Shop Presses

Planning to do some rear axle work. Is a 12 ton shop press sufficient for pressing out/in bearings, tone rings, etc? Occasional use only, just a hobby DIYer. 20 tons are twice as much.

 

The main problem with those smaller presses is that the opening on the beam that you press on might not be wide or tall enough to fit the axle in there. If it's adjustable height and the opening can facilitate the axle with backing plate, then you might be OK. I worked in a shop once that had one of those cheap 12 ton presses and it simply wouldn't work. We had to upsize the press and the old one became a paper weight. Just to add, I've maxed out 20 ton presses on tundra front hub
bearing removal jobs, and it's scary when that bearing finally lets go.

 

It's relatively inexpensive to have an independent shop push the bearings out and press them in. The cost savings for DIY'ers is doing all of the other mechanical work.

 

Yeah I figured it would cost me about the same to buy the 12 ton press and the removal tool, but it may be less hassle to have someone else do it.

 

Get the 20 ton or you'll be exchanging that 12 ton for the 20 ton in the middle of your project!!

 

Buy once cry once.

I agree with the 20 ton but I'd get someone to do it for me just because I got no other use for it. (yet)