Circlip pliers, what are yours like?

[Lazy-Ferret]

I hate Circlips... Invented by some demonic mechanic hater....

At my first job, when I was 18, I was given a basic electronic starter tool kit, which consisted of mostly "RS component" tools. Many of them are still going strong 30+ years on. For some reason they decided that I also needed circlip pliers, and the RS set has a pair that opens and a second pair that closes, along with inter changeable tips, in a little pouch. I don't think I ever used them until a few weeks back, and then again today trying to get the circlip off of the front drive shafts.

I find that the pairs I have, open or close the circlip, but don't grip it enough to actually then slide it up or down the shaft. The other thing is, they allow the clip to twist.

Basically, today, it took me almost as long to remove and replace the circlip as it did to do the whole replacement of the front Rotors.

So, does anyone have "Good" circlip pliers, and if so, what are they, and where do I get them.

[Banshee]

Originally Posted by Lazy-Ferret

I hate Circlips... Invented by some demonic mechanic hater....

At my first job, when I was 18, I was given a basic electronic starter tool kit, which consisted of mostly "RS component" tools. Many of them are still going strong 30+ years on. For some reason they decided that I also needed circlip pliers, and the RS set has a pair that opens and a second pair that closes, along with inter changeable tips, in a little pouch. I don't think I ever used them until a few weeks back, and then again today trying to get the circlip off of the front drive shafts.

I find that the pairs I have, open or close the circlip, but don't grip it enough to actually then slide it up or down the shaft. The other thing is, they allow the clip to twist.

Basically, today, it took me almost as long to remove and replace the circlip as it did to do the whole replacement of the front Rotors.

So, does anyone have "Good" circlip pliers, and if so, what are they, and where do I get them.

I have a set of these that do Internal and External Clips but in Yellow

http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/pro...FcuWtAodl2IAuA

[AlexD333]

Two angry screwdrivers are my circlip pliers

[Lazy-Ferret]

Thanks Banshee, I will keep my eyes open for a pair... Do you se the same pair for both internal and external circlips?

Originally Posted by AlexD333

Two angry screwdrivers are my circlip pliers

Why am I not surprised... I'd like to see you try that on the one that holds the gear stick in place... Especially after a body lift.

I think you need to put your signature back to the "Spanner" one, and add Circlips to it as well..

[Banshee]

Originally Posted by Lazy-Ferret

Thanks Banshee, I will keep my eyes open for a pair... Do you se the same pair for both internal and external circlips?



Why am I not surprised... I'd like to see you try that on the one that holds the gear stick in place... Especially after a body lift.

I think you need to put your signature back to the "Spanner" one, and add Circlips to it as well..

Yeah mate, they extend quite wide too, great for those Prop Shaft UJ circlips

Only thing I had to adopt Alex's method for was the torsion bar circlips

[Lazy-Ferret]

Originally Posted by Banshee

Yeah mate, they extend quite wide too, great for those Prop Shaft UJ circlips

Only thing I had to adopt Alex's method for was the torsion bar circlips

Cheers...

Yes, the Torsion bar ones are not proper circlips, so you have to improvise with them.

I stopped trying to use screwdrivers the first time I ever did a circlip, slipped, and stuck the screwdriver straight through the newly fitted oil seal...

[Banshee]

Originally Posted by Lazy-Ferret

Cheers...

Yes, the Torsion bar ones are not proper circlips, so you have to improvise with them.

I stopped trying to use screwdrivers the first time I ever did a circlip, slipped, and stuck the screwdriver straight through the newly fitted oil seal...

Live and learn

[AlexD333]

I did my wheel bearing circlips this way

[Sweety]

When removing circlips I often use a small screwdriver as well to help slid the opened circlip onto the shaft & out of it's slot

[Banshee]

Originally Posted by Sweety

When removing circlips I often use a small screwdriver as well to help slid the opened circlip onto the shaft & out of it's slot

That's a good shout I do that

[Sweety]

Originally Posted by Banshee

That's a good shout I do that

Open the circlip up as much as you can then carefully with a small thin screwdriver slide it between the clip & shaft, angle the screwdriver a bit & slide the screwdriver around the shaft & the clip should move onto the shaft fine where you can get a hold of it with one hand whilst you keep it open with the pliers to remove it

[Mobieus_uk]

I tend to use the screwdriver method, but in saying that the last circlip I removed was for the windscreen wipers, it went ping and was never to be seen again

[rustic]

Originally Posted by Mobieus_uk

I tend to use the screwdriver method, but in saying that the last circlip I removed was for the windscreen wipers, it went ping and was never to be seen again

Now I have learnt that using a clear poly bag over the area helps, and work through a small hole in the bag.

Works well on stripping carburettors or similar small items as well, springs, ball bearings seem to fly everywhere.
Once I had something in the vice and a spring clip flew past me, hit the open door, went 15 feet over the patio and came to rest on the grass somewhere.
Luckily I had a very strong magnet, in fact a spare magmount from a cb aerial, and after a controlled sweep, I managed to find it within half an hour.

So now I work within a poly bag... just my hands, tools and item to be stripped lol. Oh and wear safety specs too.

My circlip pliers are cheap and nasty, and have two pairs of pins so you can open or close the circlip depending whether they are external, or internal circlips.
The pivots are so weak, and you can't apply any side pressure as they come apart.
You need three hands lol...

[Terrano Steve]

I have a set of rolson circlip pliers & to be fair they work well you get 2 internal & 2 external pliers in the set.
If I was a full time mechanic I am sure I would invest in something better but these work well for me.