any tips for gudgeon pin circlip fitting?

[steveo3002]

got a standard C shaped circlip here , cant seem to fit it no how , tried long nose pliers and using a flat blade screwdriver to lever it in and nothing is doing it

any ideas please

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I have a set of these:

Best thing since sliced bread for circlips, it hasn't failed me yet.

 

[steveo3002]

theres no lugs on the ends though ..its just a C shape

 

[Dee J]

Hmmm C shape clip with no lugs as an internal circlip! If you do manage to fit it, how would you ever remove it again?

 

[steveo3002]

theres a notch in the piston for removal , its one ive already removed so someone fitted it lol

all i can think off now is some thinwall 17mm od tube and force it onto that then push the tube in and force out the clip , but seems its not a common size of tube anyway

 

[Dee J]

Something new every day. Personally I'd gently compress it with some curved jaw pliers then use some dowel or a brass drift to slide it into the hole - but the opportunity for --ping---oh dear! is high.

 

[steveo3002]

yeah its pinged off several times already lol

 

[Moosevan]

What piston is it from? Used to do these a lot with T140 / Commando top ends...

 

[GrahamGKD]

..... - but the opportunity for --ping---oh dear! is high.

You need a spotter to see where it goes if it does ping off somewhere!

Is there a through hole behind where it is to go (e.g. hollow gudgeon pin), if so you might be able to pull it in with a loop of wire and then turn it into it's groove once it has entered the hole? If there is no through hole behind you could try pushing it in at right angles to the way it is to end up and then turning it. I guess it depends on how much lead in there is up to the groove where it sits?

 

[steveo3002]

small hole in the gudgeon pin , not enough room to put it in sideways and turn it

just too strong to hold with pliers or force with a screwdriver , plus if i slip and mark the piston its game over

 

[wristpin]

Position the ring with one of the open ends just overlapping the removal notch then push the closed bit of th C in as far as it will go so that it sits over the groove then push the free ends inwards and the closed bit will seat in the groove followed by the free ends snapping in hopefully with one open end nicely positioned over the removal notch for easier removal in the future.
Not as tricky as it sounds once you've done a few!

 

[GrahamGKD]

Could you make a slightly tapered guide (funnel shape) from some thin sheet (maybe from a bean can or something similar) which would sit inside the hole in the piston and then shove the cir-clip in with an end of dowel? Be careful not to cut yourself on the thin sheet though!

 

[roofman]

put the piston in a clear plastic bag when trying to fit with your hands in the open end...if it pings then the bag contains. iff you try put one end into the cut-out and get a small hook type tool to drag it in instead of pushing. I have a Snap-on pick set with small hook ends and i use these.

 

[Gareth J]

time for teflon buttons?

 

[dunk]

there is a special tool for this job, c clipper is one tool, dont know price thou

 

[roofman]

there is a special tool for this job, c clipper is one tool, dont know price thou

 

[steveo3002]

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/911-...-making-piston-clip-tool-guerilla-method.html

spose this kinda thing is what i need to do ...any ideas for 17mm o.d thinwall tube?

 

[pondy]

Had to deal with these when I was racing quads. Get the open end into the removal notch in the piston, hold the rest down with a finger it does ping and go flying then work it around with a small Flat head screw driver. You will get the hang of it.

Put the opening of the clip and the bottom or top of the piston, anywere else and it can compress and pop out with the up and down force

 

[steveo3002]

ah good tip on placing the open end there , id had not thought of that

 

[Kent]

put the piston in a clear plastic bag when trying to fit with your hands in the open end...if it pings then the bag contains. iff you try put one end into the cut-out and get a small hook type tool to drag it in instead of pushing. I have a Snap-on pick set with small hook ends and i use these.

This is what I do for such types of dis-assembly. The other year I was building a rifle and a little spring from a mini mauser shot off never to be found again ( cost me £14 for something that was perhaps 95% profit ). Thing was I never realised there was one fitted until I tried re-assembly and worked out it needed a spring