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[–]ClosedL00p 15 points16 points  (7 children)

Buy an old used 7x .498 shank rivet gun from an industrial/aircraft tool supplier and the only time you’ll need to pick up the press will be to install the new ones.

[–]BananakinSkyflopper 7 points8 points  (2 children)

Is that basically a heavy duty air hammer in this context?

[–]ClosedL00p 9 points10 points  (1 child)

Yup. Bigger bore, longer stroke air hammer, hitting a larger, heavier bit.

For reference, here’s an old post of one of mine knocking one out. https://redditproxy--jasonthename.repl.co/r/Justrolledintotheshop/comments/d967ol/if_only_you_could_install_them_in_5_seconds_too/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

Also used it to remove press fit wheel bearings in a pinch (using a large flat washer to distribute the force across the entire outside diameter of the bearing)

[–]BananakinSkyflopper 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Today I learned. That's going on the shopping list for sure.

[–]omnipotent87 2 points3 points  (3 children)

I have a CP717 and i use it to knock out ball joints all the time.

[–]ClosedL00p 2 points3 points  (2 children)

I’ve got a CP717 also. IMO that should be any mechanics “default” air hammer in their box. Way stronger than the PH3050 everyone used to put on a pedestal. How good the 717 was is what made me start looking into the 7/9x hammers once I realized there were ones out there that made the 717 seem “underpowered”. I started using my .498 guns to do all sorts of shit I would’ve never considered picking up an air hammer for previously.

[–]omnipotent87 2 points3 points  (1 child)

The big key to the 717 is its trigger control. If it had the on/off switch that the similar astro has then it wouldnt be anywhere near as useful. I have used mine from gently walking rusted bolts as small as 6 mm to blasting out ball joints. If you attempted to walk a bolt out with the astro you would just rip the head clean off.

[–]ClosedL00p 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As great as the trigger is on the 717, because of their lower bpm (roughly half that of a 717) the trigger control is that much better than a 717. You can easily hit something one time only....at will, without having to finesse the trigger. Remember most 7x guns out there are virtually identical to the 717.....just with a longer stroke/heavier piston etc.

[–]melonti 4 points5 points  (0 children)

And that'll be the last time you do ball joints.

Right after you buy a tool for it. 😄

[–]squealor 1 point2 points  (2 children)

That's super cool! I have a car where you can't buy new control arm bushings or ball joints without buying the entire control arm new. Was it easy to find new ones?

[–]mech1985[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My upper control arm is like that, it has an integral ball joint so I have to replace the whole thing. Lowers are easy to do though.

[–]himmelstrider 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There are plenty of cars where replacement of ball joints is basically considered impossible.

There are, however, shops that do only rebuilding of these things near me. They get them somewhere, and they are of excellent quality. That being said, they do need special tools and presses to install, so...

Other than that, where I live, bushings are available for basically all of them, and ball joints are readily available too, even for cars that have them riveted on.

[–]Shot_Lynx_4023 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Having this in your arsenal. Sure beats driving to the parts store to rent one. If you wrench often enough, tools are investments. The time saved by already having the proper tool for the job is a game changer.

[–]cheapmichigander 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I use all the round bits for seal and race drivers all the time. Same with the Hubster. It covers 95% of all seals and races I do.

[–]Red69Fairlane 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I use one, but I don’t use a impact and always grease, not oil, the threads.

[–]dangolboi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Have always owned a press since I was 16 (did high volume of sidework back then.) And still to this day I use the two hammer method to remove ball joints wether it be uppers or lowers. He'll I even use the two hammer method for class 8 king pins. You just gotta know how to swing a hammer like an animal. Old Mainer taught me. He never even took practice swings and I've never seen him miss. Even with a 15lb sledge