Customer Reviews
My husband loves it, very convenient and sturdy
I purchased the 10" tool to do the Exhaust Bellows snap ring of my Volvo SX-M Outdrive. The 8" tool was just too small for that job. This 10" tool works a little different than the 8", because it has one additional control that is actioned by the thumb. When compressing a large snap ring the ratcheting mechanism holds the pressure, and to decompress it the thumb actuator is then applied. Great engineering!
Most expensive pliers that I have bought ($45), but made a 10 min job a 10 second job in getting the c-clip out. The tool also allowed for precise work in pulling the 4" clip out, like a game of operation.PROs:Fits my large hands. Typical Channellock soft grip is a plus. Extra, interchangeable bits. Solid feeling operation. Makes quick work out of how I previously had tried removing clips.CONs:The ratchet direction and release mechanism took a little effort to get use to. I leave the pliers open so the spring has the least tension on it. This takes up more space in the tray. Not sure if i have to do this, it just seems like a good idea for longevity.Conclusion: glad I made the purchase and would do it again. Great tool to have in the tool tray.
A job I was working on included a 2 1/4" external snap ring, and the 8" snap ring pliers I had (not Channellock) just weren't up to the task. Their tips were too small to keep a grip on the ring, and the pliers themselves were too flimsy to handle the larger snap ring. After multiple failed attempts, I finally decided to get a better set of snap-ring pliers. I was initially put off by the price of these 10" Channellocks, but once I got them and put them to work, I feel like they're worth it.The black tips--which fit the target snap-ring perfectly--were easy to swap out using the included Allen wrench, and they fit securely in the pliers. The hex-shape of the tips fits the hex-shape of the pliers, making alignment easy.Best of all, these 10" Channellock snap-ring pliers have a ratcheting feature, so they hold the opening you set until you release the tension using the thumb button on the handle of the pliers. The ratcheting feature makes it really easy to get and keep a precise opening pressure on the snap ring while removing or installing it.Removing the 2 1/4" snap ring was laughably easy with these pliers. Only time will tell if they hold up as well as my 20-year-old Channellock pliers, but so far, I am very pleased with them.
It does the job. I needed this to reinstall ~4" retaining ring from a Ducati swingarm.. It was relatively not so difficult removing it but it was impossible reinstalling it. I broke down and ordered this tool, even it would be a once or twice used tool. I run a fab shop so I may have a need for it again.First the good.It's pretty dang tough! It opened up a fairly big ring with ease.The ratchet action is a real plus, especially when you're trying to keep big rings open. This is my first set of ring pliers with a ratchet and I'm quite pleased.It comes with different size pins, but I have not had a need to swap them out at the moment. I'm sure they are fine.The tool switches from internal to external, and vice versa, with a flick of a lever. This is also quite nice. In the past, I've always had to install internal/external adapters for this purpose.The bad:The ratchet does not have an auto-release. You have to give it an extra squeeze and unlock the ratchet.Flipping from internal to external is a little vague. The tool MUST BE completely open before the actual switching mechanism actually works. Let's say the ratchet is on the first tooth position. Flipping the internal/external level will do nothing until the ratchet is completely released. Not necessarily a bad thing but it took a little time for me to realize this at first.I like quality tools, and this I would rate around 60%. Some of this tool are made from stamped sheet metal, very distinctive of "Made in China". I will admit that things made in China are getting better, but some old ways are not dry yet. I know the sheet metal covers are for safety and protect the internals, but this just means the design wasn't thoroughly thought out.I give this a 4-star, because if you close your eyes, this tool is much better than a lot of the retaining ring tools out there, in this price range. If you open your eyes, you might want to spend a few Bennys for top-notch tools, that you may use once in a while.
