Shop press "embiggened pusher"

hear

hear

Can't type
Lifetime Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2020
Messages
3,432
Location
Prosper, TX
I have the HF 12 ton shop press I'm using to remove my carrier bearings with the help of a bearing splitter (got the idea off youtube). I got some 1" thick steel plate and made new arbors out of them, drilling holes in them to allow for the bearing splitter & carrier to hang below the shelf. The problem is that even with the shelf at the highest spot, the push rod can't reach the carrier. a deep 32mm socket would probably do the trick (if I had one), but it seems like having some various sized "dies" and like 6" of steel roundstock would solve this in general.

Is there something like this out there or a diy type thing? I mean, it has to be somewhat common to not have the exact right sized die available, and/or the rod not being long enough for certain things.

The other alternative is to drill another set of holes higher up, but that feels like it could be a royal pain.
 
I have a set of aluminum seal/race drivers but something tells me putting them under 12 tons is not a good recipe.
 
I have two shop presses - a 12T and a 20T air-over-hydraulic. Both are Harbor Freight with mods I've done to make them more useful. I used to have access to a 50T with an electric hydraulic pump (when I worked at Polaris 20 years ago). I miss the 50T for sure! I will tell you that you need three things to use a shop press efficiently: 1) a bunch of solid rods of different sizes and tubing of different sizes (sockets work very well), 2) a healthy dose of creativity, and 3) an even healthier dose of safety awareness.

Oh, yeah, one of these universal press supports is helpful, too:

1710873847127.png


It's the only thing I've found to replace wheel bearings easily on my Subaru.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mike_H, Squatch, Rickyd and 1 other person
sab said:
I have two shop presses - a 12T and a 20T air-over-hydraulic. Both are Harbor Freight with mods I've done to make them more useful. I used to have access to a 50T with an electric hydraulic pump (when I worked at Polaris 20 years ago). I miss the 50T for sure! I will tell you that you need three things to use a shop press efficiently: 1) a bunch of solid rods of different sizes and tubing of different sizes (sockets work very well), 2) a healthy dose of creativity, and 3) an even healthier dose of safety awareness.

Oh, yeah, one of these universal press supports is helpful, too:

View attachment 510745

It's the only thing I've found to replace wheel bearings easily on my Subaru.
Click to expand...

Nice fixture but it doesn't come cheap at $470
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X1JXYKK?tag=wranglerorg-20

Here's an alternative that's easier on the pocket book at $105
https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Universal-Drill-Press-Support/dp/B079P5499R/?tag=wranglerorg-20
 
Last edited:
  • Wow
Reactions: hear
What I'm missing is all the spare steel lying around. I’m also thinking a ball joint press kit would probably do the trick. I was just hoping there was a "press kit" sort of thing that has a bunch of stuff like what you'd commonly need.
 
  • Like
Reactions: freedom_in_4low
hear said:
I was just hoping there was a "press kit" sort of thing that has a bunch of stuff like what you'd commonly need.
Click to expand...

There are very limited press kits available, but in my experience, there is no "commonly" about it. It seems no matter how many press doo-dads I collect, I always need something I don't have. That's why having a huge drawer of sockets is good - not only do you have a socket for every occasion, but you also have a good selection of press doo-dads!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rickyd and Squatch
hear said:
What I'm missing is all the spare steel lying around. I’m also thinking a ball joint press kit would probably do the trick. I was just hoping there was a "press kit" sort of thing that has a bunch of stuff like what you'd commonly need.
Click to expand...

