Anyone use porta-power style hydraulic gear around the workshop?

I've got a small press but on various vehicles over the years I've found that there's always a job where a generic hydraulic power source would have been great - for things that have to be done on the vehicle or where the item won't fit in the press.

Current job is front ball joint replacement on my wife's Landrover. I reckon with a porta-power, one of the low profile cylinders and a couple of bits of scrap I'd already be done and having a beer rather than still messing around with mechanical pullers. I'm expecting a bit of large hammer and gas torch action even with the porta-power.

If you do use one, are there a particular cylinder styles/sizes that are more useful than others for general automotive applications. I'm thinking along the lines of one of the internal/external threaded ones (maybe around 200mm closed length), and a low profile one.

Steve


Read the full thread at metalworkforums.com...