this OTC 6297 tool will work on the 95 SLE? It looks like it will. My '92 FSM gives J36226 as the tool for the lower ball joint. It looks similar to the OTC tool, maybe a little more stout, but I have not found a source for it yet. If I did find a source, I probably couldn't afford it! This OTC tool looks pretty good for $44+ shipping. I think I am willing to spend $50 to quit bashing ball joints.
Thanks for the reply.
Thanks for the reply.
#5
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Here'* a list of distributors in Iowa:
Ace Air Tools
7420 University Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50325
Phone: 515-274-3724
Fax: 515-274-3725
ETD
4141 N.E. 14th St.
Des Moines, IA 50313
Phone: 515-262-8426
Fax: 515-262-8623
Myers Tire Supply
1730 Guthrie Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50316
http://www.myerstiresupply.com/ Phone: 515-263-6992
Fax: 515-263-8212
O'Reilly Auto
2130 Martin Luther King Pkwy
Des Moines, IA 50314
http://www.oreillyauto.com Phone: 515-274-3540
Fax: 515-274-0722
7420 University Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50325
Phone: 515-274-3724
Fax: 515-274-3725
ETD
4141 N.E. 14th St.
Des Moines, IA 50313
Phone: 515-262-8426
Fax: 515-262-8623
Myers Tire Supply
1730 Guthrie Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50316
http://www.myerstiresupply.com/ Phone: 515-263-6992
Fax: 515-263-8212
O'Reilly Auto
2130 Martin Luther King Pkwy
Des Moines, IA 50314
http://www.oreillyauto.com Phone: 515-274-3540
Fax: 515-274-0722
#6
Senior Member
True Car Nut
#7
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Thread Starter
Thanks, Randman1,
Jeez, ain't computers wonderful! Only $18 for the JCWhitney knockoff. O'Reilly here in Ames can special order OTC6297 for me. No price 'til tomorrow. I'm betting it will be pretty hard to beat the $44 from etoolcart.com, though. Another jobber here in Ames quoted me $69.95 plus shipping!
Jeez, ain't computers wonderful! Only $18 for the JCWhitney knockoff. O'Reilly here in Ames can special order OTC6297 for me. No price 'til tomorrow. I'm betting it will be pretty hard to beat the $44 from etoolcart.com, though. Another jobber here in Ames quoted me $69.95 plus shipping!
#9
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Join Date: Sep 2004
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Why bust the ball joints...sure great time to do them...but you don't have to bust them apart.....I didn't.
#10
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Thread Starter
Hey Lakeville,
I was planning on raising the car, supporting the engine on a "T" frame, then unbolting the left and front "L" section of the subframe and spinning it out of the way on the LF bolt. The halfshafts have to come out of the trans anyway, and I have always separated the ball joint to allow enough swing-out to remove the shafts.
If you have an easier way, I'm all ears.
I was planning on raising the car, supporting the engine on a "T" frame, then unbolting the left and front "L" section of the subframe and spinning it out of the way on the LF bolt. The halfshafts have to come out of the trans anyway, and I have always separated the ball joint to allow enough swing-out to remove the shafts.
If you have an easier way, I'm all ears.