Need Biiiigggg Snap Ring Pliers?

Aaron SEIA

Well-known Member
Allis Chalmers WD. Uses a snap ring about 4" across and 3/16" thick to hold the belvel (dad's term, book calls is a spring washer) washer on the hand clutch. After 60 years it was wanting to go on a trip, so it left home and wandered to the bottom of the clutch housing. On it's trip it went on a bender and is unusable. New snap ring sitting in the shop. Trick is, that ring has to go over a roughly 2" clutch release bushing. Option B is split the thing and put it on from the rear. Is it possible to open a snap ring that far without bending it? I'm thinking something like a ring expander only heavier. I can't "twist" it open, as I only have about 2" of clearance to get it in there. Not going to do a split in my STO shop in the winter. Anyone have any thoughts or the tool that would do the job?
 
In the standard trany of my truck a external circlip came out of its grove. Didn't want to tear it all apart so I clamp the circlip in place and brazed a bridge joining the ends together. That was 10 years ago and it's still working.
 
If you were to spring it open that far it would not come back to it's original size and tension, so even if you got it in the groove it probably would not stay. I think you have to tear it apart! They do make large snap ring pliers, I have installed rings up to 10 inches.
 
got a Chevy dealer nearby , one of the recalls is replacing torque sensor in steering column and to do it you use a pair of snap ring pliers about the size of hedge clippers to remove a 3-4 inch snap ring . Maybe you could borrow.
 
No car dealer is going to loan out tools to an individual. They are forced to buy from Spend-Moore tools by GM. I know the pliers you refer to from my dealer days, they are $100 pliers, but from Kent-Moore they were probably $500. Dealers watch their tools like hawks, some won't even loan to other dealers.
 
Hi Maybe you could make your own tool. use flat bar drill hole at hinge point for bolt, grind the tips to spec or braze a piece to the ends. Just a thought. Ed will
 
Quote: "belvel (dad's term, book calls is a spring washer) washer on the hand clutch. After 60 years it was wanting to go on a trip, so it left home and wandered to the bottom of the clutch housing. On it's trip it went on a bender and is unusable."
If your old ring "left home" while still being in shape, could you not reverse that same path with your new ring?
NOT trying to be a wise guy; I've overlooked obvious things before :-(
 
Sounds to me if that circlip has to hold a belville washer in place that is under tension then the belville washer has to be compressed beyond the circlip groove with a press of some kind before you can install the clip.
Something that probably would be impossible to do without taking the clutch out.

Secondly, the old circlip left its groove for a reason, you got to find the reason first.
A new clip wont stay put very long if the groove is worn/damaged .

my 1 cent
 

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