Garage Gazette

TOOLS AND THE SHOP => GENERAL TOOL AND MACHINE DISCUSSION => Topic started by: m_fumich on July 26, 2019, 07:12:50 PM

Title: 12 ton or 20 ton press?
Post by: m_fumich on July 26, 2019, 07:12:50 PM
We bought a used car today. It’s a 2003 Subaru Outback LL Bean edition. The front wheel bearings are making noise so I’ve got to replace those. I got the guy to drop the price by $200 because of the bearing noise. I have no problem doing the job myself. I just need to buy a press. The cost of the press will be less than the cost of having someone else do the job. Although I expect and hope to need the use of a press in the future, it won’t be in great demand. Pressing wheel bearings will probably be the extent of it. So will a 12 ton press do the job? Will it far exceed my needs or should I get the 20 ton?

I’ll intend to make some of the upgrades I’ve seen in various YouTube video’s.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: 12 ton or 20 ton press?
Post by: Uncle Buck on July 26, 2019, 07:22:46 PM
Remove the parts and take them to a welding/machine shop and have them do the press work. Should be less than $100 . Then you take the parts home and replace them. Stay away from mechanics and use a fab/machine shop like I said to keep the cost lower.
In the end it will be the best answer for you.
Title: Re: 12 ton or 20 ton press?
Post by: ken w. on July 26, 2019, 07:39:37 PM
If you really think you have to have one I'd go with the 20 ton. It's larger and more versatile than the 12 ton. You need to be careful when using a press because a part not properly supported can fly out of there with enough speed to put a hurt on you.
Title: Re: 12 ton or 20 ton press?
Post by: m_fumich on July 26, 2019, 07:55:52 PM
Remove the parts and take them to a welding/machine shop and have them do the press work. Should be less than $100 . Then you take the parts home and replace them. Stay away from mechanics and use a fab/machine shop like I said to keep the cost lower.
In the end it will be the best answer for you.

The problem with that is I’ll be doing it on the weekend when any shop that could do it will probably be closed by noon. Even if I took everything apart Friday night and got it to the shop first thing Saturday morning, I’ve yet to see a shop that puts one customers time table ahead of everyone else.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: 12 ton or 20 ton press?
Post by: kwoswalt99 on July 26, 2019, 10:46:27 PM
 Just get a wheel bearing tool from Harbor freight. Faster and you won’t need an alignment doing it on the vehicle.
Title: Re: 12 ton or 20 ton press?
Post by: Uncle Buck on July 27, 2019, 04:49:57 PM
Then the answer is easy, buy a 20T press.

date=1564188952]
Remove the parts and take them to a welding/machine shop and have them do the press work. Should be less than $100 . Then you take the parts home and replace them. Stay away from mechanics and use a fab/machine shop like I said to keep the cost lower.
In the end it will be the best answer for you.

The problem with that is I’ll be doing it on the weekend when any shop that could do it will probably be closed by noon. Even if I took everything apart Friday night and got it to the shop first thing Saturday morning, I’ve yet to see a shop that puts one customers time table ahead of everyone else.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
[/quote]