# A Handy Tool **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [January 20, 2008, 4:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-handy-tool/9639 "2008-01-20T16:18:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 4:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-handy-tool/9639/1 "2008-01-20T16:18:06Z")
For anyone who services balljoints/struts/halfshafts, or when dealing with lower control arms, heres a tool that makes this job a lot easier than trying to adapt various pry bars. I fabricated one of these and used it. Works great! Tester ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 4:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-handy-tool/9639/2 "2008-01-20T16:21:22Z")
[http://ltitools.com/lt680large.htm](http://ltitools.com/lt680large.htm) Let’s try this Tester ---
**Author:** ![karl-sieger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c77e96/32.png) [@karl-sieger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/karl-sieger)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 4:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-handy-tool/9639/3 "2008-01-20T16:48:22Z")
Tester do you know what percentage of cars this tool will work on? At the Volvo dealership we pretty much have it down pat w/o a tool like this, but I can see where it would really help in an independent shop if it works on a majority of applications. By the way, how much? Oh, I just re-read your post. It looks like it wouldn’t be to hard to make. How many different applications have you used it on? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-handy-tool/9639/4 "2008-01-20T16:59:57Z")
My local CarQuest parts store sells this tool for $170.00. Tester ---
**Author:** ![willey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a9adbd/32.png) [@willey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/willey)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 8:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-handy-tool/9639/5 "2008-01-20T20:13:59Z")
I’ve been in this business for 25+ years and I can’t remember how many special tools I’ve had to make to complete a repair. In most cases I’m well into a job before I realize I need a special tool, so my options are to wait a couple of hours for a tool truck to come by or make the tool. If you want to make it in this business you have to learn to improvise. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 9:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-handy-tool/9639/6 "2008-01-20T21:08:08Z")
They certainly made a mistake by showing what it looks like and being used! Anyone doing this stuff on a regular basis can easily build their own as Tester did. Only thing missing is a steel seat from an old John Deere tractor. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 11:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-handy-tool/9639/7 "2008-01-20T23:43:05Z")
When I first rebuilt a Vega engine there was a special tool you needed to remove the camshaft. It held down the spring loaded valves so you could pull out the shaft…Well I couldn’t afford to buy one…This was my car and I was making about $200/mo as a Army Sgt. So I got 4 friends…each with screwdrivers and they each held down the valves as I pulled out the shaft. The tool was more then what I made a week. ---
**Author:** ![mr\_josh](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mr_josh/32/3008_2.png) [@mr\_josh](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mr_josh)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 3:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-handy-tool/9639/8 "2008-01-21T03:45:18Z")
That’s really cool. Maybe I’m over-estimating the amount of leverage that you can generate there, but I would think that if you had a really stuck ball joint, you have the opportunity to bend the ever-loving-you-know-what out of the lower control arm (especially if you’re 300+ pounds and decide to ride the thing like the fellow in the video did…) ---
**Author:** ![karl-sieger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c77e96/32.png) [@karl-sieger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/karl-sieger)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2008, 4:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-handy-tool/9639/9 "2008-01-22T04:02:57Z")
I talked to the Matco tool guy today. He said he’s been selling these for a while now. He quoted me $170.00. This would be a great shop item at an independent shop. Maybe even at some dealerships. ---
**Author:** ![rocketman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rocketman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rocketman)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-handy-tool/9639/10 "2008-01-22T18:46:36Z")
Hey Tester . . is that YOU in the video? :0) (kidding) . . . . thanks for the post! Rocketman