TheSamba.com :: View topic

Mon Oct 24, 2016 11:24 pm

Got a 20 ton press today and made use of it right away. No more hammering off my CV joints. I think I can use the various plates to push them off and on now. I can also do the Vanagon's rear wheel bearings pretty quickly. Today, I replaced the front wheel bearing on the Quattro. They are oversize on the 20V model I have due to the power and expectation people would beat the crap out of them on secondary roads. Took a lot of power and it let go with a bang. Had my 15yo son do the cranking and warned him to wear eye protection and trust me it would build up a lot of pressue before a loud bang. It delivered!

Tue Oct 25, 2016 2:22 am

Sounds like fun!

Don't forget the hearing protection. :D
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CPCH9KA/ref=mp_s...ref=plSrch

Tue Oct 25, 2016 6:12 am

when i got my first vanagon and started working on it I brought my front steering knuckles to a shop to have the wheel bearings and ball joints replaced. They charged me $250. I bought a HF 20 ton press and never looked back. I use that thing all the time for vanagon work. I also (much later) bought a kit to make it double as a finger brake. it does come in handy.

Tue Oct 25, 2016 6:58 am

Yes, a press is so handy when working on cars.

If you have the cast iron arbor plates, do yourself and your son a serious favor and replace them immediately. When I got my press, I knew that I needed to replace those plates, but I was in desperate need of using the press so I ignored the warnings that were given to me about the cast iron arbor plates exploding under pressure. Sure enough, I got it away with it a few times, but eventually I had one explode on me. It did some damage to the car it was next to, but I escaped being hit in the face by mere inches from flying debris. You can find accounts of broken plates and people being hit with debris all over the internet, so its not an infrequent occurrence.

I ended up buying new billet steel plates from Swag Offroad and while expensive, they are a whole lot cheaper than a trip to the ER...or worse.

Tue Oct 25, 2016 8:12 am

Let's hear it for Freedom of the Press!!!!! Yippie! Georage Washington was right. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Tue Oct 25, 2016 8:15 am

I used 20 tongue depressers, but they keep breaking , my wheel bearing is still stuck. :lol: :lol: :lol:

good tools are very handy!

congragulations.

Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:41 am

I have the HF 20T press and a $16 3M ear muffs. And $2.99 Harbor Freight ear muffs. $2.99 HF muffs are quieter and more comfortable than the 3M. And they've lasted years. So I bought several HF and stashed them near some noisemakers. Jim your 3Ms look like a step or two up (from my $16 3M).

I had to cut/straighten/re-weld the vertical press mandrel, it was 1/4" off vertical. I also put it on wheels with $3.99 urethane casters (from HF) rated 150lbs each wheel, the press weighs 150 lbs total. It zoomed around the shop silently then the wheels got flat spots. Now it rumbles, perched stacks of plates & spacers & block vibrate off. Harbor freight sometimes takes back all it gives. But the press itself does its job.

Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:52 am

Sodo wrote: I have the HF 20T press and a $16 3M ear muffs. And $2.99 Harbor Freight ear muffs. $2.99 HF muffs are quieter and more comfortable than the 3M. And they've lasted years. So I bought several HF and stashed them near some noisemakers. Jim your 3Ms look like a step or two up.

I had to cut/straighten/re-weld the vertical press mandrel, it was 1/4" off vertical. I also put it on wheels with $3.99 urethane casters (from HF) rated 150lbs each wheel, the press weighs 150 lbs total. It zoomed around the shop silently then the wheels got flat spots. Now it rumbles, perched stacks of plates & spacers & block vibrate off. Harbor freight sometimes takes back all it gives. But the press itself does its job.

You'd think you'd get good ear protection after spending $163,000,000 on an ear muff. :? :? :? That's so dePressing. :roll:

Tue Oct 25, 2016 10:00 am

i have both the 3m and HF ear muffs too. The 3M are superior in almost every way except that the HF ones will pivot so the band can go around the back of your head instead of the top of your head. This means I can wear them with my face shield while grinding. I can't wear the 3M with a face shield or welding mask.

Tue Oct 25, 2016 10:06 am

Christopher Schimke wrote:
If you have the cast iron arbor plates, do yourself and your son a serious favor and replace them immediately.
Thanks for that info!

I have a small arbor press that just allows me to do the CV's. Someone questioned me on needing the press to do the CV's. It was so long ago, I can't remember the details, but I know I certainly needed it to remove the old ones.

I'll get a larger press when the next job requires it.

Tue Oct 25, 2016 10:41 am

I couldn't bring myself to discard the cast plates. Mine have been tested pretty hard, have "passed". But not tested with the jack handle extension. They're pretty handy with good cutout shapes but you must "remember" NOT to reef on them. I'd like to see a detailed pic of the fracture of a failed plate (did it have a flaw? or was it a good plate?) In any case I won't be pressing hard on them in the future.

I was lucky to find a 1 1/2" brick of steel for the hard presses.

Tue Oct 25, 2016 11:54 am

I have a HF one that I picked up off Craigslist a while back, which was key when I did my front suspension overhaul. The press works fine, but it is definitely a tool that makes me nervous. I don't like the idea of exploding pieces. Those Swag billet pieces that Christopher posted about look like a nice upgrade.

Tue Oct 25, 2016 12:22 pm

essentially winter now, so let's see pics of you using your press

Tue Oct 25, 2016 3:27 pm

Merian wrote: let's see pics of you using your press
Sorry, but I've always had trouble with bench presses ...

Tue Oct 25, 2016 4:07 pm

Jeffrey Lee wrote: Merian wrote: let's see pics of you using your press
Sorry, but I've always had trouble with bench presses ...

Are you egging me on for more bad jokes? :? :? :?

I know my jokes tend to scramble important vanagon threads, I apologize.

But I say laugh and enjoy the sunny side up of life with humor.

Tue Oct 25, 2016 4:38 pm

bluebus86 wrote: Are you egging me on for more bad yolks? :? :? :?
Fixed that for ya ...

Tue Oct 25, 2016 5:33 pm

Jeffrey Lee wrote: bluebus86 wrote: Are you egging me on for more bad yolks? :? :? :?
Fixed that for ya ...

This is a yolkswagen forum, right?
:shock:

Guess I need to stop shelling out this stuff. :lol:

Tue Oct 25, 2016 6:30 pm

These are really off the wall comments!

- Humpty Dumpty

Tue Oct 25, 2016 7:40 pm

IdahoDoug wrote: These are really off the wall comments!

- Humpty Dumpty

Please stop, Im cracking up!!!!

Tue Oct 25, 2016 11:04 pm

Also, I don't think these plates are cast iron. They've clearly been cut with a giant shear press or similar and I don't think you can cut cast iron that way. They seem to be thick steel. Plus they've already been stress tested with mashing coins. I can't believe this press will do that. I did stress to my son this thing is worthy of respect and he needs to wear ANSI eye protection at all times. I'm going to get a couple new pairs of the ANSI + and sharpie one to say "PRESS" and hang it on the machine.