If you have a steel yard close by, they usually have containers of remnant's of solid round stock material as well as pipe & steel plate.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rickyd, bucky, Squatch and 1 other person
I have a 60 ton press that needs rebuilt, the cross beams are 10”x3/8” c channel and is bent and I found a replacement piece of c channel so now for a media blast and a new pump
 
  • Like
Reactions: John Cooper and sab
sab said:
I have two shop presses - a 12T and a 20T air-over-hydraulic. Both are Harbor Freight with mods I've done to make them more useful. I used to have access to a 50T with an electric hydraulic pump (when I worked at Polaris 20 years ago). I miss the 50T for sure! I will tell you that you need three things to use a shop press efficiently: 1) a bunch of solid rods of different sizes and tubing of different sizes (sockets work very well), 2) a healthy dose of creativity, and 3) an even healthier dose of safety awareness.

Oh, yeah, one of these universal press supports is helpful, too:

View attachment 510745

It's the only thing I've found to replace wheel bearings easily on my Subaru.
Click to expand...

If you have the bandwidth, a thread on HF 20T press upgrades would be wonderful. I've watched some of the youtube vids, but I generally trust the advice I get here much more than youtube.

I know the air over hydraulic cylinder is an easy bolt in. Keeping it from racking is a big concern of mine...and I haven't really invested any time in prevention. I have some steel set aside at work to make new arbor plates from...another project. I also have a 3D printed pressure release knob.
 
Mike_H said:
If you have the bandwidth, a thread on HF 20T press upgrades would be wonderful. I've watched some of the youtube vids, but I generally trust the advice I get here much more than youtube.
Click to expand...
I'll see if I can start a thread. A lot of the stuff I did is from the Internet idea pool, so I can't take credit for most of the ideas. I've:
  • Added Swag Offroad Release Knob (I like steel! It's not 3D printed. I bought one for my 10T HF press and my engine hoist, too.)
  • Added Swag Offroad Bed Plates
  • Added Swag Offroad Press Brake
  • Added Harbor Freight Air-over-hydraulic Cylinder (yes, it's a bolt-in mod)
  • Designed and Fabricated a Hand Crank to Raise and Lower the Bed (was too heavy with the Swag Bed Plates and Brake)
  • Added Nylon Set Screws for a "Straighter Push"
Mike_H said:
Keeping it from racking is a big concern of mine...and I haven't really invested any time in prevention.
Click to expand...
"Racking"? I think my last mod noted above addresses that, but I'm not 100% sure what you mean by that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: freedom_in_4low
sab said:
I'll see if I can start a thread. A lot of the stuff I did is from the Internet idea pool, so I can't take credit for most of the ideas. I've:
  • Added Swag Offroad Release Knob (I like steel! It's not 3D printed. I bought one for my 10T HF press and my engine hoist, too.)
  • Added Swag Offroad Bed Plates
  • Added Swag Offroad Press Brake
  • Added Harbor Freight Air-over-hydraulic Cylinder (yes, it's a bolt-in mod)
  • Designed and Fabricated a Hand Crank to Raise and Lower the Bed (was too heavy with the Swag Bed Plates and Brake)
  • Added Nylon Set Screws for a "Straighter Push"

"Racking"? I think my last mod noted above addresses that, but I'm not 100% sure what you mean by that.
Click to expand...

Twisting, torquing, etc. I’ve noticed the frame twist or move a bit when I get a good load on mine.
 
sab said:
I'll see if I can start a thread. A lot of the stuff I did is from the Internet idea pool, so I can't take credit for most of the ideas. I've:
  • Added Swag Offroad Release Knob (I like steel! It's not 3D printed. I bought one for my 10T HF press and my engine hoist, too.)
  • Added Swag Offroad Bed Plates
  • Added Swag Offroad Press Brake
  • Added Harbor Freight Air-over-hydraulic Cylinder (yes, it's a bolt-in mod)
  • Designed and Fabricated a Hand Crank to Raise and Lower the Bed (was too heavy with the Swag Bed Plates and Brake)
  • Added Nylon Set Screws for a "Straighter Push"

"Racking"? I think my last mod noted above addresses that, but I'm not 100% sure what you mean by that.
Click to expand...

Link that thread here, please!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Danarch
Top Bottom
Back