I'm in the middle of replacing my pillow ***** and can't get the snap rings out. it just pinches together and then slips off the puller. Are there any tips to getting them out?
Thanks
Kyle

 

Are you using snap ring pliers? If so, does it have replaceable/switchable ends?

 

I used needle nose pliers (like 6" long), they came out easily, no problems at all with those! I would squeeze the pliers together all the way then you could pull the snap ring right out no problem. (If I remember correctly)

 

Snap ring pliers are really the best way to get them out. With a good plier, they will come out easily. You can get them at Sears, and they are not expensive.

 

i have a snap ring but when I squeeze them together the points on the snap pliers slip out of the holes and it retracts back. anyway I got them out by squeezing and slipping a flat head screwdiver behind between it and the bushing and worked it out. Now my problems are the bolts, to press in and out with. One snapped and the other stripped so now i have a bushign half pressed back in and no bolts and tomorrow is labor day so I"m sure everythign is gonna be closed. i"m **** out of luck and stuck out of town at my parents now lol. oh well I'll finish it as soon as I get some high grade bolts. but thanks for the replys. If anyone has any tips on the project they figured out I'd greatly listen.
Thanks again
Kyle

 

sucks to hear about the troubles. I used fine thread bolts, don't remember how good of quality they were, but those pillow ***** came out much much much easier than I expected using the sockets/bolts method of getting them out and in, the wrenches were easy to turn and I had no problems, none of them were hard. No stripped or broken bolts, and they were so bad I am sure they were the origonals with 90+k miles. It is just so weird for me to hear of the bolt troubles you are having. It is so easy to figure out how to do it all with the correct size sockets so I don't think you would have done anything wrong.

 

yeah I got it out pretty easy. It's just putting them back in thats giving me the problems it just stripped on the last one so I had to quit for the night.

 

I don't recall them going in any harder then coming out on my car, I assume you are using grease.

 

yeah I have a whole tube of lithium. I"m just gonna get a fresh start in the morning and hope it goes better. My car has always been stubborn it's a 93 so evrything in it the oldest it could be lol

 

It is much easier if you use a bushing tool. If memory serves me right, Autozone rents them for free.

 

Use a C-clamp and large sockets

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=38335

 

Autozone loans out the ball joint press kit for around $100. and of course you get your money back when you return it. I just rented one this morning.

 

I tried one of those Harbor Freight presses after doing previous ones with bolts. I found that it is a pain to line up the heavy clamp and then catch it all when you do get it pressed out. I'm going to go back to the bolts next time. I used grade 8 fine thread bolts and never stripped or broke any. I did bend a lot of washers, though.

But do what it takes to get yours done. Where are you? Perhaps someone close owns one of the Harbor Freight presses or has some bolts from when they did the job.

-Max

 

I guess I was lucky, I bought many washers expecting to bend and use them like you say, but I never had to use other washers than the same ones I started with, they didn't really bend to where I had to use new washers.

 

well I got it done. I was using some shitty home depot bolts but had to wake up early and head to lowes since labor day closed all the good local shops. They all went in pretty smooth did all of them this morning in like 3 hours. I didnt' bend many wahsers either only like 2 or 3 got bent. I guess it was just my mad strength breakign the bolts lol. Thanks anyways car feels sooooooo much tighter in the *** end. no more slop it's awsome thanks