amccoy

Hi,
Anyone have a mercedes ball joint puller in the Sacramento area or willing to ship it? Willing to rent a genuine mercedes tool, but would rather not buy one.

300Dman

You need to be more specific as there are 2 ball Joints. One on the Upper Control Arm and One on the Lower Control Arm.
It would also be helpful to know if you are planing to remove the Lower Ball Joint or not.

Also the Puller is the tool that separates them from the arm. To remove the Ball Joint from the Steering Knuckle itself the Factor Manual shows putting the Steering Knuckl in a vice and a proper sized Punch placed on the Ball Joint bottom and beating it out with a hammer.

In the attached pic is how I got my Ball Joint loose from the Lower Control Arm. However, please note that this process destroys the Ball Joint Nut. You will need another nut to replace the destroyed one.

I loosened the Ball Joint nut and backed it off 3-5 threads; this allows room for the Ball Joint to come loose; at the same time the Nut sticks above the end of the Ball Joint Threads and protects the Threads from the Hammer Blows.

I supported the Lower Control arm as in the picture.

I kept the flame/heat of the Propane tourch away from the Ball Joint Boot and heated up the Lower control arm as close as I could.

I used a 2.5 pound hammer and carefully hit the top of the Ball Joint nut and that released the Ball Joint from the Lower Control arm.

I did not damage the Ball Joints and was able to reuse them both. The Job I was doing was removing the Lower Control Arms so I could change the Bushings in them.

amccoy

I am trying to replate both ball joints, but am more interested in the tool for the lower ball joint. I will be replacing the upper control arm too, but the new arm has the joint in it already and I don't expect too much trouble separating the old one (knock on wood).
I am planning to replace the lower ball joint so not worried about damaging the boot (or what is left of the boot), but will need to remove the old ball joint AND press in the new one. My understanding from reading some other posts is a standard press requires some work, but there is a specific mercedes tool that will both pull my old ball joints and press in the new lower joints. I am sure I could do it without the tool, but would prefer to use the right tool if it isn't going to cost me TOO much. I don't plan on needing the tool again for some time so I was hoping I could borrow/rent rather than buy.
Surely there is someone who ponied up for the tool and has it sitting in the garage. Just think, with some rental money from me you could justify buying another new tool...

300Dman

In the below repair links at this site there is a tool rental program
REPAIR LINKS
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/forumdisplay.php?f=82

http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/DoItYourSelf

As sold on eBay the Klann Ball Joint Press (for installation) is around $335 each. (Zdmak and El Paso tool sell their versions on eBay also.)

Another company (keintech or kinetik) on eBay sells a long purpose built tool made of tubing for $97 for Ball Joint Installation. But, you need to have acces to a Hydraulic Press (you could take the tube to an Automotive shop and pay to have them press the Ball Joints on for you).[The tool is JTC (J.T.C) 1849 Ball Joint Press Installer.]
Kinetik Auto Tools
15432 Valley Blvd
City of INdustry, CA 91746
The tube also comes witha sturdy Punch to Punch out the Old Ball Joint while holding the Steering Knuckle in a vice (this is the Factory approve way to knock out the Ball Joint).
I have attached a pic from the Factory Service Manual showing how the Ball Joint is removed from the Steering Knuckle. The red Arrow Points to and the red Lines bracket the Punch used to beat out the Old Ball Joint (yellow arow).

If for some reason you need a spring compressor I bent up my cheapie hook type ones on the front Springs. The front springs were just too strong.

Go to the Samstag tool site and you can see what the real tools are supposed to look like.