How to Choose Snap Ring Pliers that Will Make Your Work More Comfortable if Fitted Perfectly?

Snap rings with a part of the ring cut off are used to stop parts from coming off in various parts of motorcycles such as transmissions and brake master cylinders, and there are a number of snap ring pliers with different lengths and shapes of jaws used to attach and detach them. There are many different types of snap ring pliers with different overall lengths and jaw shapes. It is not enough to have one pair of pliers like nippers or radio pliers, but you need to have the right pair of pliers for the right place.

The snap ring that attaches to the shaft and the snap ring that attaches to the hole move in opposite directions.

This is an example of a snap ring that is used to stop the brake master cylinder piston from releasing. This is for the hole as it sits inside the cylinder bore.

This snap ring is used to stop the kick shaft gear from coming loose, and is for the shaft. The thin and thin snap ring completely stops the movement in the thrust direction.

A snap ring is used to prevent parts attached to a tube or rod from falling out or coming off. It is Examples of parts that attach to a cylinder are the piston of a brake master cylinder, the bearing of a wheel hub, and the oil seal retainer of a front fork outer tube. A typical example of a part mounted on a rod is the shaft of a transmission.

A snap ring is a part of a circle that has a small hole in its opening, and is used by fitting it into a groove cut according to the thickness of the ring.

The snap ring, which regulates the thrust direction movement against the hole or shaft, is easy to install and remove, and the thin ring is advantageous in terms of space. The movement for the hole and for the shaft is almost opposite. The feature of this product is the following. The ring set in the hole must be smaller in diameter to be detachable, and the ring set in the shaft must be larger in diameter to be detachable.

For this reason, there are two types of pliers that have the same purpose of attaching and detaching, but the movement is completely opposite for snap rings.

The claw on the tip of the shaft opens when the grip is held, and the claw closes when the grip is held for the hole.

TONE's snap ring pliers are differentiated by the color of the rubber on the grip. The black color is for the shaft, where the tip of the jaw expands when the grip is held. The small bit on the tip of the pawl is slightly outward, so that it can be firmly caught in the hole of the snap ring.

For the right shaft, the tip is facing outward because the toe is open, and for the left hole, the tip is facing inward because the toe is closed. It's a small difference, but it's a point that affects the ease of use.

General snap ring pliers have a longer and thinner tip than slide joint pliers or radio pliers. The snap ring pliers for holes close the jaws when you hold the grip. When you grip it, it closes. The action of closing when grasping is familiar to grip type tools such as radio pliers.

On the other hand, the pliers for the shaft open the jaws when the grip is held. So there is some discomfort. A tool that works in a similar way is the piston ring pliers, which are used to widen the gap between the piston ring mating lips.

If it's a ring for a hole, you might be able to substitute radio pliers, but since you're using a snap ring for a literal hole, you most likely won't be able to reach the ring with radio pliers. Even if you're lucky enough to reach it, the tip of the pliers won't be able to catch the small hole in the matching part of the ring and you'll end up striking out.

The length and bend of the jaws are also important, and if the snap ring is in a deep place or there are interfering objects around it, it is necessary to select pliers with the appropriate shape. Tools on the market are designed for the greatest common denominator, but that doesn't mean they are easy to use for everyone. A tool is only a tool, so it is not a bad thing to modify or improve it in your own way by bending or shaving it as necessary. If it becomes easier to use, it is good to modify it positively, but it is unlikely to bend or shave a screwdriver or a socket tool, so snap ring pliers may be a slightly different kind of tool in that respect.

Reflecting this reality, snap ring pliers are available in two types from the beginning: straight and curved jaws. Both have variations in the length of the jaws, and in the case of the curved jaws, there may be variations in the length of the curved end as well.

In actual work, the shape of the tip of the pliers can make the difference between good and bad usability. The hole for the snap ring is small, and the material is spring steel, so the tip of the pliers inserted in the hole can slip out easily. In some clever tools, the tip of the pliers is angled to make it easier to fit into the hole. In this case, the tip of the shaft pliers that open the fitting is outward, while the tip of the hole pliers is inward to help close the fitting.

Although the angle of the toe is only slight, it hangs firmly in the hole and reduces the risk of slipping, popping and twisting the snap ring itself. However, an angled jaw tip is not necessarily superior in all situations. There are some pliers that have a pointed jaw like a needle point, and only that type of pliers will fit in the hole of the ring, so having several variations on hand will help you avoid the frustration of "I'm so close, but I can't use it because of the difference.

The snap ring may be twisted during installation and removal, and even if you remove it from the pliers, it may not fit like a spring washer, but a twisted snap ring will come off from the groove easily, so it is safer to replace it with a new one than to twist it to the other side. Whether it is a brake or a transmission, a snap ring is used because you don't want the parts to come off, so it is better to replace a used one gracefully.

Snap ring pliers have a limited jaw opening width.

Even in the operation of removing the snap ring from the transmission shaft, it is difficult to tell whether the straight or curved jaws are easier to use until you are there. Having two different sizes of snap rings and two different designs of claws will come in handy in many situations.

Pliers with red grips are for holes. The upper one is for snap ring diameter 8~25mm and the lower one is for 40~100mm. The elasticity and tension of the snap ring are different depending on the size, so the pliers for large rings are larger in size.

One of the most important factors in choosing snap ring pliers is to select the right pliers for the size of the snap ring to be attached or detached. In the case of the TONE pliers introduced here, there are three types for holes: 8~10mm, 19~60mm, and 40~100mm, and four types for shafts: 3~10mm, 10~25mm, 19~60mm, and 40~100mm.

It is rare to use 40~100mm snap ring for motorcycle brake and transmission maintenance, but you can see that the same gripping tool can not be used in a wide range like radio pliers and water pump pliers.

The phrase "big is better than small" cannot be applied to snap ring pliers, which are often used in tight spaces where space is at a premium. In the case of the brake master cylinder piston snap ring mentioned above, the pliers must be inserted into the small gap between the cylinder and piston, and a slim, compact product is obviously easier to work with.

Unlike groping for tools where you can't see them, most snap rings, whether for shafts or holes, are visible. You don't need to have five or ten of them, but just having two or three different sizes in your toolbox, even for the same hole, will give you more room to confront any snap ring you encounter.