Bearing / Hydraulic Press question....

[Guineafowl]

Pardon our interruption...

As an intermediate step, you could get one of these ^. Mine is great for bearings, and you can do wheel bearings in situ if needed. Works best with an impact. If you later decide on a press then it’ll be a useful source of drifts. They’ve got a slit up the side so you can see what’s going on.

 

[GRW]

That one in Cwmbran is nice, but about 90-odd miles from me (I'm very near but not-quite as far into the sticks as @sako243 is ).

Only one (relatively) close to me atm on FBMP is this unknown home-made jobbie (which could be fantastic or terrible & I'd not know enough to tell!)

Heavy duty press

Home made heavy duty hydraulic press, hand operated. Very useful machine, but is now redundant to needs.

www.facebook.com

Like I said though - I'm in no panic or have a pressing (har!) need, so I can look & wait .

 

[frank horton]

make sure the working width is not to narrow......once u start on the bigger FWD vans u def need more room for the steering arm etc......
My 25 tonner wasn't strong enough for a Master f wheel bearing.....it was a bit rusty....the local tractor shop with a 100 ton press did the job, the bearing actually went just under 50 tons....
There's nothing wrong with a homemade sliding head jack type press....just needs to be a bit heavier built.....the Tangye on mine has a huge base.....
mine can take a 6cyl Perkins engine block.....just......the head slides with locking plates.....the frame would prob handle 50tons but its enough for me.....

PS. that front axle kingpin went at almost max and using heat.....
be lost without it now.....

 

[GRW]

make sure the working width is not to narrow......once u start on the bigger FWD vans u def need more room for the steering arm etc......
My 25 tonner wasn't strong enough for a Master f wheel bearing.....it was a bit rusty....the local tractor shop with a 100 ton press did the job, the bearing actually went just under 50 tons....
There's nothing wrong with a homemade sliding head jack type press....just needs to be a bit heavier built.....the Tangye on mine has a huge base.....
mine can take a 6cyl Perkins engine block.....just......the head slides with locking plates.....the frame would prob handle 50tons but its enough for me.....

PS. that front axle kingpin went at almost max and using heat.....
be lost without it now.....
View attachment 463291

I've read on a Master Group that it's common for owners to change out a whole hub assembly instead of changing the bearing because of your experience (that it takes oodles of pressure/force to get the sods out!).

Isn't it rather nerve-racking watching something under 50-tonnes of pressure? I think I'd be worried about things exploding & being shot by very fast moving projectiles!

 

[sako243]

I've read a few threads on Press equipment, & I have mulled over whether I could do with one (admittedly not often unless they are far more versatile than I know)...
The hardest job I envisage might be hub centre bearings on my 3.5t van, or the car etc, so in theory not that big a Press.... but then ive also heard that even these (by engineering standards) small jobs can need a 20-tonne pressure to shift??
I'm keeping an eye out for a local used item - with zero urgency, but it's kinda one of those tools that you just feel you'd like to know is there.

Any thoughts / advice?
TIA, G.

One you get one you'll wonder how you lived without one. Yes you can do the jobs without them but it's so much simpler.

E.g. Mine's most often used for doing radius arm bushes on the Defender. I used to just press the new one in whilst pressing the old one out but after a couple collapsed on me I finally gave in and turned a lump down to do the job. I can press out and press in all four bushes in about 5 minutes - it takes about 5x as long wrestling the arms on and off the Defender.

If you get stuck then you're welcome to pop up and try. Alternatively if you need more width etc., a nearby neighbour has a 150t I think it is but more than 4ft between uprights. CLH incidentally have a 50 and 100t one I think as well.

 

[indy4x]

I've got a Chinese jobbie that uses a bottle jack

It's done several wheel bearings and haven't had an issue with wobble under load

 

[Erie Fred]

I've read on a Master Group that it's common for owners to change out a whole hub assembly instead of changing the bearing because of your experience (that it takes oodles of pressure/force to get the sods out!).

Isn't it rather nerve-racking watching something under 50-tonnes of pressure? I think I'd be worried about things exploding & being shot by very fast moving projectiles!

YUP ^^^ they make ballistic blankets or some such thing to wrap around the parts.
Remember with bearings, you dealing with some very hard 52100 or equiv. steels, and they shatter off
jagged bits at very hi-speed.

 

[Keithmac]

We had a proper old school 20t press at our old shop.

To be honest it only got used probably 4 times a year.

No room for it on our new shop but luckily garage next door said we could use there 50t one if we need it.

I'd love one at home but can't justify the space vs need.

Las set of bearings I did got fitted with my Snap-on bearing press kit.

On the Kuga the bearings come as a bolt on unit.

 

[winchman]

I collected a few bits to make one then got a used 10T bench mounted Clark one, its on shopping trolly castors ( 4 for £1 bargain) rarely used but when I needed it it was perfect.

 

[GRW]

One you get one you'll wonder how you lived without one. Yes you can do the jobs without them but it's so much simpler.

E.g. Mine's most often used for doing radius arm bushes on the Defender. I used to just press the new one in whilst pressing the old one out but after a couple collapsed on me I finally gave in and turned a lump down to do the job. I can press out and press in all four bushes in about 5 minutes - it takes about 5x as long wrestling the arms on and off the Defender.

