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Upgrading trim removal tools

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scott37300

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I have the same trim tools I bought 10 years ago that work decent for me but there are a bunch of new ones out there and I think it's time to upgrade a little. Now I just have a couple of the screwdriver fork style to pop the plastic fasteners, none of the fancy ones of all the angles!

So I was looking at the snap on site and they have some different choices. One thing I want for sure is one of those pliers to pull the center pin out of the two piece plastic fasteners that are a pain in the **** if you don't have the pliers. Snap on makes a couple different pliers, YA335 that will get those two piece clips.

trim clip pliers.jpg

A pliers you stick in and it spreads apart to pull the clips out.

trim pliers.jpg

And then a bunch of different "fork" style panel poppers of all sorts of different angles and sizes.

Ones that are have a flat blade.

flat blade trim tools.jpg

This kit with hard handle screwdriver style panel poppers.

hard handle screwdriver trim tool.jpg

And then a bunch of different soft handle panel poppers like these.

soft grip trim screwdriver.jpg

So if you wanted to put together a complete trim removal set what would you buy? Right now I am leaning towards those trim pliers(YA335) and then an assortment of panel poppers but not sure if I should get the flat blade style or the soft handle round shank style. Or any other tools out there snap on or not that I should be considering?
 
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jjjrmx5

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The Christmas Tree "fork style" poppers can be found at Advanced Auto for $19 and are the same as the Blue Point tool and far cheaper in cost but equal in quality.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=103057&d=1299085018

At some point in time, you'll probably need all of the tools but the top 4 pics you have listed are what I have in my box and I usually deal with trim problems and fab several times a week.

I'd also suggest you stop by a Harbor Freight and pick up a set (or 2 if on sale) of the yellow plastic nylon trim tools. They are awesome for not marring plastic interior pieces and are very wallet friendly but rugged. SnapOn sells the same set plus a few extra pieces and in a nylon roll if you want to blow some $$$. :thumbup:
 
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jjjrmx5

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jjjrmx5 said:
I'd also suggest you stop by a Harbor Freight and pick up a set (or 2 if on sale) of the yellow plastic nylon trim tools. They are awesome for not marring plastic interior pieces and are very wallet friendly but rugged. SnapOn sells the same set plus a few extra pieces and in a nylon roll if you want to blow some $$$. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

To quote myself LOL,HF sells this set without the roll and only 4 tools for under $8.

Snappy set is $40
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...group_ID=22125&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

They are invaluable.
 
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sheep shagger

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I have metal panel popers with screwdriver ends that work well, but I actually use the cheap plastic ones far more. They don't damage a thing (no scratching the paint under the trim, or tearing the fabric), and flex a lot without braking or busting the panel, so you know if you have missed a screw / clip or something.
http://www.schwabentools.com/our-products/category/3/trim-tools
5_Piece_Trim_Mol_4bf450e573291_250x188.jpg


Just cheap stuff, but I find they work really well.
 
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DanCo

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scott37300

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Thanks for the input guys. I will check out advance auto to see what they have. I bought that 4 piece set from HF this past summer and it's gotten a little use, mostly for scraping.
 
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scott37300

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rt dak said:
Whatever you do stay away from these. They're made by VIM I believe and re-branded to several companies. They're useless.

dt6100mb.jpg
Click to expand...

Do they **** because of the flat blade? I was looking at getting some of them from snap on because they looked like they would fit better than the round shank ones?
 
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rt dak

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scott37300

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Thanks for the heads up rt. I was going to go with the flat blade style but will go with the round shank style now.
 
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Sancho

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The instinct handled SO round baldes work really well, they are more prybar like and allow for getting into really tight spots. They dont really give you a ton of side load leverage like the hard handle ones but they certainly have their place.
 
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Hammer1963

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baubau

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We own a family autobody shop and this is MIT tack puller ,the one of the most used tools in the shop...highly recomended..and very cheap to buy..

