otc 6297 ball joint seperator

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buck91

buck91

Joined
Apr 17, 2012
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West Michigan
Looking at the harbor freight knock off of this tool, has anybody used it? Reviews on their site look pretty good which is usually a good sign. Just will be using it for homediy but don't want to waste $20 when it should have been put toward the otc brand name to start with.
 
I did check autozone and others. It looked like they only have the pickle fork separator. Still my try the harbor freight, as I've had good results with other handtools there.
 
Originally Posted By: buck91
I did check autozone and others. It looked like they only have the pickle fork separator. Still my try the harbor freight, as I've had good results with other handtools there.


There are better ways than the pickle fork. I would say you have little chance of reusing it with the fork, they usually tear the boot.
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: andyd
A side wise smack with a hammer is all the tool I need.
x2

That doesn't even work half the time in the salt belt if its been in there any length of time.
 
My pickle fork has an air hammer behind it so it never gets tired. I just stay on it till she busts. As far as boots getting torn, if I'm separating any kind of joint, I already have his brand new replacement in hand.
 
I believe the HF version is made in Taiwan, not China.

They have some good reviews and some not-so-good reviews.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
The HF is cheap Chinese junk, its not worth a pee hole in the snow. One of the posters here bought one some time ago and it broke in half.
The OTC is decent enough although more $$, you can rent one for nothing also from AZ or AA if its just for an occasional job.


LOL
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
The HF is cheap Chinese junk, its not worth a pee hole in the snow. One of the posters here bought one some time ago and it broke in half.


I think you may be misremembering. A member here found a broken one in the store. I suspect someone broke it and returned it and it was accidentally put back on the shelf.

But, in that same thread someone else was successfully using the HF separator to install wheel studs and another guy said he had used the HF unit on a "dozen" ball joints.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3319195/Wheel-stud_installation/remova

To the OP,
The HF unit actually has some pretty decent reviews online, but I've never used it. The OTC tool and the HF tool are made in Taiwan.

Some people seem to like the GearWrench version and it's nearly the same price on Amazon as the HF unit after a 20% off coupon. That's probably the one I'd try.
 
Yes your right, i just remember the picture of the thing next to the box broken.
It does look like a cheap casting though nevertheless.
Gearwrench definitely has a better name and quality than HF.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Yes your right, i just remember the picture of the thing next to the box broken.
It does look like a cheap casting though nevertheless.
Gearwrench definitely has a better name and quality than HF.


I found that when I was looking at options. The thing was unused; no sign of anything having touched it.

I'd suspect that even at a store like HF, the clerks actually look at what they're returning.
 
I use a Pitman arm puller. The claw spacing may not be right for 100% of all ball joints, but I have used it on several cars for both ball joints and tie rod ends. It's not expensive and pretty bulletproof.
 
Originally Posted By: spasm3
There are better ways than the pickle fork. I would say you have little chance of reusing it with the fork, they usually tear the boot.


I agree. I will never use my pickle fork again. If I had known it was going to ruin the boot, I would have never bought it. It's not like you can get good replacement boots either.
 
Yes, I was the guy that's used it successfully on my Audi for lower control arm replacements. I've had to enlarge the opening on the forked end of the tool so it would fit around the tapered ball joint, but other than that it works quite well.

Grease up the threads well and also the bolt end that applies the pressure to the other half of the jaw and you should be good. I didn't lube the end of the forcing bolt, so it's mushroomed a bit but still works.

I apply tension with the tool and then one rap with a hammer on the steering knuckle and the ball joint pops right out.
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: andyd
A side wise smack with a hammer is all the tool I need.
x2

x3 - 32oz is about right too.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: andyd
A side wise smack with a hammer is all the tool I need.
x2

That doesn't even work half the time in the salt belt if its been in there any length of time.
It works all the time, Trav. I may have to rig a bar to exert strain. but it is the only tool I have to remove ball joints and TREs.It has to work.
grin2.gif
 
I did a 02 GMC 4WD a while ago nothing would bust it loose not even a 5lb sledge.
A smoke wrench on the knuckle for a few min then it broke free. Rusted like you wouldn't believe.
I can see just a hammer smack working fine outside the salt belt and on little things like small to mid sized cars but as soon as you get into bigger stuff life changes.
 
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