External circlip pliers

[NTSOG]

G'day,

I'm overhauling my MF 35 [Perkins diesel] tractor and replacing seals and bearings, etc. I have the PTO shaft out and am awaiting a new bearing, seal and O ring to arrive. In the meantime I need a serious [external] circlip removal tool as there are two large and strong circlips locking the shaft bearing in place at the out-board end. [I probably only need to remove one clip to get the old bearing off.] Is there any brand/type I should be after? The tools I have got are too small and weak for the job.

Jim

[bladeracer]

Hard to know without seeing it. Have you tapped the bearing away from the circlip to relieve the pressure and break any adhesion first?

[NTSOG]

G'day bladeracer,

The bearing isn't binding on the circlip which is angled at both ends - no holes. I was able to open it a bit with my tool, but no further.

Here's a photo: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/22143401 ... -l1000.jpg

and one of the type of MF shaft with bearing and one circlip removed: https://www.dpgbearings.com/wp-content/ ... decb26.jpg

Jim

[bladeracer]

You want the flat jaw version, round ones will tend to wedge in against the shaft. Some of the kits with swappable jaw sets include flats.

If access is good you could grind flats on a cheap pair of long-nose pliers.

The angles are to stop the clip from jumping off the jaws when it's opened.

[bah!]

I regret admitting this but if it is an external circlip of that type, it is unkind but just a flat bladed screwdriver is great.

Also, so sorry about the perkins.

[NTSOG]

Thanks for the advice. I have seen the types with interchangeable jaws and wondered if the flat jaws were suitable.

bah!: As for the old Perkin engined MF 35, she still runs well but seals and gaskets were weeping and it was time for replacement. They are wonderful machines, but she's only used for light duty now as I have a Fendt 280P for the big jobs.

Jim

[disco stu]

I ended up grinding flat ends on some round end circlip pliers for that style. For years I've gotten away with not using proper pliers but it's frustrating as sometimes.

Being a tight arse, the flat pliers were $25 and the round were $10. 5 min with a file did the job.

Will typical size circlip pliers work, or is that an especially heavy duty circlip?

[bah!]

Bit of a giggle but you can still buy them new, as long as your country has lousy emission regs I guess?

http://ame-en.masseyferguson.com/mf35.aspx

[NTSOG]

disco stu: "Will typical size circlip pliers work, or is that an especially heavy duty circlip?"

It's a very heavy duty circlip and needed a medium-large tool with flat 'blades' or faces. I bought one at total Tools for $34.00 which just did the job. A bigger pair from a specialist bearing shop was priced at $174.00!!!!!

@ bah! - I was aware that Fergies were still being made in Asia and Africa. I suspect they will still be around for decades to come regardless of emission issues. I've logged thousands of hours on mine over the years.

Jim

[disco stu]

Sucks when you have to buy a tool for one job only

[NTSOG]

disco stu: "Sucks when you have to buy a tool for one job only."

Yes, but on the other hand it's still cheaper to do the job yourself rather than spend money on the services of a professional who has the tools - and you develop your own technical skills.

Jim

[disco stu]

Yeah, that's what I tell myself every time I'm buying that tool for one use-I could be paying someone $100/hr to do this job, and they'll probably do it wrong anyway!

Like stupid Ford falcon-I think that's the only car I've worked on that has 18mm bolts on it, and needed spanner because socket wouldn't fit in there. Didn't even have 18mm spanner in my spanner set, and the 18 socket has never been used, I wondered why it was in my socket set (included 18 and 16, but no 15 or 17 for some stupid reason). Haven't used the spanner since, and that car has gone thankfully

[Gamerancher]

Plenty of 18mm bolt heads around in lots of applications, you need to get out more.
I have the exact circlip pliers you need NT SOG, had to get a set for working on the Toyota utes at the local mine when I had to work in the L.V workshop from time to time.. Needed them for a circlip in the front end that we had to rebuild every 3 months or so. Never used them for anything before or after.

[bah!]

disco stu: "Will typical size circlip pliers work, or is that an especially heavy duty circlip?"

