General Tools for DIY Panda
- Thread starter Theleman
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General Tools for DIY Panda
Thanks for advice.
The set comes with 3 different size forks, small, medium and large. For Panda, I would use smaller hammer, not the sledge hammer or one shown in the vid
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I used to have one of these (by Sykes Pikavant) but its lost somewhere in a house move. For the amount of times a DIY will use it the £10 stuff is plenty good enough. Always oil the threads, tighten hard and if needed, hit the connecting arm with hammer and backing weight to spring the taper free.
I got a basic fork type to get myself out of trouble but only use it when the joint being scrapped. It's far too easy to damage the rubber boot.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ball-Joint-Splitter-Separator-20-60mm-Tie-Rod-End-Lifter-Scissor-Garage-CT1518/221845288613?epid=5017011185&hash=item33a70276a5:gDQAAOSwB0BbPhrR
I got a basic fork type to get myself out of trouble but only use it when the joint being scrapped. It's far too easy to damage the rubber boot.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ball-Joint-Splitter-Separator-20-60mm-Tie-Rod-End-Lifter-Scissor-Garage-CT1518/221845288613?epid=5017011185&hash=item33a70276a5:g
DQAAOSwB0BbPhrR
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I agree too. A "pickle fork" is absolutely fine if you're scrapping the joint and fitting a new one. Almost always ruins the rubber dust cover and often distorts the flange on the cup of the joint where the rubber boot locates. I bought the scissors type many years ago, I've never used a Pickle fork since.
The ball joint separting tool set was 17£ but comes in hard case, and 3 different size, so thought good value.
Yes, many people were warning about possibilty of breaking the boot during the process.
I am thinking of getting an old 4x4 jeep type vehicle for weekends, and inevitable future servicing it and the Panda (also getting old now) so it will come handy, I thought.
Yes, many people were warning about possibilty of breaking the boot during the process.
I am thinking of getting an old 4x4 jeep type vehicle for weekends, and inevitable future servicing it and the Panda (also getting old now) so it will come handy, I thought.
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For the price you've paid for the set, it's not a big issue. But for separating ball joints without damage, you really need the lever type.
I re read the reviews on the fork tool set, and they are excellent.
And the set comes with 3x forks, and 2 handles. One for air hammer tool and the other handle is just for bare hands, which means you can use hands to push it into the ball joint and pry and leverage to separate ball joint. Hitting with hammer on it seems last resort.
And the set comes with 3x forks, and 2 handles. One for air hammer tool and the other handle is just for bare hands, which means you can use hands to push it into the ball joint and pry and leverage to separate ball joint. Hitting with hammer on it seems last resort.
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The ball joint pin is a taper fit into the steering arm. It's the sudden shock under tension that separates the taper. So a hammer does better. But the rubber boot trapped under the pickle fork gives less of a sharp schock so have to hit it even harder.
Its nothing to worry about when the joint is to be replaced so bash away.
PS. If the wider fork will sit outside the rubber boot then it's all good and the fork will work just as well as a lever type.
Its nothing to worry about when the joint is to be replaced so bash away.
PS. If the wider fork will sit outside the rubber boot then it's all good and the fork will work just as well as a lever type.
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Brake pad winder is needed for disc rear brakes. Get one when the job has to be done.
For the number of times my brakes need bleeding I get some help to press the pedal. For the clutch I DIY with a wood batten between seat and pedal to hold the pedal down. Six or so press-downs are enough to bleed the clutch system.
For the number of times my brakes need bleeding I get some help to press the pedal. For the clutch I DIY with a wood batten between seat and pedal to hold the pedal down. Six or so press-downs are enough to bleed the clutch system.
Looking at my Panda mot advisory details, it will need work on brakes and suspension before September, and I am trying to do the work where I can to pass the mot.
So I kept getting the tools if I see sales or bargain deals especially with looming Brexit, I fear prices of these tools might go up soon.
