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I'm working on my 2001 F250 (New ball joints, u-joints and hubs up front) and have a scenario where torches would really help. I could pay someone $100 to press all the joints in and out, or use that $100 towards buying an acetylene torch kit, cut out the stubborn joints and press in the new. An 80 cu/ft setup will run me about $800. Thats a LARGE delta which im having difficulty justifying, knowing that i've done alright without a kit for twenty years.

Is used a better option? What is required to get up and running?

I'm of the opinion the $100 is well spent now, and I should seek a deal on a used torch setup in the future. Opinions?

I have been looking for a setup as well. Went to the local welding supply and they quoted me about $750 for everything. The tanks would be mine but they come full.
No cart to carry them but the guy smiled and said that could be my first project.

I thought about used but can I trust the bottles? Suppose the weld supply won't fill them for some reason, then I have to get new anyway. I think I'll just save my pennies
and go for new.

Good to know that the prices seem to be generally in that ball park.

I thought about getting something small like this http://www.harborfreight.com/welding/we ... 65818.html
I am only going to use a few times per year so I did not want to store the big tanks.
I have been jumping back and forth between this, a mig welder or a ReadyWelder II setup (since I already have the 24 volts)

I've seen that one. Even had one at the weld shop...comment is that it will last about 7 to 10 min tops. Great for taking along 4 wheeling (to cut something loose) but not for a shop set up.
The medium size tanks should last a bit. Storage can be an issue.

I've had a MIG welder for a few years and getting a bigger reel for the wire makes it last and last. I keep a spare one on hand.

I have a system like the HF version for when I need to heat or cut something. Many places exchange your empty bottle for a full one; you still own the exchanged bottles (they are just not the same one you turned in). I use them occasionally and probably get them refilled/exchanged every 3- or 4 years. I'd guess that if I was cutting continuously (with the size head that these smaller torches come with) I might be able to do 20-30 minutes of continuous work before consuming all the gas and fuel, but most work takes a minute or two at most.

Buy used, look on Craigs List have the seller show you that the tanks hydro test is current, you’re most likely going to trade them in so the appearance means nothing. The last set of tanks I had were a small hobby set typically good enough for a few projects between refills/exchanges.

The torch regulator set I have are over 20 years old still worked well last time I used it. Once more buy used, CL or the pawn shops.
If you get the full size tanks don’t ask me to help you move them. The only large tank I have is an argon tank that sits with my tig machine.

For most of my cutting these days I end up using a sawsall takes longer however less fires to put out (that said some jobs do call for a cutting torch). For most of my torch heating I can get by with a mapp torch. For welding I use my tig welder or my mig welder. Haven’t used my oxy acetylene rig in years.

Tried the sawzall on my hardened F250 superduty U joints. Barely scratched the first, of what would need to be 6 cuts.

I've been shopping for a garage that can handle the SuperDuty work and its tough!

cut off wheels and a die grinder? grasping at straws here.

So. ... specifics help.

Ujoints in the primary drives haft or halfshafts?

Still the same in the approach.

With the half shafts, you really need to be dressing the hub assembly down meaning a full separation of the steering knuckle and removal of the halfshafts.

The Ujoints in are capped needle bearing style and they are pressed together. It's best to drift the caps out by tapping the Cardon assembly in one direction till the cap becomes unseated and repeat the process in the opposite direction.

..... but if you don't have a press. .... You're never pressing the new joints back in. ..so......

The torch and the sawzall and the grinder with the cutoff wheels have absolutely no place in this repair.

Half shafts.

I have a press to put everything back in, though I can't get the joints out. They are pretty rusty and seized in. Can't get the c clamps out of a couple.

Original thought was to heat it up around the cap, then I figured I'd just cut it right out and stop fiddling with the clips.

I handed em over to a shop. $100.

Sounds like your best option. ..... Sometimes it's best to just not have the headache abdominal trust that if won't be your own work that puts you in a pickle.

be well.....be safe.

Abdominal for and. ..... That's a new one for swype!