OTC 6297 Ball Joint Separator

Removed all the lugnut bolts from OEM hubs. Replaced them with ARP bolts. No issues and don't forget to use oil (I used bearing grease) on the screw. Prevents it from binding.

Let me start off by saying that with many purchases over 3-4 years since I created my amazon account this is the only review I have ever written. The reason is this tool performs very well! It is a universal tool so it may not fit your application perfectly, but on my 05 Mazda 6 2.3 it worked wonders! I have spent the past week trying every method I could think of! Hammer, pickle fork, gear puller, propane torch, penetrating oil, and even my BFH. Nothing and I mean nothing made this ball joint want to come loose! Once I got this tool I was skeptical because it seems heavy duty, but seemed poorly put together with how it had gaps between the top and bottom jaw. I lubed up the threads with anti seize and started cranking away. I cranked it down as hard as I could with my 1/2" ratchet in very limited space and gave the bottom jaw a tap right below the joint and it popped right out! To do the remaining 3 ball joints it took less than 5 min. Each popped out with little effort. This is a must have tool as I have spent many times in the past week kicking my feet and calling my car every name in the book! would highly recommend!

This is a tool I wish I had 20 years ago instead of using hammers to try to separate ball joint studs from suspension components. Under the car struggling with a short stroke with the hammer over and over. This takes 2 minutes and there is no effort exerted. Would definitely recommend

The pin can be moved to either of two positions, giving it a pretty wide range of motion. Using this to remove some pretty tight ball joints that a pickle fork and some serious persuasion with a sledge hammer would not budge, this did get the job done. However, there's a steel ball in a recess on the end of the bolt to allow the bolt to turn while you crank it down. I put a pretty good flat spot on that ball the first time I used it. It still works, but not quite as smoothly as when new. There was an incredible amount of force being applied to flatten about 1/4 of a ~quarter inch steel ball, and the tool didn't break, so I guess this is alright. Either way, this worked on my '95 BMW 740i lower control arms, where a pickle fork couldn't get a good bite and where there was no room to directly hammer on the ball joint, so I'm happy with it. I've used it on all of my subsequent jobs, and it hasn't broken yet.Probably the main thing I'd like to see improved upon would be the use of a flanged bolt head so a wrench (like a Gear Wrench) could be easily used without slipping up the head onto the threaded area. But a socket on a ratchet handle (preferably a large ratchet) can be used just fine.

TL:DR if you going to do the LCA's on a e39 BMW, step one should be to buy/borrow this tool. Much much much easier with the correct tool.Now onto the story. To preface a bit, I've done lca's like this on my 135 and a couple of friends. I'm familiar with the steps and knew the job shouldn't take me more than a couple hours (or so I thought). So got my LCA's on tuesday. That afternoon I went out into the garage all excited to get them on, get the car jacked up and secured on stands, wheels off. Tools at the ready and willing to do work and a frosty beverage close by to keep me cool in the heat. Going to be a good afternoon. I get to the point where I'm beginning to back off the nuts from the ball joints on the kingpin/steering knuckle and I notice something strange. Nuts are backing off but the joints aren't spinning. Don't even need the allen key....uh oh. I think well a few taps from my BFH and that should knock them loose. I spray some PBblaster on all the nuts and joints and let them sit before trying anything. Enjoy my frosty beverage and let the dogs play in the yards for a few minutes. Come back and start taping....nothing. Still stuck. Whack a bit harder anddddd nothing. Well more PB and lets grab the torch...apply some heat and still nothing. Never in all my years of working on cars have I come across such a stubborn set of ball joints. A bicycle ride to the local Advance Auto for some more specialized tools and still nothing. Couldn't get the damn things off.Finally after 4 hours of frustration on the first arm I make a boneheaded move. I decide to just pound the crap out the first arm with my BFH w/o any sort of buffer...just hammer onto the end of the threads. Just beat on them in a non friendly I hate you and you will bend to my will kind of way. After a few hits....success! Some movement!! I keep going and it pops out yay!! That excitement quickly turns to horror though as i realize that I didn't get the results i wanted. The pressed in collar/bushing has come out of the kingpin and is still stuck too the ball joint. This is something not meant to come apart. I give up for the day bitterly defeated by lowly control arms. I go inside, shower, beer myself and begin to research.Seems stuck lower control arms on the e39 are a semi normal thing. BMW makes a ridiculously priced tool for the job. More searching around and I came across the tool I posted above. Thanks to amazon prime I had the tool by Thursday to continue my project. And boy did it get things done quickly! With the correct tool I had all the arms done in under 2 hours. 30 minutes of that was getting the collar bushing back in. Car rides so much better with the new arms :)

Tools works well. just to know quality control isn't best. Tool doesn't line up correct. But still is usable, but might not last to long under many uses

Good tool for those who don't want to strike the hub joint with a hammer !

Have used a number of times now. Well made and works great

Far more solid than the cheap version I tried first. The cheap version quickly bent as forces increased. The OTC tool did not bend. Worked like a charm.

Looks like a very good product, I'm using it professionally, so far so good, just don't overtight it, use it just to apply pressure on the ball joint and tap the control arm with the hammer.