Cotter pin puller recommendations

[visionguru]

When working on my car, I found that cotter pins (of ball joints) are pretty hard to remove some times. I once broke off the pin head with cutter pliers, almost had to bring out the drills. A good reason for a new tool.

Here are some I found online:
View media item 96545View media item 96544View media item 96542View media item 96543View media item 96541
Comparing with others, the Snap On has a very "twisted" and beefy tip. Is that essential? Gearwrench is the cheapest. Not sure if the tip has enough strength.

Thanks!

 

[Fedwrench]

I've always used an old pair (dull) of channellock 447G dykes. the curved jaw has always provided lots of leverage to remove the cotter pin.

https://www.channellock.com/product/447/

I also have the wilde you linked along with the old US made Craftsman/Husky model.

Proto has a second one with the curly blade for additional leverage.
http://www.protoindustrial.com/en/i...rd-Picks/J2381_Proto®-Cotter-Pin-Puller-Pick/

The far left pick in the Gearwrench phot is a hose pick. I don't think that would work well with cotter pins. The Gearwrench cotter pin puller is second from the left.

MAC has changed their handle shape but, i have an old red rectangular handled one that i've used for years. similar to this.
https://www.mactools.com/en-us/Cutt...-Grip-Picks/SP29DR/Mac-Grip-Cotter-Pin-Puller


Since the possibility of breaking your cotter pin puller might be high, you can get one with an easy warranty, or one that isn't too expensive.

I forgot to mention that MAYHEW has a new line of picks & trim tools out with their new progrip trilobal, two component handles. Not real cheap but, USA made and bulletproof.

 

[plinker]

I've got this Matco one, works very well and is quite durable. It'll also fit small pins better then the Wilde (still a good tool though). The Matco also has a bit of a twist on it, you can flip the shank and use it to gain some leverage by prying with it, if that makes sense.

https://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/CKTG1MB/COTTER-KEY-PULLER-GREEN/http://

FWIW, this is assuming the cotter pin isnt rusted solid to whatever it's pinning.
Assuming the part isnt being replaced anyway, punches & various pliers will be needed for extraction.

 

[jasonphelps]

I have the Wilde pictured. It's ok but the hard 3 lobed handle doesn't provide a whole lot of grip.

 

[RedneckWelder]

The Matco cotter pin puller is very nice

 

[ddawg16]

I use a pair of dykes.....

 

[dledinger]

Ive never seen the purpose in a cotter pin tool. What I deal with may need a straight pick, a curved pick, a straight punch, a taper punch, tongue and groove pliers, dykes, or vice grips...and even with all the above I still have to break out a drill or torch regularly.

If not a terribly stubborn pin, more often than not a pair of dykes is the best bet.

 

[cvairwerks]

We typically use dikes to pull them after straitening them with duck bills. Use the nose pickers to insert new ones more than removals.

 

[Buckgnarly]

I use this one a lot, replaceable tip too.

https://shop.snapon.com/product/S9094B

 

[rshadd]

I have the Wilde puller like you pictured, but I'll typically use a pair of dykes.

 

[tool_scrounge]

Find a used collar pin pulling pliers from Katy Tool Company (Katy Kotter Puller), Ramsey Accessories and Zim Mfg.

Leverage is a good thing.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=427790

 

[rustyjames]

Side cutters, Dykes, whatever you call them are my go to tool for cotter pins.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Dykes. If they're really stuck, you can rattle and break the round end with a pencil point bit in your air hammer.

You can also crush them flush with the hole, then drill through them using that method.

 

[rmsg0040]

I got the soft handle SO one, if they are on tight pull on them while smacking the shaft with a hammer

 

[Professional Tool User]

Cotter pin pullers are a waste of money. They only work on small cotter pins. You are screwed either way if the cotter pin is seized. Grab a pair of side cutters use, grab on, and use it to get some leverage to get the cotter pin out if it isn't seized. If it is seized and you are not replacing the part with the cotter pin hole, the hammer, drill, and punch come out.

 

[CJM8515]

Dykes usually. But I have had to use the actual cotter pin tool in some cases when the pin is very hard to get out.

