Suggest a tool

[danielhp89]

We work on radios and Kenwood handhelds have this nut under the volume knob channel knob and antenna that must be removed. I usually use a small pair of needle nose pliers but I was wondering if any of you had a a better idea.

Also can anyone suggest a good stepper bit?

 

[Stooge]

we used to have a similar retainer on some older equipment we used to have to warranty repairs on, albeit slightly bigger. i used a cheap set of serated off brand channel locks and ground down all but the few outermost teeth so they stuck out just enough to engage the teeth on the retainer, worked alright. the other was a 12pt deep socket and notched out the ends to make an opposing match to the teeth in the retainer, again worked alright, but how shallow the taper gets and the socket not being as tight to it as it could be, made it not so great.

im a fan of hertel's drill bits, german and pennsylvania made, their stepper bits beat the pants off of the irwin unibit in my drill bit drawer

 

[ChevyEFI]

a 4 pin spanner socket that fits might be tough to find.

I would be inclined to source the Kenwood tool for it, or spend some time with a dremel and grinder to create one with wrench flats.

 

[danielhp89]

I may end up ordering the Kenwood tool but if I remember right it was around $70, Thought maybe someone on here would have an idea of another tool that would work.

 

[LEVE]

When I worked in the industry, many decades ago... I bought a cheap deep socket and filed it down. It fit over the shafts and engaged the nut. It worked like a charm and I didn't have to buy the expensive tools.

 

[michael murder]

^^^
what he said

 

[alpinewhite]

Weld a couple of square pieces of metal to an adjustable wrench.

 

[Fireball027]

Check out Antenna Removal Socket Sets or the antenna wrenches. They may have one to fit.

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

Antenna removal and dash knob nut tools for cars come/came in many sizes and have the right sort of configuration. Looks like they would be too shallow for some of your needs, but improv ways to rotate them would be less awkward than doing the job by needle-nose.
Another way would be 90 degree tipped snap-ring pliers used like an open end wrench; that could be pretty convenient if you permanently fixed the pliers at right span.

 

[OxJaw]

I found a set made by Lisle, $34.00 shipped for a four piece set

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000XSEBLS

 

[water-works]

I just bought some Knipex Snap Ring pliers for a very similar thing, as suggested by the garage gurus on here. They worked like a charm. If you're in the business of doing this a lot, you might consider buying a pair. Individually they are quite expensive, but I bought a set of 8 Knipex pliers from Chads Hardware and it was a great deal.

 

[danielhp89]

Wow, thanks for all great suggestions guys, I am slowly accumulating Snap on tools from ebay so I think I will keep an eye out for a set of 90* offset snap ring pliers.

 

[jmm]

A very small hook spanner, maybe an adjustable one if you run into different sizes. Or a castle nut wrench. Or one of these.