I'm getting ready to get the ES master kit for my car & I really REALLY don't want to pay somebody to press them in. Wondering if anybody has an experience with this press....

6 ton press @ Harbor Freight. I figure 6 tons should be plenty to press some bushings in. Aybody got any ideas? Good enough? Was going to make one but for $70, I figure that one would be just as good/better than me making a frame for it and everything.

Here's the text off the website http://www.harborfreight.com/c...=4711

6 TON SHOP PRESS


FREE PAIR OF ARBOR PRESS PLATES
Remove and install bearings, gears, U-joints, bushings, ball joints and pulleys. Specially hardened steel press has removable tempered steel cap, replaceable with different tool ends. Open-sided heavy duty construction allows work on the longest work pieces. Raise and lower table for the best working distance. Spring return rams speed up your work.
Capacity: 6 TON
Overall height:36-1/4''
Working distance (minimum):3-1/8''
Working distance (maximum): 9''
Base dimensions:6-1/2'' x 19-3/4''
Weight:59-1/4 lbs.

ITEM 4711-5VGA

$69.99

 

We used a similar press for my LCA and TA bushings. Worked like a charm.

 

I've got the HF 12-ton jack and I've already had to replace the jack once... it worked fine up until it died, and works well again with a replacement jack.

Is there enough room to work with all the pieces you'll be using? For instance, could you get a trailing arm under there if you wanted to?

 

I was loaned the use of a 12-ton HF press to take care of some bushings on my wagon. We had to get creative with a few big-*** sockets and some wood on the arbor plates to get everything to work out right.

But it worked, and saved me the 1.5 hour labor bill the Volvo shop quoted (after I had bought $95 worth of bushings )

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JeffS &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Is there enough room to work with all the pieces you'll be using? For instance, could you get a trailing arm under there if you wanted to? </TD></TR></TABLE>

I think so. I was looking at it in the store and it seemed like it was large enough for pretty much anything I'd need it for. It says 9" of working room. I wouldn't think that I'd need more than that....Right, wrong?

 

I have the 12 ton and have bent it working on bushings. I would get the 24 ton for about $200.

 

get the 12ton and make sure you have some solid steel plates and such to place under the parts you need to press the bushings into........the plates that come with the presses are cast and they will and do crack............

 

A 6-ton press is only $70??!!

 

I used a 12-Ton similar in design as that for my trailing arm bushings and the job took only 2 minutes per trailing arm.

 

I have a related question: Can I take out my old LCA bushings w/o using the press? One auto shop wanted $25 just to take out the Integra LCA bushings. I don't need a press to put the new ES in. I tried to take them out by banging with a hammer with something under the bushing but they wouldn't move. Feels like they're frozen. Or, is there anyone in the LA/SFV area that can take these out for a few bucks? Should only take a couple minutes. Thanks. (BTW, I don't have a torch either). TIA

 

I have the 12 ton press that splat mentioned. It's been used 4 times for bushings lately, and it works well. As others mentioned, you will have trouble with the 6-ton clearance. The 12 is the least I would recommend, even for a recreational/home user. Main difference is the size of the frame -- it's floor-standing rather than benchtop.

However, I have to admit that "pressing bushings is hard". I am a decent mechanic, but some of these things have been a PITA! Every time I think, "Well Honda (or VW or Volvo or BMW) didn't exactly design this part with pressing the bushings out in mind". Seems like you need 4 arms and eyeballs on your feet to get everything aligned and supported just right. Any tricks of the trade out there?

It also seems like a huge kit of different size pushers (stronger than sockets, of which I have already mangled a few) would really help out. As well as some nice sharp metal plates for arbors, as Phil recommends (thanks for the advice, Phil!)

Maybe it will get easier (and less nerve-racking) with practice. Or maybe I'm just dumb.

 

I have the 20 ton press, an it worked pretty good. There were a couple stubborn bushings that took a buttload of pressure to remove, pretty much used all of the capacity of the 20 ton jack (scary). Wear a cup.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Vitt1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have a related question: Can I take out my old LCA bushings w/o using the press? One auto shop wanted $25 just to take out the Integra LCA bushings. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I would just pay the shop. Why fight it? The press makes a simple job of it. I can't imagine getting them out would be easy without the proper tool at all. (And by 'proper tool' I am including the tools from Honda designed to support the LCA from the bottom when it's on the press as well as the die used for pressing.)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by whitney &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have the 12 ton press that splat mentioned.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes, and thanks again for letting me use it, Mike

And what he said about the pushers and arbors. Having the right components would have made my hour-long experimentation a ten-minute job. And bushings that had been happily in place for 20 years were enough to make the 12 ton press groan a little bit. I slid the stool back more than once.

If I thought I would use a press more than once a year, I'd buy the 20 ton.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mike P. &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I can't imagine getting them out would be easy without the proper tool at all. (And by 'proper tool' I am including the tools from Honda designed to support the LCA from the bottom when it's on the press as well as the die used for pressing.)</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, true, but then if I pay the shop 3 times it is already more costly than the 6 ton unit. I also need the trailing arms bushings done, and that I wouldn't try to do myself.

Besides, I'm not sure some small local auto shop that probably services more customers with domestics than imports would have all the proper Honda tools.

 

You're underestimating the work involved in removing these bushings. I've done several sets now and I would gladly pay someone $25 to remove them - even with a press sitting in my garage.

Sure, all the correct tools + large shop press = a couple minutes,

but HF press + some sockets and a HF bearing press kit = a whole lotta work.

 

Sure is nice to work at a shop with a press....and a friendly redneck machinistwho is willing to lend a helping hand

 

we used a 20-ton and 30-ton on a few cars, and those just wern't big enough to do the job, I think 6 wouldn't work well enough. The 20 got out the ones from my 95 coupe, but the 20 could not get ones out from a 92 hatch, and neither the 20 or 30 could get out bushings from a 95 accord 4dr.

 

I have this exact press. It is perfect. Just yesterday I was doing some bushing work, and it popped them out just fine. If you can't get automotive bushings out with this thing, then you are doing something wrong.

Do it, dude. It is fine.

 

I think I'll wait until I have all the parts that need to have the bushings changed and then take it to a shop, as that was my original plan. Funny thing is the guy at the shop himself told me I should just take it home and hammer it out instead of paying him the $25

 

I used that EXACT same press for all the bushing on my CRX and it worked great. You will have some problems and frustrations although but it won't be from the press it will be from those bushings being a Mother F**ker to get in!

 

Yeah, someone else who doesn't want to spend time cutting/burning out rubber. Prothanes rock don't they. FWIW, that press works VERY well for doing the bushings.