Good snap-ring pliers for CV boots?

[Spike00513]

CV boots go bad every 100k miles on a car.
And on many (at least Audi/VW), rebuilding them requires a pair of snap-ring pliers to take the joint off.

At the end, the joint is slid/pressed onto the spline shaft,
and then retained with a snap ring.

Does anyone know a good pair of snap ring pliers?
A guy at Harbor Freight was really trying to talk me into theirs,
and yes, they do have many brick and mortar store front locations with lifetime warranty

but if the thing does't fit/work or breaks, then wasting at least 1 hour on a weekend in traffic to try to return the thing is a huge waste of time, when spending $10 more on the Channelock version (or something else) could have potentially prevented that.

Who knows, maybe the Channelock is a stronger formula metal.
I only mention them because it's the best seller on Amazon but has the same design that Harbor Freight may have copied.

And as we all know, Harbor Freight has been known to take good designs, copy them, and then build it cheaper with garbage metal that bends apart the first time you use it.

I am guessing it has to meet certain criteria:
-spring loaded, to operate it easily
-external snap ring style
-the two prongs have to be the correct thickness to fit in the snap ring hole

 

[matt_i]

Just go get some Knipex. You will probably cry once but them smile every time you use them.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Just go get some Knipex. You will probably cry once but them smile every time you use them.

They're really not that bad, and they're great pliers. OP just needs to figure out the tip diameter and length he needs.

 

[Chris67]

I bought a set of the Pittsburgh pliers about 5 years ago and thought they were garbage. I actually just used them last month and got a fast reminder of why I don’t. They may have made them better since then though.

I have a set of Wiha & a set of Knipex and like both of them equally.

I also keep a pair of Channellock 927 with interchangeable tips in my “go-bag” but haven’t used them enough to really say how much I like/dislike them.

But I use the pliers on a weekly basis it seems. If you are only using them once in a while I’m sure you would be just fine with a cheaper set or a interchangeable tip set


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[Noworries]

My Channel Locks look like rhat harbor freight pair they work great for the heavier stuff like the spline shafts and cv boots not so good for smaller things

 

[HaroRider]

Save yourself the headache I had those same pliers - Channelock brand. So frustrating to use. I bought a multipiece Knipex set from amazon and never looked back.

 

[paulsomlo]

Lots of threads here on GJ regarding snap ring pliers.

The executive summary: Don't waste your time with convertible pliers or interchangeable tips. Go with Knipex, Gedore, or Wiha. If you want a set, and the size you need is included, the best bang for the buck may be these, at about $81 USD delivered: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B002RA7UYK/ref=ox_sc_act_image_3?smid=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF&psc=1

Here's the equivalent set from Knipex: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B06WLQD5JN/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF&psc=1

Both those sets are essentially 0.050 and 0.070 tips, right angle and straight, internal and external.

These are from German Amazon, you'll find them to be much cheaper than US sources. If you only want the one size you need for your application, I'd go to kctoolco.com.

 

[HaroRider]

These are the ones I bought.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EXNT38/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[paulsomlo]

These are the ones I bought.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EXNT38/?tag=atomicindus08-20

That's the set I went with, about $98 USD on Amazon.de.

 

[Spike00513]

Just go get some Knipex. You will probably cry once but them smile every time you use them.

I'm honestly happy with every Knipex tool I've had.
I have their hose clamp pliers, oetiker clamp pliers, maybe more, and just ordered 10" pliers wrench

borrowed a cobra jaw pliers once where nothing else worked and it saved the day

OP just needs to figure out the tip diameter and length he needs.

yes

 

[Spike00513]

How do you pick which Knipex plier?

For external snap ring design, they have "Precision" (black) and normal (silver)
and everything varies
grip size, length of tool, shape of teeth, etc.

would be to use on a 28mm snap ring

 

[paulsomlo]

How do you pick which Knipex plier?

For external snap ring design, they have "Precision" (black) and normal (silver)
and everything varies
grip size, length of tool, shape of teeth, etc.

would be to use on a 28mm snap ring

Good question - it can be fairly confusing at first.

Knipex come in two varieties - the precision have piano wire insert tips (non-replaceable) that are very hard and the "normal" have forged tips. Some have had access issues with the precision - the forged will get into tighter places. And unless you're using them alot, you'll never wear out the forged ones. The only choices you have are precision/forged, internal/external, and tip size.

A 28mm external ring apparently has a 2mm holehttps://www.mcmaster.com/98541A130/ - that's about 0.080", which should call for a 0.070" tip. Something like this should do it: https://www.knipex.com/index.php?id=1216&L=1&page=art_detail&parentID=1365&groupID=1455&artID=1749

 

[Firebrick43]

Everyone is recommending knipex and without a doubt they are the best except for maybe beltzer.

But since you asked for good I will recommend lang made reversable pliers. I have used them professionally for years and a complete set is pretty reasonable. They make sets under the stride, proto, sk, matco, imperial, years ago craftsman professional, and even older snap on.

Every replaceable tip set I have used is junk and in my opinion dangerous. Even snap on replaceable tip ones are junk

Now I need to ask, did you mean snap ring pliers or oetiker clamp pliers. I have never seen a cv boot retained by a snap ring? But have seen snap rings under the boot.