The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest Piston ring expander recommendations?

It's a simple task but can go awry if your not careful. Anybody prefer a brand or style of ring expander over another? Install by hand? Other options?

I use a pair of Snap-on Brake key pliers 70A. I don't know if their still available or not. I don't remember where I got them or when. They've OK for SBC, l6, and VW rings. Evidently they maybe collectible here's a link;

http://www.collectingsnapon.com/pliers/Cotter%20Pin%20Pliers.html

I didn't have clue till I googled them.

Larry

To easy to over expand the ring Larry, the better made expanders are made just for that purpose and usually have an adjustable stop or are self adjusting so you spread them just enought to get them over the piston. A lot faster and a lot safer if you only do a ring job once ever few years.

DG

Here's the Snap-On expander for 2 3/4 to 4 1/4;

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...5&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

no mention of a stop. Anybody used these?

Larry

HUNH! made in the USA too. H.S. auto mech teacher never told me about those tools. Taking the old rings off he said just let them break if they want to cause you aren't gonna reuse them anyway. Putting them on by hand was a challenge sometimes but it seemed like he could do it one-handed if he wanted to.

That's the one I bought. I'll let you guys know how it works out. BTW, they're bluepoint not snapon.

Those are a real nice pair and cheap to. The ones from KD or Lisle only go up to 4" bore.
And I'll bet if your HS auto shop teacher ever got his mitts on a pair of them he'd never go
back to doing it by hand. Makes the job go real fast and smooth and you don't have to worry
about scratching up the piston between the lands either which you inevitably will do with out them.
DG

I installed my rings with the my new blue point ring expander. It was easy to use, didn't slip, almost everything one could ask for in a ring expander. The only downside is that the stamped steel handle isn't too comfortable but If you're only doing this once in a while it's short-lived discomfort. For $15 shipped to my door I would say it was well worth it to avoid a damaged ring or scratched piston.

I'd bet a couple of plunges in that some of that Plasti-Dip would make those handles more comfortable. But like you said, if you're only doing this once in a while.....
What surprses me is that they're under fifteen bucks. I didn't think that Snap-On sold anything for under fifteen bucks. And judging by the inflated prices that they normally charge for their tools, I would think that somthing with as many moving parts as these have would be in the forty or fifty dollar range from Snap-On.
DG

RingLeader;

Slip a couple pieces of thin rubber tubing over the handles. That will ease the pressure to a more bearable level.

SimS

[quote=
What surprses me is that they're under fifteen bucks. I didn't think that Snap-On sold anything for under fifteen bucks. [/quote]

And free shipping to boot!

If I use these in the next few years I'll attempt the plastidip or rubber hose.

Same here.
It can be tedious but I still put them on by hand (carefully).

Ringleader, you have gotten the usual "Ya gotta have a special tool" set of responses. You DON'T. Rings are easily installed using your own fingers as expanders. If you're worried about scratching the pistons simply slip a short section of vinyl tube over the ends of the rings before you work then down into the ring lands.

I'm an amateur mechanic and I've only asembled about 10 car/truck engines. But I was an off road motorcycle racer for decades and I've probably installed well over 100 motorcycle piston rings on my and my son's race bikes without any "special tool" without ever breaking or deforming a ring.

Any questions?