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Snap On Radiator Pick Set

Hiball

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I Just picked up a Snap on Radiator Pick set and im curious to why so many crazy angles and Bends? Ive replaced a few Radiator hoses in my day, Mainly on Chevy Small blocks and ive always used a screwdriver LOL... I really have no idea why i bought it other than it was fairly Cheap and in Great shape. The Picture shows the Newer instict handles and mine is the Older Black and Red Soft Grips. Ill up some pictures tomorrow after i clean the handles up, Im expecting they will clean up to Like New condition. Are they really worth $153? Do they make the job that much easier?

pickset (Large).jpg
 
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Danglerb

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Extremely handy to break the hose away from the metal, I use my $3 version from HF all the time. The idea is that you need just the right angle to poke the tip under the edge of the hose, and you need to run it all the way around the inside of the hose end. Most of the time its the second from the bottom one, but sometimes you need the longer blade.

Not just for radiator hoses of course.
 
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Hiball

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Extremely handy to break the hose away from the metal, I use my $3 version from HF all the time. The idea is that you need just the right angle to poke the tip under the edge of the hose, and you need to run it all the way around the inside of the hose end. Most of the time its the second from the bottom one, but sometimes you need the longer blade.

Not just for radiator hoses of course.

I will say one thing about these Bad Boys.. they are Hell Bent for Stout. Im fairly sure i could Do some Serious Bodily Damage to someone if the Sitsuation arose.
 

Stick

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Dec 12, 2007
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Alaska
I've got the Matco version of these and I use them all the time. Gotta think outside the box, mine get used most often for unhooking hard to reach electrical connectors and fishing wiring into/out of tight spots.
 

billymade

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Apr 2, 2008
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I have the traditional one (pick on the bottom) and all I can say is.... have you looked at new front wheel drive cars today? Everything is so crammed in cars made in the past 10 years; you need any, every variation of a tool you can find to attack things in crazy places.... I can also see these being helpful in turbo applications! Having more "options", really makes all the difference! I'm sure, now that you have the set; you will find situations where all the "options" will be helpful and useful for situations, things you never thought of before! Congrats! You can never have too many options! :)
 

mrshaun

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Sep 10, 2009
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Killeen - Fort Hood
european heater core hoses are sometimes too close to the firewall and you need some of the crazy angles to get in there.
also the one that bends back towards you is good for removing cotter pins.
 

bgott

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Oct 31, 2005
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Houston, TX.
They are great for manipulating all sorts of stuff under the hood. If you are careful they make great back scratchers, too.
 
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Hiball

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After a little Dawn and some Warm Water...

DSC01884.jpg
 

Moose-LandTran

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The Brink of Insanity (England)
I have two PB Swiss ones and two Snap-on ones. My Snap-on ones are like the top one and third from the bottom. In most cases i find the Snap-on ones don't work great because you need to push them to get the hose off and they can't reach around the hose to break the seal. The PB ones on the other hand are great, work really well. Could do with a long set though. They are essential for me with what i work on.
 

scott37300

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They look brand new!

I have 4 older mac tools radiator picks that are pretty nice. I could see the longer ones coming in handy in some situations.

Nice score.
 
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Hiball

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Missery
They look brand new!

I have 4 older mac tools radiator picks that are pretty nice. I could see the longer ones coming in handy in some situations.

Nice score.

Thanks... Im only into them for about 30% of New Retail so im stoked.
 

scott37300

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Thanks... Im only into them for about 30% of New Retail so im stoked.

Really nice score then!

I also like Mrshaun"s suggestion of using them for cotter pin pullers, I will have to try that instead of the needle nose pliers.
 
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Hiball

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Really nice score then!

I also like Mrshaun"s suggestion of using them for cotter pin pullers, I will have to try that instead of the needle nose pliers.

You need to get a Cotter Key Puller, There fairly cheap and Life savers. I expect i could use these for cotter key pullers but im afraid theres too much leverage and it would bend or break the long slender tip.
 

Kenwc

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Aug 7, 2007
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I think those were invented in medieval times....every torture chamber had at least one set....
 
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K5blazer83

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Jan 22, 2010
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Maryland
+1 on using them for cotter pin pullers. I wish the Navy had them in the toolboxes when I had to pull cotter pins...we always used a pair of dikes.
 

Heavy Metal Doctor

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May 26, 2010
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Mason Dixon Line
I Just picked up a Snap on Radiator Pick set and im curious to why so many crazy angles and Bends? Ive replaced a few Radiator hoses in my day, Mainly on Chevy Small blocks and ive always used a screwdriver LOL... I really have no idea why i bought it other than it was fairly Cheap and in Great shape. The Picture shows the Newer instict handles and mine is the Older Black and Red Soft Grips. Ill up some pictures tomorrow after i clean the handles up, Im expecting they will clean up to Like New condition. Are they really worth $153? Do they make the job that much easier?

pickset (Large).jpg

I bought that same set a couple weeks ago -- after fighting a water supply hose on industrial machine (large dia. radiator hose) There was stuff in the way and no room to get a screwdriver under the edge or grab it with big channellocks and twist loose.....when I stepped on the tool truck and saw all those funny angles I realized I would have saved me a ton of frustration even if not much time, so I bought 'em.....and yeah, expensive, but tools are my only real vice :bounce:
 

cruzer75

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Feb 7, 2009
Messages
206
Very cool. I have a single right angle craftsman version that I use for tons of diffrent stuff. Cotterpins is deffinitly one of it's uses besides heater hoses.

Stew
 

bmwpower

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Apr 24, 2005
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You get 'em local? Those go for a pretty penny on eBay. Nice score!
 
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Hiball

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Apr 30, 2009
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Missery
You get 'em local? Those go for a pretty penny on eBay. Nice score!

80 miles away from Home, Pawn Shop. Considering everything else was Priced at 75% of New i was really Lucky to score these at $50.
 

jymmiejamz

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Sep 15, 2010
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Location
Richmond, Va
I use mine all the time at work. Its nice to have the different angles for hard to reach hose. As someone else said, they are great for unhooking hard to reach electrical connectors as long as you don't break the connector clips off.
 

wisconsin_cowman

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Sep 5, 2009
Messages
78
A couple weeks ago I bought a new set to replace some old mismatched one I had. After using them I did not like the handles when you get antifreeze on them makes them sticky and hard to clean. Traded the new style handles in for some hard handles much better.
 
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