Hmm. I had a wee epiphany, which ended in the improvement of a cheap tool I purchased recently.
The Ball joint press I bought from the interwebs was beginning to seize up on the end of the forcing screw. This in turn was causing it to bind on the uni joint caps while removing the old ones.
Well , tonight I decided to install the newies, and remembered the seizing tip on the screw.
I have a CV joint in bits. They have big balls. A bit like myself.
So... I took one of the CV balls and left a goop of grease on it, ...
... and lobbed it into the forcing screw, then replaced the foot.
Outcome?
It works.
Very well. I'm pleased. Why didn't it come like this?
cheers