RE small joint tool

[mjma]

Anyone have one I can borrow for 15 minutes?? Will have the part (a new ball for the center) in probably the beginning of next week or so. If someone would be willing to let me just stop by, use if for hopefully less than 15 minutes in your driveway, and then return it, I'd buy you a beer!! Lemme know, thanx.

 

[Begster]

You can do them without a tool. The ones I had were brand new, so they probably were a little easier because there was no rust to deal with.

You could probably make a tool. Just take two bolts and a piece of metal, drill the metal at the right distance, and use the bolts as the pins.

You could also take a screwdriver that will fit into the little hole, put it in a vice so it sits parallel with the ground. Take a hammer and position the control arm so that when you hit the arm, it rotates the retaining thingy. Worth a try.

 

[sidriptide]

Anyone have one I can borrow for 15 minutes?? Will have the part (a new ball for the center) in probably the beginning of next week or so. If someone would be willing to let me just stop by, use if for hopefully less than 15 minutes in your driveway, and then return it, I'd buy you a beer!! Lemme know, thanx.

i have one buried in my tool box somewhere.. i wont have time to get it till probably tuesday night though.. my shop is in Westfield right off the pike..
i drink Sam Light.. :looney:

 

[mjma]

Begster, thanx for the tips....I think I'll put a few screws into a piece of sheet metal and make my own!! I knew I could just use a screwdriver and hammer....but I didn't wanna F the thing up too much, ya know! It is brand new, or, atleast, it's never been installed.

Sidriptide, your mike from full tilt fab?!?!!! If I can't make something myself I'll come drink some beers!

 

[sidriptide]

Begster, thanx for the tips....I think I'll put a few screws into a piece of sheet metal and make my own!! I knew I could just use a screwdriver and hammer....but I didn't wanna F the thing up too much, ya know! It is brand new, or, atleast, it's never been installed.

Sidriptide, your mike from full tilt fab?!?!!! If I can't make something myself I'll come drink some beers!

there's 2 of us "Mikes" .. i'm the other one.. atriot:

 

[91XJMA]

I have both tools if you want to make the trip out here, your more than welcome to use them...

 

[RustStang78]

A backup option is to see if you have a local AutoZone, or Advanced Auto Parts. Both retail parts shops rent out tools for free (credit card deposit required).

 

[OverlandZJ]

I have the tools as well. Can FedEx it to you if needed, return when finished.

 

[91XJMA]

Just a little tip, if it's never been put together and tightened down with the use of a tool then you run the risk of jacking it up beyond usage.. Been there, not cool...

 

[Hammered]

I thought you needed this kinda joint tool

 

[Begster]

Just a little tip, if it's never been put together and tightened down with the use of a tool then you run the risk of jacking it up beyond usage.. Been there, not cool...

What happened?

 

[91XJMA]

When they make the threaded portion of the joint in the body and on the nut they use single point tooling and if the tooling isn't sharp when made it could cause burs on the thread, unevn threads.. As in my case, even with the tool the nut wouldn't thread into the body as it should have.. And if you have more than one joint one nut may not work in joint A but will work mint in joint B. It's really hit or miss and it has nothing to do with manufacturer as it does more so with the way they all make this type of joint... Needless to say I tore up the threads on 2 joints( $60 a piece ) and had to get 2 more and toss the others in the scrap pile....

 

[mjma]

That's no good!! Luckily, mine is already together. It's got the 10mm bore through the center, RE is shipping me just the center ball part that has a 1/2" bore for just the cost of shipping!! This is for the 1660 trac bar. I have the pewny Rusty's HD tracbar and I've broken the rod end at the frame side, so I'm replacing it with the RE one!! I bought the parts piece by piece (first the tracbar itself, then the bracket, then the brace). The bracket is made for the 1/2" bolt.

 

[mjma]

A backup option is to see if you have a local AutoZone, or Advanced Auto Parts. Both retail parts shops rent out tools for free (credit card deposit required).

You think Autozone rents out RE joint tools??

 

[91XJMA]

You think Autozone rents out RE joint tools??

That would be the day...... :nosmile:

 

[mjma]

That would be the day...... :nosmile:

If autozone rented out RE tools...and sold every aftermarket jeep part imaginable....then we wouldn't need this interweb thingy!!!

 

[Begster]

That's no good!! Luckily, mine is already together. It's got the 10mm bore through the center, RE is shipping me just the center ball part that has a 1/2" bore for just the cost of shipping!! This is for the 1660 trac bar. I have the pewny Rusty's HD tracbar and I've broken the rod end at the frame side, so I'm replacing it with the RE one!! I bought the parts piece by piece (first the tracbar itself, then the bracket, then the brace). The bracket is made for the 1/2" bolt.

That reminds me, I should probably call RE and see if they can send me a 1/2" bore ball so I can put it in my trackbar I made.

 

[mjma]

That reminds me, I should probably call RE and see if they can send me a 1/2" bore ball so I can put it in my trackbar I made.

I called them, told them my situation, I have the 1660 bar, HD bracket, and the brace, just bought them all at seperate times and such due to cahs flow reasons, ya know. They called me back a few hours later and said that they'd send me the ball for free, I just had to pay for shipping. Seems like a fair deal, I can't complain.

 

[Andy in Pa.]

That's no good!! Luckily, mine is already together. It's got the 10mm bore through the center, RE is shipping me just the center ball part that has a 1/2" bore for just the cost of shipping!! This is for the 1660 trac bar. I have the pewny Rusty's HD tracbar and I've broken the rod end at the frame side, so I'm replacing it with the RE one!! I bought the parts piece by piece (first the tracbar itself, then the bracket, then the brace). The bracket is made for the 1/2" bolt.

I took the joint apart and just drilled out the ball in my RE HD track bar joint to 1/2". You just need nice sharp drill bits. Took me about 10 mins to do. And of course drilled the bracket to 1/2" too.

A.

 

[mjma]

My bracket came with the 1/2" hole!! When I called RE and asked if I should drill it out they said no. I'm sure it would work, but for the price of shipping I won't have to bother with clamping the thing in place and drilling it out!