If you get stuck then you're welcome to pop up and try. Alternatively if you need more width etc., a nearby neighbour has a 150t I think it is but more than 4ft between uprights. CLH incidentally have a 50 and 100t one I think as well.

Cheers!

I did wonder if CLH had presses, but as their primary work wasn't mechanics as such, I wasn't sure. I think 150t might be overkill for anything I'll ever tackle mind!

(I went to CLH a fortnight ago for the first time since the change of ownership as I've been spending all free time on the camper fit-out.... and coincidentally saw Chris for the first time in a very long time. Seemed like he's enjoying his retirement, but still flat out busy

 

[GRW]

YUP ^^^ they make ballistic blankets or some such thing to wrap around the parts.
Remember with bearings, you dealing with some very hard 52100 or equiv. steels, and they shatter off
jagged bits at very hi-speed.

Ballistic blankets eh? Sounds like a very sensible item (I bet no-one uses them though, cos they want to watch the process, things are in-line etc?) I think I'd be pretty concerned given the forces involved - I suppose you get used to it

 

[T5 TDI]

I've got a Clarke press (6 or 7 tonnes I think). I've had it for nearly 20 years. It would cope with most car stuff. It has the sliding ram which I always found worth it. The other thing is that is was fairly small. I could just about pick it up and get it in the van (lashed against the bulkhead) for my work as a mobile mechanic before I retired.

The downside was the lack of height so you couldn't have got a half shaft in it for instance. But it it was great for your run of the mill car bearings and most of my work was car or light commercial. It was this sort of thing - https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cla...Jy0gLY1dj6J8oS0jLzRoCcP4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

No good for anything really tough but I had a couple of local garages where I could always use something bigger since I was always helping them out whilst getting my MOT's.

Edit- Mine was a bit sturdier and didn't rely on 2 bits of angle iron to stop it falling over!

 

[Erie Fred]

We had a proper old school 20t press at our old shop.

To be honest it only got used probably 4 times a year.

No room for it on our new shop but luckily garage next door said we could use there 50t one if we need it.

I'd love one at home but can't justify the space vs need.

Las set of bearings I did got fitted with my Snap-on bearing press kit.

On the Kuga the bearings come as a bolt on unit.

You make a press brake attachment for the 20 ton press, more uses means more justifiable.
20 tons will bend 1/4" plate 12" wide.

 

[DaveB]

Clearance under the saddle can be important.

Pushing bearings off of halfshafts for instance.

A hydraulic bearing puller set might be mre useful as you can take it to the job.

Pardon our interruption...

 

[GRW]

Clearance under the saddle can be important.

Pushing bearings off of halfshafts for instance.

A hydraulic bearing puller set might be mre useful as you can take it to the job.

Pardon our interruption...

That's an impressive looking bit of kit! I might be scratching my poor head about quite how to assemble it & use it

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Mine is this one, bought back before the world went nuts and prices were a lot more affordable.
https://automotechservices.co.uk/products/03019-30t-two-stage-hydraulic-floor-mounted-press-2/

Had quite a bit of gear from them, Chinese stuff but good service so no hesitation in recommending them.

Thinking about buying this one, are you still happy with it?

 

[MetalMonkey]

Thinking about buying this one, are you still happy with it?

Up until very recently I would say absolutely no issues and I've had it a good many years.
However, just before Christmas I had a problem with it - it would only operate with the speed control valve locked to the fastest position.
Oil level was a bit low so I topped it up and it worked fine for a bit but did it again - I've not had a chance to look into it further.
Hopefully its a fairly simply fix, I can't see it being anything major.

They do appear to have revised the pump on the current models though, so if there was an issue I'm not sure that would still apply now or not.

That said I wouldn't hesitate in dealing with them again - customer service and price has been excellent in my experience, and the machines are pretty much generic no matter where you get them.
Obviously I’d prefer a nice high quality UK/European/US built brand name – but unless you are lucky to pick up a good condition machine second hand, they are well outside my realistic budget for the use it will every likely get.

 

[Matchless]

I paid £80.00 delivered from the other side of the industrial estate to my unit, would not be without it, still use it weekly even though I am retired, to make things using homemade tooling, to bend things, to straighten motorcycle frames and girder forks, etc.

 

[MattF]

I went thro the same thought process....bought mine about 3-4 years ago. I've never used it and now it sits in my loft .

I guarantee it will be needed the day after it's gone!

I think I've only used mine once, upto just, but when you need one, they're a godsend.

 

[premmington]

If you buy the Sealey type - you will need a 30ton press to do van hubs.

Plus only buy the type with the extra wider bed as a standard width press bed is hard work for getting van stubs thru as at @8ob has highlighted above.

Only car/van pressing job this has ever failed me on was a Renault Master hub.

That is a very old picture of my press (20yrs old maybe?) - I have just had to fill the ram with "stop leak" and it has worked a treat - cleaned ram up and filled with this stuff.

Local motorfactors had it for £15 quid - worth every penny

Rislone Jack Oil WITH Stop Leak & Repair Floor and Bottle Jacks 370ml | eBay UK

Rislone® Jack Oil with Stop Leak is specially designed to. Jack Oil with Stop Leak. If you are having to add oil to your jack, it has a leak. Works in All Floor, Trolley and Bottle Jacks. Brings life back to old jacks and prevents leaks & seepage.

www.ebay.co.uk