Podguy

I have one excellent pair of Blue Point snap ring pliers. Every other pair I have purchased are crap.

Any one have a recommendation of a good brand. I would like to buy a set of different sizes and angles.

All help appreciated.

Black Sea RD

We use Craftsmen brand snap ring pliers with good results. They sell different versions to suit your needs.

We also bought a large Snap On snap ring plier to dissect a Corvette torque tube. Got off a large, thick snap ring with them easily.

928mac

Do a search of Mac tools. They seem to be close to the Snap-on quality for less cost.
I have both. IMO the ones with exchangeable tips are crap except in the 10-12 inch pliers.

heres a link
http://www.mactools.com/shoponline/p...snap-ring.aspx

Mike Frye

Agreed. Most 'multi-tools' that you see are barely passable at any of their intended uses and usually insufficient. As they say, 'Buy the best tools you can afford.'

Buying more than one set in similar sizes is much more expensive but there's nothing more upsetting than starting a job with what you think are all the right tools and equipment only to find that one of your tools lets you down late at night or on a weekend when no replacement is available.

Ducman82

i got some cheap set of ebay..... seem to do the job ok.

blown 87

I have the master set from Snap-On, no tips to change, just the right size and angle when you need it.

Hilton

Knipex.

I have some of their large ones (e.g. for circlip on the input shaft on 5-speed) and the quality is excellent.

Podguy

Thanks for the input. I agree the ones where you change the tips are useless. Not only are the wrong tips always installed but they twist and bend and are never tight enough.

I think I will call on my friendly Mac Tool Driver.

928mac

I agree Hilton, Knipex is a great tool brand and they have very good joints

danglerb

With snap ring pliers function seems to follow price. I have cheap ones with not only removable tips, but a pin that switches between internal and external, takes patience to use it, but works. I've also got a pair of monster sized ratcheting ones for the clip on the transmission.

GregBBRD

Stahlwille. I gave up, after 40 years on Snap-on. Mac, Craftsman, etc. and bought a complete set of Stahlwille. Pretty expensive. They are dedicated either inner or outer....so you need quite a few of them to get a set.

Worth every single penny.

Bill Ball

Heh! This POS from a cheap 3-pack at Kragen was just the right size to do the snap ring on the TT shaft shim pack in the car in less than a minute, a feat others thought only doable by Ninjas. The right tool for the the job is not necessarily the most expensive.