 

[Wrench97]

If you are replacing the part cut flush with the nut and run the nut off with a impact gun.
If you need to reuse run a drill bit through it to loosen it up.

 

[timboy]

I have the snap on brand and they work great ,I went with them because the the metal is blackend tool steel rather than chrome and I figured they would hold up better.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

Side cutters, Dykes, whatever you call them are my go to tool for cotter pins.

i like the longer handle

 

[Shane6377]

I have the Wilde, GearWrench and Snap on. They all work well in the right situation.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Jazz1]

I have a Craftsman cotter pin puller 30 years now. Use it more for working gaskets on auto windows. For me less blood spilled using ViseGrips to remove cotter pins

 

[Yarpo]

I usually pull everything with my Snap on 87ACFs, never thought about using a pick for one but I'll have to give that a go if I cant use the dykes for whatever reason.

 

[2oolhound]

I have the snap-on like in your photo. They have a strange curve-y twist to them. At 1st I thought their designer must have been really twisted himself but then I used them and they work good. All those twists seem to always give you somewhere to leverage them and they get thicker the deeper you go so they work on the big cotter pins too. I'm glad to have them.

 

[dkroth]

I like Wiha screwdrivers.







.

 

[lis2323]

I’ve had a Snap-on cotter pin puller for almost 60 years



but I find the best method for removal is using diagonal side cutters



Just grip and leverage it. No pulling or skinned knuckles. Just a nice easy controlled single rocking motion.



Hair pin clip for demo photo but you get the idea.

 

[lis2323]

This is how Eric O does it at SMA.



I tried this on a recent ball joint and tie rod end job and it worked well.













.

That won’t work on castellated nuts though.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Wamsutta]

I'd probably get a MAC with the comfort hard handle.

 

[rtz]

And be sure to install the new one like this for more shear strength. Install it the typical way(horizontal) and put a big enough wrench on it and it's much easier to shear both ends of the pin off vs's trying to power through it with it being like in this image:

 

[Outlander]

Channellock side cutters for me. I like the way they "bite" for the cotter pins that refuse to be removed.

 

[dledinger]

Never needed or wanted one but I may buy that Snap-On puller. Working in a hydraulics shop, I throw hooks and picks in the bin every day. That twisted design looks useful.

 

[nutjob]

If you have a slide hammer its handy to have the vise grip adapter for it.

Like this:

https://www.mactools.com/en-us/Specialty-Tools/Pullers-and-Slide-Hammers/VGADPTA/Locking-Pliers-Slide-Hammer-Adapter

Kevin

 

[Mr Ratchet]

I've had the Craftsman version of the Wilde for about 35 years or so and has always worked well. I have also used it as a larger pick and other projects where it's shape was something I needed.

 

[aczr2k]

The Snap On S9094B is the only one to get the others are toys. This one you can actually smack with a hammer.

 

[Wrench97]

I have something like that only they called it a seal puller didn't work very well for that...................

 

[rsanter]

I have about 5 of them in 3 different shapes.
The one that is like the Wilde at the top is what gets used the most

Bob

 

[disston]

Vise Grips usually but if not handy almost anything that is.

If the part is being replaced and usually an air impact don't even flush cut it. Just impact the nut off and it will shear the pin off.

 

[BD1]

The Snap on one works for me. I bought it at a garage sale for $2.00.

 

[bwringer]

The main lesson here is to have several cotter pin solutions on hand...

That said, in ball joints specifically it's pretty rare in salt country that the damn thing isn't a mass of tightly packed corrosion with just enough steel core left to make removal nearly unpossible. I don't think I've EVER personally seen a factory ball joint where a pick would do the slightest good.

And there's a special place in hell for the factory bastards that angle the cotter pin hole at the exact angle where you have zero access to get it moving with a pin punch or drill it out.

Sometimes impacting it off works, but sometimes it spins. There have been times where I needed to use a cutting wheel in an angle grinder to slice through the nut and stud below the pin

No, no, I'm not bitter or anything. Ball joints ****...