Panel Clip pliers

[Conductor562]

So I ran in Harbor Freight today to grab a bottle of Evaporust to clean up my Plomb combos and I ran across these:

I'm not to big on buying my tools at HF so I passed on them, but I started looking around online and found several different brands. I don't work on cars for a living, but these would have come in handy at least 50 times over the years. I never knew such a thing existed.

Does anyone use these?
Are they worth investing in?
Does anyone know of any USA made brands?

 

[JMLoughrey]

After being in the car audio industry for 8+ years now, i can honestly say i've tried them, and they arent all that they seem in my opinion.

They really do take alot of pressure to squeeze and can be extremely hard on your hands.

I use the standard snapon panel removal tools and have found them to be perfect.

I want to like those, i really do, i think they are a great idea, but realistically, with removing the amount of door sills, door panels i just couldn't do it.

Even removing just the pop clip from the door alot of times you need more then just a straight upwards motion, a lot of the times you have to almost "rock" the clip back and forth to get it to give way.

 

[jjjrmx5]

Those are very necessary but tend to serve a very singular purpose---to remove christmas tree fasteners from headliners. Especially in current GM cars and some Toyota commercial vehicles as well as Chrysler and a few others including Sprinter Vans and the Chrysler counterparts .
Example:
http://www.yourautotrim.com/11675.html

Pry tools will mar the headliner mat'l/fabric or crack the fiberglass headliner . The 2-piece prong tool you show pulls the fastener out with no damage to headline mat'l or fiberglass liner . Most GM cars including most SUV's, trucks and vans as well as some imports are the victims. Price R&R time to replace a headliner you **** up. It ain't pretty.

For door pads, sill plates , fender liners and hood and trunk, you need the pry type tools mentioned above or a combo or one of the 2 dozen tools I use.
Headliner trim and some interior bits and some fender liner plugs--you often need the fork tool you picture.

No other solution really for headliners tho. The 2 piece prong is the perfect tool.
Unless you're a ******* installer to which I have to fix **** at big $$$ all day long due to fucktard newbies with tools they do not know how to use.

 

[Fedwrench]

I have a cornwell pair and I use them often. What they're handy for is for areas wear you can't effectively use a pry bar like splash shields and soft backed items. The push pull action of the pliers makes your own leverage. I don't find them hard on my hands. the only thing that ***** is when the sides of the trim fastener head bow upward instead of coming out.
The ones linked look like a clone of the KD version.

 

[jjjrmx5]

Here's the Mac version:
http://www.mactools.com/ShopOnline/Product/tabid/120/productid/318560/variantid/309319/Default.aspx

Snap-On does a pair.

I have two pairs I bought through Advanced Auto which are the KD units Fedwrench mentions IIRC.

It's not a fussy tool but does come in handy. It's a leverage thing as he mentioned too. LOL
Handy. But NOT a pry tool.

 

[tank4114]

i have the mac version usa stamped and as said above i mostly use them for Christmas tree style clips and have also found sometimes they are very hard to squeeze if the clip is tight

 

[Danglerb]

I've used it successfully a few times, but some of those fasteners must have a COO of Hell.

Part of my growing kit of trim tools.

 

[mailpup]

I have the Blue Point version I bought many years ago.

 

[Brownsfan]

I have the blue point version that are USA. But they are at least 12 years old. I too was in the car audio and security industry (still am but with a manufacturer) and really didn't use these much at all. The standard screw driver handle types work better with less effort than these. These require an extreme amount of hand force and strength to pop a clip. If you use the snap on "dished" screw driver handle type it works much better. Plus the clip does not go flying across the shop at terminal velocity never to be found. They necessary For some applications still so you still need to have them http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=681997&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

 

[spotco2]

I've had those for many years and never honestly saw a use for them.

The old clips would slip through the slot in the end and just pull the panel off the clip. They also had a habit of putting pressure on painted parts on the door that could result in scratches if you were not very careful with them.

Newer vehicles use a different style of clips that pop out pretty easily by hand or don't even use clips at all. A lot have gone to a hook style that just drops into a slot in the door frame.

 

[impactsocket]

Are you saying that the auto trim removal tool below is a best tool to use on panel clips?

 

[impactsocket]

What is the best tool for these honda clips?:

 

[signcrafter]

I have the blue point version which shows it's still made in the USA, http://store.snapon.com/Specialty-Door-Tools-Tool-Clip-Removal-P636315.aspx. I use mine on trim clips a lot. Between those and these clip pliers, http://store.snapon.com/Body-Clip-Tools-Pliers-Body-Clip-P649198.aspx they can take off most fasteners on fenders and bumpers and other body panel clips. The screwdriver type come in handy for hidden fasteners behind door panels but for christmas tree type and other plastic panel clips these two tools are great.

 

[impactsocket]

It seems like the Panel Clip pliers works for some people and doesn't work for others.

How does the Schwaben 5 Piece Trim Removal Tools compare Panel Clip pliers?

Made of a rugged poly/nylon construction to prevent marring.

http://www.sears.com/schwaben-5-piece-trim-removal-tool-set/p-00929874000P?prdNo=8

 

[kythri]

I've never heard of "Schwaben" but I wouldn't pay extra for a brand name on those things.

http://www.harborfreight.com/5-piece-auto-trim-and-molding-tool-set-67021.html

You can find that 5-pack under probably a hundred different brand names, and the only real difference is the color of dye they're putting in the plastic.

As far as the pliers above, I've got a pair, though I don't remember if they're HF or some other label. They work great for the areas you need them.

Just be careful you don't scuff the surrounding trim when you're trying to get the fastener out.

 

[rice rocket]

I have the HF nylon 5-pc set. Has paid for itself many times over.

 

[impactsocket]

In the Schwaben 5 Piece Trim Removal Tool set, what do you use the wide tool and tool with the circle at the end for?

 

[Monte]

http://www.bojoinc.com/

 

[Matt_C]

So I ran in Harbor Freight today to grab a bottle of Evaporust to clean up my Plomb combos and I ran across these:

I'm not to big on buying my tools at HF so I passed on them, but I started looking around online and found several different brands. I don't work on cars for a living, but these would have come in handy at least 50 times over the years. I never knew such a thing existed.

Does anyone use these?
Are they worth investing in?
Does anyone know of any USA made brands?

I've been meaning to pick up a pair of these. One of the lads I work with has a set (eBay, no idea what make) and says they're really useful. Granted, we're auto glass techs, so they're mainly used on poppers, plugs and clips. In particular, Ford use a specific mini clip to hold the A-Posts on many of their vehicles - these clips very often break up when trying to remove the a-posts to get to heater terminals etc. Apparently, these are very good for those.

 

[kythri]

In the BRAND-X 5 Piece Trim Removal Tool set, what do you use the wide tool and tool with the circle at the end for?

I've used the wide tool for pulling up large trim pieces, gently working it from one end to the other.

I'm sure the ring-end tool has some special purpose, but I can't say that I've found it myself.

 

[impactsocket]

http://www.bojoinc.com/

Thanks. I found a video on bojo tools.