Amateur shop press set up...

[spartan]

so I gotta change some caster correction bushings. The first OME's were put in correctly but came apart circa 2000. The second set of OME's were put in wrong to begin with. One right - one wrong. I'm gonna put in some slee 3* bushings, the right way, myself.

Got a $20 off coupon in the mail so I ordered a northern tool 12 ton shop press and picked it up at the store without shipping. Replaced all the stock bolts and hardware with Grade 8's and set this rig up in my garage so I can use it. Put lag shields in the floor to secure it for use - then I can un-bolt it and put it back against the wall for storage. Even put some extra hardware in like decent washers and some old shock bushings on the bottom of the compression bar.

FYI - when I did final assembly I put a vertical level on the uprights and marked it to get it perfect straight. It was all wobbly when I threw it together to start with. Solid as a rock now.

I know some folks say the 12 ton is too small, but the truck had the originals taken out 15 years ago and two sets of OME's put in and there's no corrosion. If this doesn't work I'll put a 20 ton bottle jack in it.

Anyway - just thought I'd share. I hope to get some good use out of it. Some pics....

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Nice

I need to do the same with our shop press cause people keep moving it around

 

[Tools R Us]

It would be much stronger if it had 4 bolts and nuts on each side or crush sleeves, so the fasteners could be properly torqued. As it is, they are just working as pins.

 

[spartan]

You lost me. You mean cut the bolt heads off and add nuts and washers or just add nuts and washers inside the bolt heads?

 

[kbahus]

Used to have one of those in the shop I work in, when you see those beams start flexing and you max it out doing simple stuff you will want to go to something a little beefier. That thing scared the poo out of me on more than one occasion.

 

[spartan]

I'l weld in some support if that happens. This thing is gonna get used maybe four times a year. Thanks for the heads up though.

 

[Tools R Us]

You lost me. You mean cut the bolt heads off and add nuts and washers or just add nuts and washers inside the bolt heads?

Remove these two bolts on each side. Replace with 4 shorter bolts (3/4"?) and nuts, that only go through the two layers of metal. To do both sides you will need 8 bolts and nuts.

 

[inkpot]

You lost me. You mean cut the bolt heads off and add nuts and washers or just add nuts and washers inside the bolt heads?

I think he means instead of those two long bolts, use 4 short ones. That way each bolt can be torqued down properly and will have effective clamping pressure on the two pieces of steel it is holding together. As it is with the long bolts, they can be tightened up until they run out of thread or they bend the steel channels closer together, but they may never achieve proper torque to create significant clamping pressure between the pieces of steel.

Over the last year I have done several dozen LCA bushings with an inexpensive 20 tone press. A few of those were pretty hard to do. Not saying it won't work for you, but personally I would not be comfortable doing them with only 60% of the power and frame strength of the 20 tone unit. Good luck and be safe. John

 

[Tools R Us]

Like this one:

 

[Tools R Us]

Why did you bolt it to the floor, don't think I have ever used that type of press bolted down?

 

[TheBigBoy]

Thats what I wanted to know inkpot. Is it just the frame thats weak and 12 tonne bottle jacks ok? Or will the bottle jack give out aswell. Some of the bushes ive pressed out where in the pretty good, and let go with an almighty bang. But I just want 1 for home. Hoping the 12T is enough for bushes and bearings, also a brake press for 1/4 flat plate.

Ps. I never look at the gauge while Im working. So couldnt tell what force was applied.

 

[Tools R Us]

... also a brake press for 1/4 flat plate.
...

Get the 20ton, much better match for the job.

 

[spartan]

Remove these two bolts on each side. Replace with 4 shorter bolts (3/4"?) and nuts, that only go through the two layers of metal. To do both sides you will need 8 bolts and nuts.

Got it. Should have thought of that to begin with. Will correct before proceeding with any work. Thank you.

 

[spartan]

Why did you bolt it to the floor, don't think I have ever used that type of press bolted down?

Because I work by myself a lot. I have arthritis in my hands pretty bad and the less things move around the easier it is for me to deal with.

Specifically for the LC control / leading arms so I can hold the frame end with one hand and let the axle end rest on the press without having to worry about it moving around until it's under pressure.

And it's got holes to bolt it down so I figured why not.

 

[Sc0-]

Be cautious with those plates as a few threads on the internet prove that they are cast steel. Some forums even show the damage that they cause when they crack. A local steel yard would have much better quality of steel to choose from.

 

[spartan]

OK here's what I did....

 

[spartan]

Also moved two of the original bolts down on the uprights for support. Steel is soft as butter. I'm going to put some pipe on those two lower support bolts to make it rigid.

If this thing explodes something is bad wrong. Tell me if there's anything else to modify other than welding in some support steel.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Tools R Us]

Looks good, should be noticeably more sturdy that way.

 

[e9999]

soft steel not a bad thing for this kind of application I think. I'd rather see things bend if overloaded than suddenly exploding

 

[spartan]

You have a very valid point there. If it bends it will go back to Northern Tool.

Personally I think it will pop the OME's out like a pellet gun.

Whatever the case; it's set up as good as any 12 tone press I've ever seen - maybe better.

Hopefully will get to try it out this weekend.