Pieseler ball joint tool 459 - source?

[Wasted youth]

Anyone out there know of a source to purchase the Pieseler Ball Joint tool 459? Or an equivalent? This tool:


https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/tools/459_front.jpg

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/tools/gallerypics/459-2.jpg

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/tools/gallerypics/459_1.jpg

German Supply has a rental:

http://www.germansupply.com/home/customer/product.php?productid=18268&cat=&page=1

I am pretty sure this is it... anyone confirm?

https://vw.snapon.com/SpecialToolsDetail.aspx?itemId=2800108

[skills@eurocarsplus]

yes, that's the one
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[Wasted youth]

Thanks, Don! Found it available here: https://vw.snapon.com/Home.aspx

Ordered! $174.01 with shipping and tax.

[TDCTDI]

I just got mine from the VW dealer through the parts dept. for $140, cheaper than eBay (but they're available there too.).
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[Tcash]

OTC
Ball Joints
Good luck
Tcash

[Wasted youth]

Thanks, Tcash! As usual, you slay me with an avalanche of useful information.

I have already purchased all four "German" (that's just a word, by the way...) ball joints. Just no good way to get those sloppy old rattle-trap 1973 ball joints removed without doing something egregiously stupid. Best to get the right tool for the job.

[tootype2crazy]

Youth make sure you use the OTC arm to get them out. And you want the extra large arm meant for dodge sprinters. You can get it on Amazon. To get them out: put the appliances on the ball joint, apply heat, preferably from oxy acetylene (map gas will work, propane will not be enough) with a very long breaker bar turn the press until considerable force is on the joint then use a mini sledge and whack the arm right near the ball joint good and hard. With enough force applied a good solid whack will break it free. Heat is must, don't make it incandesce, just hot. Be sure to wire brush out the rust and apply liberal anti seize to the joint before installing. It's also a good idea to open the boot and pack more grease in as usually there is never enough in the new joints. Good luck.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005J3LOSK/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_yHdHzb4JZNGK9 found the right press, you also need some of those round adapters to make the vw tool work with the press
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air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

[Wasted youth]

I rented one of these, and learned I still need Tool 459:

https://www.otctools.com/products/ball-joint-service-kit

With the OTC and Tool 459, I am hoping the process would go something like this:

(Fast forward past 1 minute 15 seconds)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihW9jNLjLZI&t=77s

I have both Mapp Gas plumbing outfit and Oxy/Ace set. Hoping not to use too much heat, just to expand the arm socket a bit.

The ball joints I have are these: 211405371A http://www.busdepot.com/211405371a

They are not outfitted with a zerk fitting. I have more reading to do, but as yet have not figured out how to refresh these with new grease in the future, or ensure they have plenty of grease now. What about a needle fitting on the grease gun slipped under the boot? Will that actually get the grease where it needs to go? My feeling is it needs to go in from either the side or top of the socket; a needle fitting just won't do. The links I have seen so far on this are somewhat helpful, but one link is dead and the other from Colin has pictures blocked.

[busdaddy]

Drill and tap them for M6 grease fittings using a magnetized bit and tap.
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[wcfvw69]

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620643&highlight=

When I did my buses ball joints, I didn't want to spend that kind of money on a tool/tools that knew I'd only use once.

Just another approach I guess.
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[tootype2crazy]

[Wasted youth]

I also considered this. While I have not looked any further, I am hoping VW Tool 459 will also work on my two Vanagons and my '68 doublecab.

Waiting for the rental to arrive or needing a tool when shops are closed is irritating.

[SGKent]

before you drill for zerk fittings go to this page and look at the photos. It is a study of the brands available. Some cannot be safely drilled.

http://www.wagenswest.com/how_to/bus_vanagon_ball_comparison.php
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Tumbledown76]

I used Advance Auto Parts to rent out kits to work on my front end this past Spring (requires a deposit for the cost of the tools). It's a great option if you are only going to be doing the job (hopefully) once.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/o/loaner-tools
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'Camel' - '79 Riviera, 2.0L FI, Dakota Beige

[mikedjames]

I used a technique similar to the one used with angle grinder. I spent less time with an angle grinder and more with a hacksaw and an almost-junk eBay heavy duty balljoint kit.

Sliced the top off the joints and used the balljoint tool to push the old ball out.
Then cut three slots in the wreckage of the balljoint body, two slots about 1/4 inch apart and one partial weakening slot 180 degrees around and was able to bend the ring of the old balljoint body.

Cleaned up the arm and replaced the balljoint , all while it was still fixed to the suspension beam.

What would have made life easier is the rting from the proper tool with the two tags sticking in which would have worked to press out the old balljoint as the eBay kit did not have anything suited to removal.

Three balljoints later and I was absolutely exhausted almost unable to stand up..
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1974 VW T2 : Devon Eurovette camper with 1641 DP T1 engine, Progressive carb, full flow oil cooler, EDIS crank timed ignition.
Engine 1: 40k miles (rocker shaft clip fell off), Engine 2: 30k miles (rebuild, dropped valve). Engine 3: a JK Preservation Parts "new" engine, aluminium case: 26k miles: new top end.
Gearbox rebuild 2021 by Bears.

1979 Westerly GK24 24 foot racer/cruiser yacht Forethought of Gosport.
1973 wooden Pacer sailing dinghy

[Wasted youth]

My Tool 459 arrived today all the way from Kenosha, Wisconsin via the freight trains I operate. Kinda cool, I guess. I used to go to Kenosha sometimes when I was stationed at Great Mistakes Naval Training Center.

The notched piece fits real well on the ball joint, but the sleeve seems pretty sloppy. Seems by design, but unclear at this point as to why. Other than that, it seems like a pretty solid piece and correctly stamped VW 459. I will get the FLAPS rental tool to marry this up and do the work and report back.

[gator]

Bought this from the classifieds a few years ago. Used it once, worked great. I'd probably part with it. This was freshly blasted, it is shelf rusted now.

[Wasted youth]

The tool with the ear cut outs works fine, if a bit sloppy. But the sleeve is too long for the giant C clamp from the FLAPS kit, so I used one of the shorter sleeves from their kit with my 459 tool.

I was able to get both bottom ball joints out... but had to use the 3/4 impact for this work. I know my neighbors love me.

I noticed the old ball joints were swedged at the top in about six places circumferentially which undoubtedly added to the amount of effort needed to remove the ball joints.

I cannot fit the giant C clamp and the 3/4 drive impact up onto the upper ball joints due to lack of room in the wheel well. I am not looking forward to dropping the front beam for this work, but see no other way at this point.

Suggestions?

[skills@eurocarsplus]

[Wasted youth]

Ah... with that idea, could I just remove the arms then apply the tool whiles the arms are on the workbench? Tool set up works fine; just can't that big bastard rig upstairs.