Also looking to get an Air Compressor and Welder. Found best price for these are from local Screwfix compared to amabay.
So I kept getting the tools if I see sales or bargain deals especially with looming Brexit, I fear prices of these tools might go up soon.
Also looking to get an Air Compressor and Welder. Found best price for these are from local Screwfix compared to amabay.
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'Brake bleeding kit' is also known as 'the wife', she does get bored after a while though. No comment on which option is cheaper...
Caliper wind-back tool is only used on rear disc brakes (unless you own an old Citroen), so no need if you have a basic Panda. Brake spring pliers would be more useful.
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Also looking to get an Air Compressor and Welder. Found best price for these are from local Screwfix compared to amabay.
These can wait. If you ever do need a welder, get a cheap 140 Amp stick type from Aldi (and some professional spec rods). If you paln to weld car body parts, you'll need a gas MIG and they don't come cheap.
Aldi and Lidl also sell air tools from time to time. They wont be professional spec but are more than good enough for DIY uses. But the are noisy and the compressor takes up space. TBH, all that is overkill unless you intend to be restoring 1970s Citroens.
So they can wait until the work started then.
Visited Aldi site, but no trace of Welders at all. I wonder if they will bring them back to stock.
This is the one I was thinking of getting from SF. Seems getting really good reviews. And looks like good price too.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/impax-im-arc140-10-115-140a-arc-welder-240v/17497
Air Compressor would be really good for just cleaning tools especially Lawn Mowers I have. After cutting grass, grass get embedded into the mower, and find very tricky to get them out. Once lumps of grass gets embedded into my vintage hand push mower, they just rot rusting the mower badly.
Tried with brush, sticks and everything. Best thing worked efficiently to clean them was canned compressed Air, but they run out within minutes, and are not very strong.
So this proper Air Compressor would be great for cleaning mowers, and tools in general and also filling air into tyres. Right now I have a wee foot pump, and pumping it up for ages to fill air into tyre, when they go a bit flat.
And if any air tools come up on eBay cheap, then always grab them for later use, I thought
This one is the one I was looking at, and seems GVFM, although it has some very bad reviews.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/stanley-...pressor-with-5-piece-accessory-kit-240v/48089
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Aldi and Lidl stuff comes and goes but it's all made in China. though both give three years' warranty. Professional stuff is clearly much better but for how often a DIYer needs to weld its good enough. If you decide to do some havy duty car restoration you'll need a much bigger tool set. Not least a post lift so £50 worth of arc welder wont be an issue.
I have an SGS petrol brush cutter. It's clearly not a Stihl but does great job for 1/4 the cost. The same company have this.
https://www.sgs-engineering.com/sc5...MI6-7htsbC4QIVTbvtCh1VlwbCEAQYAyABEgJlLPD_BwE
The snag is parts are not cheap so use it fully during the warranty and look after it. No point buying and storing it.
Air tools are power hungry. The little die grinders (that spin at humungous revs) are really handy for all sorts of small grinding jobs but you need at least 4cfm. The one above is double that.
Here's a few welding sets, but personally I would not bother until you have a job in mind. Stick welders are great for 3mm/12G rods on 3mm steel or thicker but they'll blow holes through car body panels. Obviously they will work with smaller rods (e.g. 1.5mm) but that needs serious skill to use.
https://www.sgs-engineering.com/searches/?q=welder
Gas MIG welders are four times the cost and you get what you pay for. SGS have them but when you are about to spend £400 a professional spec makes more sense.
https://www.frost.co.uk/bodywork-welding.html
I have an SGS petrol brush cutter. It's clearly not a Stihl but does great job for 1/4 the cost. The same company have this.
https://www.sgs-engineering.com/sc5...MI6-7htsbC4QIVTbvtCh1VlwbCEAQYAyABEgJlLPD_BwE
The snag is parts are not cheap so use it fully during the warranty and look after it. No point buying and storing it.
