Snaprings

[quint22cp]

How do you get these *uggers in.

I have spent 2 hours trying to fit these to the pistons and only managed one, the side of my beautiful JE's now looks like the cats had it.

I have been trying the pliers and screwdriver method as shown in Wayne's book, there has got to be a better way.

I can't believe that they used this method at the Porsche factory, is there a special tool ?

[quint22cp]

[911pcars]

I'll take a stab (hopefully not literally).

With the open end of the snap ring at either the 3 or 6 o'clock position, place one end of the internal snap ring into the groove at the 6 o'clock position, or use whatever clock position that seats most of the snap ring.

Position a thin screwdriver behind the snap ring on the opposite side pointed downward. With your finger or thumb (wear a glove), press the snap ring inward toward the groove while leveraging the snap ring end downward (and closer together) using the edge of the piston bore as a leverage point. You may want to cover the snap ring with a cloth to prevent it from flinging to far reaches of your workshop in case it pops out.

As you swing the screwdriver handle downward you, the blade will force the snap ring ends closer together. As the ends close, push the ring inwards towards the ring groove. If you place the screwdriver blade exactly opposite the seated end of the snap ring, you should be able to compress it far enough to slide it into the groove as you remove the screwdriver.

Hope that's clear and it works,
Sherwood

[davidppp]

Hello there.

I have done this many ways: I now use a special tool.

Its just a bit of 25 mm od 2mm wall tube which has a thinned out inside taper to the end, polished inside, turned down one end to fit the bore..with a plunger to load and place the wire ring.

Takes a couple of seconds.

I could make some I guess if demand exists..

Kind regards
David

[911pcars]

David's tool sounds like the way to go, but how do you install the snap ring inside the special tool.

Sherwood

[cstreit]

THere are around 3 definitive threads on this topic. Generally they have 2-3 posts of good ideas, one tool that a person made, and 22 posts of guys swearing that these clips of made of the devil.

I don't have a tool to do it, but a cheap method that works for me.

I put on gloves, then wrap 4-5 layers of duct tape around my thumb. Get the "ends" of the clip in the groove and then push really hard on the other end (the bottom if you will) with my wrapped thumb. This compresses the ring and gets it almost all of the way there. Then I have a small flathead screwdriver with a notch in the tip. I use this to push the bottom in the rest of the way. It used to take me 5 tries per clip on average, now with practice on more than 50 of them, I can do it in 3 tries, lol.

Definitely stuff rags in the spigot holes so you don't lose the clips in the case when they shoot out the first few times.

[Jeff Alton]

Be careful, or this is the result.... a proper tool is the only way to go! Got one after this happened!



Cheers

[cstreit]

Nice work there Jeff!

[chan1408]

imho JE has done a horrible design job on these snap rings. Why are they like this? To save how much? They could be so much easier to install if the design was changed, and would probably be much more reliable, as the current design is so d@$%@#$% frustrating, esp when trying to put them in w piston on the rod. My experience is like everyone elses, just wish I'd known Pelican had this great resource before damaging my own thumbs unnecessarily. JE, you listening? Currently, I'll bet there are many out there which have been collapsed (yielded) to a smaller diameter just so they could be installed, which will increase the chance of them coming out. Just to save how many pennies? Although they can be installed stock diameter, can ANYONE reply that they've honestly had no problem? What in the world was the matter with the factory design for that matter - why didn't JE use them? Idiotic. Rant herewith ended.

JE, you listening?????

[Jeff Alton]

With a tool to insert them, it takes about 10 secs to do each one.

They are about as easy to put in as 3.6 ones.....

Cheers

[911pcars]

They (JE, Mahle) could have used this type:



....which uses this tool to R&R


... but they chose not to.

Sherwood

[304065]

Excuse me Quint, but is that the right lock for that piston? The pin bore appears to have grooves in it for the spiralock, but you appear to have a factory-style spring wire retainer.

[davidppp]

Hello all.

The reason mahle use the wire rings is they work pretty well, IMHO.

The pressure fronm the end of the pin forces them back ito the groove..

Kind regards
David

[quint22cp]

Jeff (Alton),

can you post a picture of this special tools that does it in 10 secs.


Pete

[Jeff Alton]

I will dig it out...

[Jeff Alton]

Here you go, homemade (not be me). The ring goes in the big end then the "drift" part pushes it in.

A search on this forum will show pics of other similar homemade tools.



Cheers