Piston snap ring removal

[jsfarmall]

Gaining ground on my 48s engine getting rebuilt. Crank replaced, engine getting bored just waiting on pistons to finish the bore job. In the mean time I picked out a set of rods with the best bushings to put in it. Good and tight, just looking for the best way to get the snap ring out of the piston. Obviously the standard pistons will be useless to me but in the off chance I need to swap a piston in one of my others without boring I don't want to scar them up. Anyone got any advice? Do's and don'ts? Sometimes don'ts are more important than do's.

[outdoors4evr]

Snap ring Pliers are a necessity. I also usually need to use a small standard screwdriver to help guide the snap ring out of the groove.
I have a set like this.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Irwin-Vise-Grip-Combination-Internal-External-Snap-Ring-Pliers-Set/17238088?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227016742804&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=40872310952&wl4=pla-78765302672&wl5=9016844&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=17238088&wl13=&veh=sem&gclid=CjwKCAjwyOreBRAYEiwAR2mSksyrCBcvIzJIHvK3-z6UMNUZGCSMbHTLMB1uz8SWZz5xxXmbRqFnBxoCj3kQAvD_BwE

[Crimson Tim]

I picked up a nice Craftsman set at Ace. They convert from internal to external with the flip of a lever, and they made quick work of a big, probably 1.5” snap ring on a washing machine that had made mincemeat of a lesser pair.

https://www.acehardware.com/departments ... rs/2298826

There’s a single mediocre review at that link which I do not agree with.

[tst]

snap ring pliers will not be any help for the wrist pin clip on a cub, small screw driver pry up one corner and work it around, use new clips on install, you said you picked out a set of rods to use, be careful you have the correct ones as there are two different rods

[jsfarmall]

you said you picked out a set of rods to use, be careful you have the correct ones as there are two different rods

They are all the same casting numbers. All older rods that match the crank journals. I forgot which year they changed the sizes but none of mine are that new.

[staninlowerAL]

From ENG-1 Rev. 20 12-75:

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

It has been a whies, but are you sure those are standard snap rings? Seems like I remember them being a round ring with no eyes on the end, and very hard.

[jsfarmall]

It has been a whies, but are you sure those are standard snap rings? Seems like I remember them being a round ring with no eyes on the end, and very hard.

That's right. It's like really heavy wire bent in a circle. Made of spring steel or something similar. Getting them out ain't exactly the problem. Not scaring the piston is the issue here.

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

I seem to remember using two small sharpened screw drivers to work in behind the rings and lever them out. I believe i used an old pair of blue jean legs I had down at the shop for rags to lay over the jaws of my vice while working on the piston. I always worried about the rings flying out, but never had that problem. A scar in that groove will not be a problem so long as the ring fits in well. One on the side can be taken care of with some emery paper. The rings are the critical part, the piston is just there to support them and fill the hole.

[BullDAWG]

Instead of a small screwdriver I would use picks. Here is an example of what I mean, though I can't say how good the harbor freight ones are as I had way more expensive set but for only $2.00 even if they are junk at least your not out $20+ bucks...



https://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-pick-and-hook-set-66836.html

(NOTE) the spiral keepers can be tough to start getting out, I've sometimes used 2 picks. One to open (spread it apart) and second to get under it and pry it out of the slot in the piston. Once it starts out it should be easier to continue by just working it out in the spiral prying and rotating at same time till all of keeper is out of the slot. minor scratches outside of keeper slot on piston is ok and can be cleaned up with sandpaper but DON'T do inside of keepers as that fit between the piston pin and piston is an exact fit and even 0.001" extra clearance can cause piston slap or pin noise and cause excessive wear.

[BullDAWG]

A scar in that groove will not be a problem so long as the ring fits in well. One on the side can be taken care of with some emery paper. The rings are the critical part, the piston is just there to support them and fill the hole.

Like John said, a scratch outside of grove (outside of where piston pin is) is ok and won't hurt anything as long as pin slides in easy. If scratch is bad enough that pin doesn't slide in then like I said above clean it out with sandpaper but only up to keeper grove. past the grove where piston pin sits needs to be correct size or rapid wear, breakage and noise can happen as some (not sure of IH clearances) but on some floating piston pins as little as 0.0005" difference can cause damage or failure of the engine. I think the way IH made them and the low rpm's you would have way larger tolerances but even if its 0.005" (vs 0.0005) thats less than a human hair thickness so try to not scratch the inside bore past the grove at all costs.