Air tools are power hungry. The little die grinders (that spin at humungous revs) are really handy for all sorts of small grinding jobs but you need at least 4cfm. The one above is double that.
Here's a few welding sets, but personally I would not bother until you have a job in mind. Stick welders are great for 3mm/12G rods on 3mm steel or thicker but they'll blow holes through car body panels. Obviously they will work with smaller rods (e.g. 1.5mm) but that needs serious skill to use.
https://www.sgs-engineering.com/searches/?q=welder
Gas MIG welders are four times the cost and you get what you pay for. SGS have them but when you are about to spend £400 a professional spec makes more sense.
https://www.frost.co.uk/bodywork-welding.html
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There are a lot of things to think about when buying an air compressor. If, like me, you don't want to annoy your neighbours too much then noise can be a big issue. The two most commonly available designs of compressor are either "Direct Drive" or "Belt Driven". I have experience of both and find the direct drive type to be unacceptably noisy. At one of the places I worked we had a small portable direct drive which produced around twice as much noise as the big belt driven workshop jobbie next door! After much thought I bought a Belt Driven 14CFM compressor with a 90 litre tank a few years ago and it is fine. Doesn't annoy my neighbours at all! The one I bought was the earlier, yellow coloured, version of this:
https://www.ukhs.tv/Dakota-14-CFM-Air-Compressor
Spares availability is always important to me and UKHS (the seller) were very reassuring when I rang them. This is obviously a Chinese machine and I see the exact same machine being sold by SGS and others so there might be other sources of spares if needed.
Another thing you need to consider is how much air the machine needs to supply in order to run the tools you intend to power with it. This is typically quoted in Cubic Feet per Minute. Mine, for instance is 14 CFM. But the story doesn't end there. CFM can be quoted as the compressor's displacement or the Free Air Delivery. This second figure is what you are actually interested in as it's the amount of air which can be effectively used. Typically it will be around a third less than the displacement figure! So guess which type of CFM is most often quoted by the sellers of these cheaper machines? This site explains it more fully:
https://www.airsupplies.co.uk/cfm-explained
So, you need to match the CFM requirement of your tool to the CFM (free air output) of the compressor if you want to be able to use the tool in any more than quick bursts. Most air tools seem to run at around 90psi (pounds per square inch of pressure) and these cheaper compressors will commonly achieve around 100 psi (a "professional" workshop compressor might run 150psi or more) If you buy a compressor which has too low a capacity (that is too low a CFM figure) then the tool will only run for a very short time before the air pressure drops too low and you will have to stop using it until the pressure builds up again - very frustrating I can tell you!
https://www.ukhs.tv/Dakota-14-CFM-Air-Compressor
Spares availability is always important to me and UKHS (the seller) were very reassuring when I rang them. This is obviously a Chinese machine and I see the exact same machine being sold by SGS and others so there might be other sources of spares if needed.
Another thing you need to consider is how much air the machine needs to supply in order to run the tools you intend to power with it. This is typically quoted in Cubic Feet per Minute. Mine, for instance is 14 CFM. But the story doesn't end there. CFM can be quoted as the compressor's displacement or the Free Air Delivery. This second figure is what you are actually interested in as it's the amount of air which can be effectively used. Typically it will be around a third less than the displacement figure! So guess which type of CFM is most often quoted by the sellers of these cheaper machines? This site explains it more fully:
https://www.airsupplies.co.uk/cfm-explained
So, you need to match the CFM requirement of your tool to the CFM (free air output) of the compressor if you want to be able to use the tool in any more than quick bursts. Most air tools seem to run at around 90psi (pounds per square inch of pressure) and these cheaper compressors will commonly achieve around 100 psi (a "professional" workshop compressor might run 150psi or more) If you buy a compressor which has too low a capacity (that is too low a CFM figure) then the tool will only run for a very short time before the air pressure drops too low and you will have to stop using it until the pressure builds up again - very frustrating I can tell you!
