Snap ring removal on ball joint

[djcslice]

I am looking for a recommendation for a tool to remove the snap ring on a ball joint on my truck. The id is roughly 2.5 in and the standard snap ring pliers I have was not large enough to handle this job. I tried using a long nose needle nose pliers but it couldnt open its jaws far enough and I tried taking it off with screw drivers but I couldnt get very good leverage.

Any suggestions would be awesome!

 

[BolognaBlake]

Air hammer and small chisel if you have the room.

 

[Mr_B]

chisel and hammer have that done pretty quick .
air hammer is a diamond tool for this sort of thing .

 

[rmsg0040]

I remember my Trailblazer had that style on the OEM upper ball joints, flat screwdriver and hammer

 

[2ndGearRubber]

If I am not reusing, I knock them off with the air hammer. Even with a hammer and chisel, you can pry it out as soon as you have a gap on the backside between the balljoint and the clip.

 

[joecon]

take two punches the same length and put the tip of each one on each side
of the snap ring so they form a V and hit them both at the same time with a
hammer and it will come off.

 

[laser3kw]

take two punches the same length and put the tip of each one on each side
of the snap ring so they form a V and hit them both at the same time with a
hammer and it will come off.

I'd like to see a video of that! seriously
I am too uncoordinated to hold two of anything and then swing a hammer at the target. My outcome would be two punches somewhere in the garage and a welt on my hand from the hammer.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I have never seen a snap ring without holes !

 

[robalmal]

I have never seen a snap ring without holes !

I have seen plenty. The one in the op's pic has no holes.

 

[Mr_B]

I seen and dealt with plenty .
euro manufacturers seem love them and put them in deep recess internal clip applications which right **** deal with, external they not any bother .

 

[WWheeler]

I've seen a plenty of these. If they're spinning freely in the groove they can be a bit of a PITA to knock out by yourself. Easy-peasy with a helper though rare is the time I have one.

I usually just put my thumb (gloved) on one side to keep it from spinning while holding a chisel/punch aimed at the other and give it a smack with a hammer. When that was too awkward I've also locked a pair of vice grips so that they only lightly clamped the tip of one side of the c-clip to keep it from moving on me.

Using dual punches like joecon suggests also would work.

 

[Gummi Bear]

Some good suggestions here. I love the two punches idea. I’ll have to try that one

I usually just hold one end with some 460’s to keep it from spinning, and use another pair to flip it around and out of the groove.

I did learn a lesson. Do not, do not, nick the balljoint or you’ll have a bear of a time pressing that sucker out.

That made me cuss almost as much as changing a starter on our old Civic (that resulted in my having a complete meltdown)



I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately...

Henry David Thoreau

 

[joecon]

If the two punches are to hard to do or you don't have two that
are close in length you can take a piece of welding rod, key stock,
or any type of metal and bend it in half forming a v and use that
by hitting it at the point.