# Snap ring pliers



## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

I purchased a set of snap ring pliers some time ago and was wondering if I'd ever get a chance to use them.

The other day, I had to remove a truck from a motor. The truck had some small C rings (clamps?) on them. I got out the snap ring pliers and tried for 10 minutes to remove them; then went online to get help and couldn't find anything out about how to use them. Here's the kind I have:


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=3316

(This is probably a beginner question and should have gone in that category; had trouble deciding which forum category to place it so sorry for the novice question.)


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## hawkeye2 (Jan 6, 2008)

I think you will find those snap ring pliers too large for anything you will encounter in the model railroading world. Snap rings are of two types, internal and external. Both types have holes in the end that you insert the tips of the pliers into. External snap rings fit in a grove on the outside of an object such as a shaft and are removed by expading their inside diameter so that they can be slid off the shaft. Internal snap rings fit in a grove inside something and the tips of the ring are squeezed toward each other reducing its outside diameter to allow you to remove it.

It is likely you have encountered an e-clip (c-clip), these are more common for an application like this and do not have holes on the end allowing you to use snap ring pliers. To remove these put the blade of a screwdriver in one of the small openings visible opposite the open end of the clip and pry it out of it's groove. To reinstall, if you are lucky enough to have found it after your first experience removing one, start it in the groove and place on jaw of a pair of pliers on the shaft opposite the open end and the other jaw of the pliers on the clip 180 degrees from the open end and squeeze gently. There are special tools to remove/install these clips but I haven't found them to work any better (as well?) as screwdrivers/pliers. Count on loosing, bending, and breaking clips as part of the learning curve.


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## Schlosser (Jan 2, 2008)

*Hawkeye2 covered the subject nicely. Back when I worked on accounting machines, the c-clips were always a bit hard to remove. We were issued tools for most everything but not for c-clips. 

But as Hawkeye2 said, screwdrivers work well in removing them. We used various screwdrivers on the different sizes. You need one narrow enough to slip into the small opening and twisting it 90 degrees will usually pop the things out. 

Putting one back on was also harrowing work. You had to use pliers to squeeze them back into place, and invariably they would spring out of place and usually out of sight. 

Fortunately they moved me into working on computers and c-clips became a thing of the past.

Art

*


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

thanks; I actually did end up using a small screwdriver; the clips seem to enjoy becoming airborne


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

I know this is after the fact, but just as an FYI.

This is an e-clip








This is a c-clip








This is a snap-ring (external)








This is a snap-ring (internal)









The following are some of the various tools available, in addition to using an appropriate sized flat blade screw driver(s) to remove the retaining clips.
The Olivetti style e-clip tool









The DuraTrax e-clip tool









The Tamiya e-clip tool









The OTC e-clip tool set









A typical snap-ring plier set








(internal/external)


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

THanks! no wonder I couldn't find help online; it was an eclip and not a clip!!!!!! 

I see the holes now for where snap ring pliers would work. I was trying to use the pliers to spread apart the eclip and it kept slipping off.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Glad it was of help to you.


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## Road Foreman (Jan 2, 2008)

Guys, 

Truarc is a good brand for tools & clips.. 

BulletBob


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