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Push pin removal tool

3

308guru

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Jun 17, 2017
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459
Looking for a suggestion on what tool is best used on push pins that have no "access" slots or reveal. I've got a bunch of them on my GX460 and I've been using a razor blade to get into what little gap there is, pry up, and then get a thin panel removal tool under it to finish removing the center.

Any better ways? I see some tools like the one below that appear to have sharp jaws but there's no way there's enough gap to get them in.

Any other suggestions?

1762971074305.png

1762971187157.png
 
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four.cycle

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Well... I've never had to tackle those widgets, but if I had to, the first place I would look would be Japan - they are light years ahead of the U.S. and Germany in respect to "pliers innovation".

The captions in his video say "Mary" but it's really "Merry":

Merry / see Muromoto Tekko Co. Ltd. /

Muromoto / Muromoto Tekko Co. Ltd., 1-2-3, Takanomichi, Hirakata-shi, Osaka, 573-1131, Japan / https://www.muromoto.co.jp/ / "Merry" brand hand tools, "Nile" brand power tools / est. 1927 /

the other outfit I'd look at would be Tsunoda and see what they offer:

Tsunoda / Tsunoda Co. Ltd., 1535-5 Yoshida shimo nakano, Tsubame City, Niigata 9590215 Japan / https://www.tsunoda-japan.com/EN/index.html / est. 1972 / "King TTC" /

Again, I haven't had to hassle with those things myself, so somebody else may have a better suggestion.
 
D

david3921

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Wyoming, Michigan
Would something that creates a vacuum be able to pull (****) the pin out enough to grab? Maybe an actual vacuum or some type of syringe.
 
S

signcrafter

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May 9, 2012
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12,317
308guru said:
Looking for a suggestion on what tool is best used on push pins that have no "access" slots or reveal. I've got a bunch of them on my GX460 and I've been using a razor blade to get into what little gap there is, pry up, and then get a thin panel removal tool under it to finish removing the center.

Any better ways? I see some tools like the one below that appear to have sharp jaws but there's no way there's enough gap to get them in.

Any other suggestions?

1762971074305.png

1762971187157.png
Click to expand...
It's hard to tell from that picture. Can you post a picture of one of the clips you removed? Is the outer ring part of the clip or is just the center part the clip? What part on the GX460 are these clips on?
 
N

NightSky

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Jun 29, 2024
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Southwest OH
signcrafter said:
That's what I was wondering also and why I asked for a picture of a removed clip. From the picture I can't tell if that outer hump is part of the clip or part of the trim piece.
Click to expand...
You need to go back and stare at the pic until your brain reverses your original impression. The part that you call "that outer hump" is actually a depression. The wall of the depression is highlighted in orange in the pic below. The part highlighted in purple below is the pushpin. The problem is getting at the pushpin given the limited space permitted by the wall of the depression.

To the OP - What is the diameter of the depressed region and what is the diameter of the pin?

1763005786780.png
 
M

mm08822

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I don't think it is removable either. It looks as though it is one piece.

Anyway, possibly try curved picks to get under it.

1763007577889.jpeg
 
M

MichaelP

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Who in a right mind could design a part with a pin that cannot be accessed for removal? Unless it is a deliberate feature like in some fixtures.
 
Last edited:
Q

Qualitytools

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I have a few like that on my BMW. JUST LIKE 4xdog said, you don’t pry it out. You push it thru to release. On the BMW it falls off and when you remove it you retrieve the pin and reinserted to lock back in place.
 
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OP
3

308guru

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4xdog said:
Push the center pin inward and the claws that hold it become loose. It’ll come out easily.

Reset the pin by pushing it outward and reuse the fastener by pushing the pin in to set it.

This is a common Toyotaworld trim clip.
Click to expand...
I’ll give this a try.
 
4

4xdog

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308guru said:
I’ll give this a try.
Click to expand...
Use a pokey tool of some sort to push in the pin. I typically use a rounded-off small screwdriver. I’ll go partway in and you’ll hear or feel a small click. The center pin doesn’t have to be pushed all the way out, and in fact it’s easier to keep it attached.

Once you lift the fastener out, which one can usually do with a fingernail, you’ll see how it works and how easy it is to reset the center pin.
 
4

4xdog

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308guru said:
1762971074305.png
Click to expand...

Your fastener looks a little different, @308guru, than the ones I'm used to on my Toyota/Lexus vehicles now that I'm looking on a larger monitor. It looks like the outside ring is molded into the plastic part. The center-pin kind I'm used to are separate fasteners inserted into a hole in a panel.

I'll bet they're a similar concept, though.

i-nKb2rKj-X5.jpg
 
S

Steve_P

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As said, it looks like the same idea as the Toyota clips- you just push the pin in a little bit and then pry the clip out. On some of them if you push the pin in too much, it will fall out the back side. whoops.
 
OP
3

308guru

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Full disclosure, that first picture was one I found on the web. It's strange, plays tricks on your eyes too.

I'll get some better pictures and try the "push the middle in" release method tonight.
 
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Steve_P

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Sep 15, 2010
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four.cycle said:
^ for those widgets you can go cheap with a "Titan" model $8 bucks from O'Reilly's
I gave one of these to my buddy - after I had given him a pair of the fancy "Vessel" trim clip tools.
He said the Titan model worked better for some models - different length, different angle of attack on the business end.
Click to expand...

I wish I was your friend. You sure give a lot of tools to your buddy :ROFLMAO:
 
J

Jgaz

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Dec 16, 2016
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If the center pin on yours pushes in to allow the entire retainer to be pried out, then something like this tool I made 20 years ago would be ideal for what you're trying to do.

I turned this piece of 1” plastic on a lathe to allow the center pin on the trim retainer to be pushed in only enough to release the retainer’s hold in the door panel and allow it to be pried out.
IMG_5916.jpeg

My self and another mechanic came up with this tool when we were working on early design Chrysler 300’s and Dodge Chargers in the Chrysler Engineering Body Hardware Lab.

The problem this tool was designed to solve was that it was very easy to push the center pin in too far and lose the center pin inside the door.
When you are working on preproduction vehicles, replacement widgets may not be available.

This shows the retainer on the left with the pin pushed in to allow the retainer to be pried out.
The retainer on the right is how it would look with the pin seated flush, locking the retainer in place
IMG_5918.jpeg

This pic shows a bit more detail of the working end of the tool
It also shows a cross section of a retainer with the pin proud of the retainer face (left) and ready to be reinstalled.
The retainer on the right shows the pin pushed thru allowing for for retainer removal.
IMG_5921.jpeg

Hope this helps.
Honestly you can carefully push the center pin in with a punch (don’t go too far) and be just fine.
However, since this is GJ making or acquiring a new tool is encouraged.
 
D

dnschmidt

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Phoenix, AZ
Standard Toyota push clip. When you first look at it you wonder how the hell am I going to remove this. Once you know the push in secret you simply push in the middle and remove the retainer with any pair of pliers.
 
A

assassin10000

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Feb 11, 2022
Messages
370
The clip pictured is not the standard Toyota clip with a push in center.



I use one of those extra small freebie pry bars, a razor blade or pocket knife to pop the center up to remove those.


Now that I think about it, the clip lifters I made out of some dental tools may work for them too.
 
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