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I've had to do some work on the layshaft of my 350 transmission requiring me to remove and eventually replace the retaining rings. I have found the retaining rings hard to remove. I have a pair of pliers made for gripping external retaining rings ends but they'd slip off as soon as I tried to expand the rings.

I did get them off by sliding 3mm diameter steel pins under the rings and sliding them off along the pins.

My question, is there a better way to do this? Better yet, is there a type of pliers available that can grip and hold the ends of these rings?

Thanks in advance.

Derek

Hi Derek,

They are a pain to remove. I bought a pair of circlp pliers from eBay that did work, but I don't know if they are any different to what you have got. Mine have a sort of flat blade on each jaw that slips under the ends of the circlip.

Cheers,

Colin

The last time I had to remove one of these I ordered a couple of replacements from Nigel lacey and broke the old circlip off, my previous experience of getting these 'off' was so difficult I kinda over expanded the circlip and ruined it......I like your method of sliding it off over pins . Cheers george

My removal method appears to have stretched the retaining rings beyond reuse, new ones on the way.

I have a set of more modern pliers on order with what looks like a bigger surface area to grip the rings, if only for installing new ones.

Hopefully not a job that needs doing often.

Derek

Hi Derek

here in Europe Facom sells nice pliers for circlips . the 411 A 17 and 411 A 20 . they work like a charm on the WR type circlips
the later Nova close ratio gearboxes use . they are not cheap tho .



Eldert

Thanks, Eldert, I will look into those pliers.

Derek

Aye Derek,

Eldert's suggested pliers appear to be a class tool, with forged square ends to fit the square ended circlips/snap rings.

I don't wish to dissuade you from acquiring quality tools, but if you don't envisage dismantling gearboxes regularly, you might try these as a cheaper alternative from eBay: 287282660126 or 226998204989

I too have struggled, with these square ended circlips/snap rings and ended up using a combination of screwdrivers to prise them free from the shaft and left some scoring that I had to tidy up. So, I haven't used either Eldert's suggestion, or the eBay Chinese alternative.

There are also another brand known as Knipex and these appear to be better finished than the eBay offerings, but not of the jaw finish of Eldert's offering, but of a similar price. Here is the link to their UK web page: Knipex-special-retaining-ring-pliers-for-retaining-rings-on-shafts

Both the Facom and Knipex pliers are listed on the Radio Spares website (Radio_Spares_web_site), with the Facoms unavailable until late October.

Good health, BillR