Customer Reviews

Irwin 2078900 Vise-Grip 6-1/2-Inch Convertible Snap Ring Pliers

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I can't understand the previous commenter's issue with the pliers. The pivot pin has a small metal slide at the opposite end of a spring at the mushroomed head. You put the particular plier tongs part you want in the appropriate position and push the pin through the spring, the plier tongs and the main hinge of the tool. While pushing the mushroomed end and nearly compressing the spring completely, you pull the metal slide out, pivot it parallel to the plane of the tool and slide the plate so that it straddles the hole. Release the pressure and the tool stays intact. I could see where it's perhaps a little too complicated for what it does but once you figure it out (the directions are rather horrendous) the tool works well. One beef is that they could have provided a pouch or a cheap plastic box to keep the main tool and the plier bits together.

It's a good tool. It gets dings for the directions and lack of storage when not in use.

Snap ring pliers with interchangeable tips have been around for a long time, so this versatile set (four tips in total: straight and bent tips in large and small diameters, that can be placed in position for either internal or external snap rings) looked very attractive. This tool was a complete disappointment, however. When installed, the tips wobble, then fall off when sideways pressure is applied. There is a removable pivot with a cross-bar that is supposed to lock the tips into place when using the external position. Instead when you put the tips on, "lock" them into position and turn the tool over, everything (tips and lock) falls off the pliers. I did a double take! As you know if you've used snap rings, you must often work in a difficult orientation and apply some downward pressure to keep the tips engaged in the small holes in the ring. A rigid tool that you can trust is absolutely necessary. This tool is unusable and should not be on the market. For shame, Irwin!

The positive feature of this item is that you can easily convert the pliers to one of four different heads. This also appears to be the major negative of this product. The center shaft that holds the interchangeable heads onto the grip does not stay in. It is meant to be kept in place by a sliding bar built into the shaft that is kept in place by the tension of a spring. In my opinion the shaft pin is longer than it needs to be and adequate tension is not maintained on the slide to keep the pin from falling out. It is also possible for the two pins from the grip that apply the power to the points to slip out, again because the center pin is too long. I replaced the center pin with a nut and bolt that fit and these now work really well for me. I don't hate these conidering the price I paid, but they could easily be top-rate if the pin was different.

I bought this thing without checking the pin specifications thinking that it came with standard sizes; no one to blame but myself. Buyer beware; this might not fit your snap rings.

Pros:

1. Easily intercgangible heads for internal/external snap rings.

2. Inexpensive with adaquate quality and suitable utility for occasional use.

Cons:

1. No tip size specifications at amazon.com.

2. No information at Irwin WEB site.

3. Only one 180 deg tip size works with standard 1/4 amd 3/8 inch snap rings. This severely limits the usefulness of this tool. I can just see myself with a jeweler's file reducing the size of the others...

4. You can injure your fingers opening the package.

5. Needs a storage case (Michigan Industrial Tools has similar pliers with a case).

Sugestions:

1. You can use the inner molded plastic packaging for storage.

2. Irwin needs to provide a variety of heads with tip size specifications.

As some others have mentioned, I havent found that the tips just fall off when the tool is turned over, however...

When using the tool to engage a clip, if too much pressure is applied to push the clip on the tool tip does lever away from the pressure due to a large amount of slop in the way the tip is clipped to the tool.

Also, when stretching a clip prior to placing it on the part, if you stretch it too far the tip will slip sideways and can bend the clip.

The problem in both situations is that there is just too much slop between the toolheads and handle.

I also don't like the lack of a storage box for the tips, I hate having parts for tools strewn all over my toolbox.

Because often this leads to one of the parts getting lost. A tool with multiple parts should come with a storage box

for all the parts so they can live together.

This is a cheap tool and its performance is sub par. I regret buying it.

exactly what was needed to rebuilt the front hubs and the u joints. very useful