It's a very heavy duty circlip and needed a medium-large tool with flat 'blades' or faces. I bought one at total Tools for $34.00 which just did the job. A bigger pair from a specialist bearing shop was priced at $174.00!!!!!

@ bah! - I was aware that Fergies were still being made in Asia and Africa. I suspect they will still be around for decades to come regardless of emission issues. I've logged thousands of hours on mine over the years.

Jim

That is savage!

I drive one around a small farm plantation, it isn't bad in the rows for dragging trunks out and we use it parbuckling to load the logs on the truck. Probably has another 100 years left in it.

[NTSOG]

G'day,

When I was first married my wife always complained when I bought new tools so I could do jobs for and by myself sooner, safely, correctly and to save money when I could. She always asked if some tool I had already could do the job. This was in spite of the fact that her father was a WW II B-29 bomber pilot and thus well trained in things mechanical and after WW II ran a marina in the US selling and servicing all sorts of boats and marine engines. Her brother also trained in the USAF as an aircraft mechanic yet she could not seem to comprehend why people needed the correct tool for the job. 50 years on she no longer complains, but it took quite a while for her to understand that wood chisels could not be used as screw-drivers for instance. It used to drive me batty.

Jim

[disco stu]

50 years on she no longer complains, but it took quite a while for her to understand that wood chisels could not be used as screw-drivers for instance. It used to drive me batty.

Jim

I do recall as a young guy having to resort to butter knives a fair bit for flat blades. Make a somewhat passable substitute as long as they aren't done up too tight

Plenty of 18mm bolt heads around in lots of applications, you need to get out more.

Quite happy to minimise my exposure to working on even more cars! Not sure if they are common in other things like machinery etc, but on all the cars I've worked on 15 and 17 is way way more common than 16 and 18, so I've always been puzzled in my kinchrome set that they skipped the 15 and 17 and included 16 and 18. I never noticed when I bought it many moons ago, but was still mostly working on older imperial cars then

[Die Judicii]

G'day,

When I was first married my wife always complained when I bought new tools so I could do jobs for and by myself sooner, safely, correctly and to save money when I could. She always asked if some tool I had already could do the job. This was in spite of the fact that her father was a WW II B-29 bomber pilot and thus well trained in things mechanical and after WW II ran a marina in the US selling and servicing all sorts of boats and marine engines. Her brother also trained in the USAF as an aircraft mechanic yet she could not seem to comprehend why people needed the correct tool for the job. 50 years on she no longer complains, but it took quite a while for her to understand that wood chisels could not be used as screw-drivers for instance. It used to drive me batty.

Jim

She is after all,,,,,,,,, a woman.
Ever checked to see how many shoes she's got for just one pair of feet ?????

[Die Judicii]

Yeah, that's what I tell myself every time I'm buying that tool for one use-I could be paying someone $100/hr to do this job, and they'll probably do it wrong anyway!

Like stupid Ford falcon-I think that's the only car I've worked on that has 18mm bolts on it, and needed spanner because socket wouldn't fit in there. Didn't even have 18mm spanner in my spanner set, and the 18 socket has never been used, I wondered why it was in my socket set (included 18 and 16, but no 15 or 17 for some stupid reason). Haven't used the spanner since, and that car has gone thankfully

That's why they send would be engineers to college for so long,,,,, to frustrate the normal people.

[Die Judicii]

FFS, if the circlip is available as a spare part which I believe it is,,,, just get the oxy and heat the old circlip enough to open it up,,,,
and then slip in a new circlip.
There is still,,,, more ways to skin a cat.

[NTSOG]

DJ: "... if the circlip is available as a spare part which I believe it is,,,, just get the oxy and heat the old circlip enough to open it up,,,,"

I removed the clip without any problems and await [slow] delivery by Australia Post of a new bearing, seal and O-ring. I wouldn't mind having 'oxy' equipment in my kit of tools though. The more tools, the better is my motto.

As for "She is after all,,,,,,,,, a woman.
Ever checked to see how many shoes she's got for just one pair of feet ?????"

She has a collection of [expensive] dressage horses whose feet require 'treating' every 6 weeks @ $130.00 per animal.

Jim