automotive pickle fork

[David2015]

I need to replace the suspension arm on my car, so I thought I would make a pickle fork to help pry it off. The toughest part was cutting the angles with a hacksaw as the angle grinder would hardly cut it. I tapered the parts to be welded like you would do if welding pipe and gradually built up the weld.

 

[graffian]

Looks every bit as good a boot shredder as my pikeyvan one.

A pair of hammers[well often one does the job] is usually better

 

[gordon stephenson]

I prefer the Sykes Pickavant lever type, If you have room to use one they are excellent, Had mine over fifty years, the forked wedge approach would be my last resort,

 

[tom2207]

One good bang with a 32oz dead blow is all I ever use ,,, never come across one yet that I didnt get undone.

 

[graffian]

So you don't recon on a thousand loving smites on the boot shredder.

 

[stuvy]

The hardest one for me was a pit man arm on a jeep tj wrangler

with most I just apply some pressure and a short blow and it’s done

 

[mtt.tr]

Two hammers opposite side the taper hole normally works

Sykes lever is the nuts

 

[frank horton]

the fork type seperstor destroys the rubber gaiter.......thats an MOT failure on its own.......

 

[bricol]

Should have said - could of had my old fork if you wanted to wreck boots - bought it as a teenager with first car . . and not used it since I discovered the hammer trick - so about 30 odd years its been hiding in the dark somewhere.

I did buy a screw type one that pushes down on the joint pin - that also wrecked boots - so that got consigned to the same box . . . but I did use it the other week . . . to pull a wiper arm off my Alfa . . .

 

[David2015]

Should have said - could of had my old fork if you wanted to wreck boots - bought it as a teenager with first car . . and not used it since I discovered the hammer trick - so about 30 odd years its been hiding in the dark somewhere.

I did buy a screw type one that pushes down on the joint pin - that also wrecked boots - so that got consigned to the same box . . . but I did use it the other week . . . to pull a wiper arm off my Alfa . . .

Thanks, but I wasn't thinking of saving the boots as I am going to replace the entire suspension arm and the new one has all the parts on it.

 

[David2015]

One good bang with a 32oz dead blow is all I ever use ,,, never come across one yet that I didnt get undone.

With my luck a hammer blow would probably crack something. I was itching to weld something and the pickle fork will come in handy for other jobs.

 

[tom2207]

With my luck a hammer blow would probably crack something. I was itching to weld something and the pickle fork will come in handy for other jobs.

No doubt ,, weld it any way , as you say you will find a use for it , all these fork thingys and screwy things are just not needed , you just need faith and a good hammer.

 

[rtcosic]

Sometimes there just isn't room to swing 2 hammers.

I did see a tip to modify an air chisel bit into a blunt end and use the air chisel as a vibrating hammer.

Has anyone tried that and does it work?

If so it would work with an electric hammer drill in hammer only mode.

 

[tom2207]

Sometimes there just isn't room to swing 2 hammers.

I did see a tip to modify an air chisel bit into a blunt end and use the air chisel as a vibrating hammer.

Has anyone tried that and does it work?

If so it would work with an electric hammer drill in hammer only mode.

Only ever needed one hammer ,,, Ive done hundreds of them in my time . Its just a knack ,, and a belief that nothing will break no use tickling it in a flirty school girl kind of way ,,, you cant talk them off eithrer ,,, you have to hit them hard once , sort of like you mean it. Hard enough that once hit , it stays hit.

 

[Dcal]

Sometimes there just isn't room to swing 2 hammers.

I did see a tip to modify an air chisel bit into a blunt end and use the air chisel as a vibrating hammer.

Has anyone tried that and does it work?

If so it would work with an electric hammer drill in hammer only mode.

Yes, they can be bought.

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I've a Welzh kit and it is usefull sometines but 99 times out of 100 (probably more) I just hit them with a hammer.
Last one was last night on a Dexta track rod end.
I did try to loosen a bolt on the front axle with it but I will have to get the heating gear out.

 

[MetalMonkey]

The screw type one works well for me, but you need a decent one that won't eat the boot.
If it is really stubborn you can wind on pressure with the splitter and then a swift tap to the side of the casting with a hammer usually shocks it off.

If it is really really stubborn, and you don’t need to reuse it - air hammer.
I’ve had plenty you would never shift with a hammer alone.

 

[Bullet2012]

Well done on constructing something that works for you