

Stanley Proto J250G Horseshoe Snap Ring Pliers – Best Overall
Pliers snap ring install#
As I mentioned, these circlips are very difficult to remove or install without the right type of circlip pliers.Īnd because the special types of circlip pliers for horseshoe lock rings are difficult to find, here are some of the best choices that I know work quite well. Now, let’s go back to external snap rings without holes a.k.a horseshoe lock rings. Best Circlip Pliers for Removing Circlip Without Holes
Pliers snap ring full#
I do this nearly every time when assembling aftermarket pistons and conrods in a full floating piston configuration. You do it by systematically applying inward pressure on the ring with your thumbs as you push it into the groove. Installing these retaining rings in the piston bore is also quite easy. The dent lets you slide a flat screwdriver and push out the retaining clip. Typically, a bore housing that uses this type of retaining ring has a recess on the side where you can slide a screwdriver to pry out the wire lock.įor instance, wrist pin bores that use this type of snap ring have a small recess in the wire lock groove. Instead, a flat screwdriver and your thumb are all you need to do the job effectively. You don’t even need special circlip removal tool. You will encounter them in some engine piston assemblies where they are used to secure the floating wrist pin.īut unlike external circlips, an internal circlip without grip holes is quite easy to remove and install. No! There are also internal circlips without grip holes. You might think that circlips are for shafts only.
Pliers snap ring how to#
To learn more about snap rings, read this article on what are snap rings and how to use them. The external serrations on the tips of these special snap ring pliers provide the grip needed to hold the lock ring and prevent it from sliding off and flying away when spread apart. That’s when I learned about the special circlip pliers with knurled external tips. I tried different tools to get it out but nothing worked. The circlip was holding the gear assembly to the output shaft. I came across the first snap ring without holes when I was working on the NP231 transfer case for my Jeep. Without the right tool, you can hardly get them out of the shaft. It is a fairly easy job to remove and install snap rings with holes or hooks but it is a different story handling snap ring without holes.Ĭirclips that don’t have holes are not very common and are the hardest to remove. Other common names for them are wire locks, lock rings, or blind circlips. They are common in heavy-duty trannies and transfer cases where they are used to retain gears and bearings onto shafts.Ĭirclips without holes are made either from stamped sheets or tempered steel rings. Snap rings without holes or hooksĪ snap ring without holes is a type of C-shaped retaining ring with blunt or pointed ends. So you will mostly find them in circular bores. These snap rings with hooked ends are mostly used as internal snap rings. You can remove or install them with needles nose pliers.īut the tips of the needle nose pliers must be narrow enough to get into the hooked ends. These are also easy to remove and often don’t require a special tool. Some circlips have grooved or hooked ends. If they are too big, they will not fit into the grip holes. If the tips are too small, the circlip might slip off and come flying at you when you apply pressure. You only need to make sure the tips of the pliers are strong and the right size to fit into the grip holes. Snap rings with grip holes are easy to remove and install with regular snap ring pliers.

You will find them in bores and on shafts. They are used in most of the applications that require a circlip. Snap rings with holes are the most common types of retaining rings. Common types of snap rings for transmission systems and transfer casesĪlthough there are several types of snap rings, you are more likely to encounter these three types when rebuilding a tranny or a transfer case. But in some cases, needle nose pliers will do the job. To effectively deal with the different types of snap rings, you need specific types of circlip pliers. Some circlips have grooved ends, others have grip holes, and others are simply steel rings with blunt ends. From regular snap rings with grip holes to wire locks.Īs you may have learned from my article on snap rings, not all circlips have grip holes. Transmission systems, drive axles, and transfer cases of cars and trucks utilize all manner of circlips to retain gears and bearings on shafts.