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NPPCCS/?tag=atomicindus08-20

we have 4 of these laying around, excellent for trim removal, opening electric plugs, just about anything where u need to pry something small....very useful to just pry open little bit clipses on Honda's, Toyotas and to allow for larger tool to fit around the head..

this set is great for japanese cars.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000TDAHYM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

i have this pair, but i never use it, i find it not strong enough..

http://www.mactools.com/product/tabid/120/p-318560-bt326.aspx

i like this style, and i have various lenghts of similar removers with different shaped V openings to fit different clipses...they have great leverage.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000TDAHYM/?tag=atomicindus08-20
 
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84bimmer

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sheep shagger said:
I have metal panel popers with screwdriver ends that work well, but I actually use the cheap plastic ones far more. They don't damage a thing (no scratching the paint under the trim, or tearing the fabric), and flex a lot without braking or busting the panel, so you know if you have missed a screw / clip or something.
http://www.schwabentools.com/our-products/category/3/trim-tools
5_Piece_Trim_Mol_4bf450e573291_250x188.jpg


Just cheap stuff, but I find they work really well.
Click to expand...

Got these at HF a few weeks ago for $6. They look exactly the same, I'm sure they are. They work great, they've more than paid for themselves already and are holding up fine. I actually picked up the yellow set today also, $5.50. Good dogbones in there, for working with urethane in autoglass. I have way too many trim tools!
 
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84bimmer

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rt dak said:
http://www.amazon.com/K-D-Tools-41850-Body-Clip/dp/B000TDAHYM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1299109010&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/PB-Swiss-Piece-Detach-Wrench/dp/B001D2S8V2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=industrial&qid=1299108798&sr=8-1

Whatever you do stay away from these. They're made by VIM I believe and re-branded to several companies. They're useless.

dt6100mb.jpg
Click to expand...
I have these, Mac branded. I think the HF ones may also be VIM. Whatever man, they're not meant for high leverage. These lil' F'ers are great to have! Very good for misc interior clips, not door clips.
 
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scott37300

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Thanks for all the great suggestions everyone! Looks like one of each is "needed"!!! And some differing opinions on some of the flat blade poppers and one of the pliers.

I will start adding some of these to my collection as the funds come. Probably start with one of the pliers with the pointed tips for doing the two piece clips with that anoying pin in the middle of them. And then some of the screwdriver style poppers. And then the red handle pliers. And maybe some of the flat blade poppers. I'm sure all of them have thier place so will start getting a few here and there.

Thanks for all the good advice
 
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Vinko

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I have the SO branded Bojo's that have been pretty good, so far. On two German cars at least. I don't make a living from it though. Also I got the PB Swiss trim removal tools. They've been good as well.

Can't really beat the plastic, in my experience, for delicate things.

There's that Blue Point tool for removing electrical connectors, and I found it the best I've used so far, for machinery and for auto work.
 
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scott37300

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Vinko said:
There's that Blue Point tool for removing electrical connectors, and I found it the best I've used so far, for machinery and for auto work.
Click to expand...

Which ones are these? I have a set of Kastar electrical tools I bought some years back that work pretty good.

78545.jpg
 
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BQuicksilver

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I have the blue HF set and must admit it's the best set of tools I've used. They don't mar anything, they have lots of different angles for various fasteners, and they give just enough to get the job done but let you know if there are still screws you have to remove.

Probably my all-time favorite HF buy.
 
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ajchien

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84bimmer said:
Got these at HF a few weeks ago for $6. They look exactly the same, I'm sure they are. They work great, they've more than paid for themselves already and are holding up fine. I actually picked up the yellow set today also, $5.50. Good dogbones in there, for working with urethane in autoglass. I have way too many trim tools!
Click to expand...

I got the blue ones from HF too. They bend a little too much, but they are adequate and do the job. They havent broken yet. They dont mar the plastic trim.

On the other hand, they were my upgrade for me. I used to use a slotted screwdriver. :)
 
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BQuicksilver

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BTW I saw the link to the window holder tools since the guy does a lot of them. I was pretty sure I'd see a BMW in his sig. :) Yep, I feel the pain.

Okay, back to the topic.
 
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84bimmer

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BQuicksilver said:
BTW I saw the link to the window holder tools since the guy does a lot of them. I was pretty sure I'd see a BMW in his sig. :) Yep, I feel the pain.

Okay, back to the topic.
Click to expand...

Ha ha. yeah man I've done a lot of newer bimmer regulators. They are junk. The older ones, not so much. Newer ones are cable type, older ones were scissor. All cable type regulators are junk, they were made to fail.....

Tale of the Tape

Plastic VS. Metal

Who wins?

Those little suction cups are nice. Beats the hell out of needing three hands and cleaning tape off the paint and glass.
 
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