Cotter pins tips

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Inthegarage
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Cotter pins tips

Post by Inthegarage » Tue Oct 06, 2020 3:58 pm

I wish I could have been at Ford factory to watch the cotter pin man bend those dam pins!! It’s been years and I’m still fighting with cotter pins. Especially removing them. Can anyone sheer any tips? On installing and removing.
Thanks


Norman Kling
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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by Norman Kling » Tue Oct 06, 2020 4:04 pm

Whether or not, I don't know. But the way I install them is to put the head in the slot of the castle nut facing up and down the bolt. Then I bend one end, up over the end of the bolt. I snip off the other end about 3/8inch sticking out and bend it toward the nut. To remove them, I snip off the head and pull out the ends from the end opposite the head.
For clevis pins, I install the cotter pin with the head parallel to the clevis and bend both ends around the pin.
Norm

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CudaMan
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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by CudaMan » Tue Oct 06, 2020 4:17 pm

For removal, I straighten out the ends as much as possible, insert one jaw of a pair of needle nose pliers into the loop, close the jaws to clamp onto the loop, and pry or if necessary hammer on the pliers. :)
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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by Allan » Tue Oct 06, 2020 5:20 pm

I straighten the ends as much as possible and then use a pair of side cutters to grip the loop. The cutters are used to lever against the side of the nut so I am not using a straight out pull that can let go in a hurry. That way I don't bash my elbow/hands/T with a sudden let-go.

Allan from down under.


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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by HPetrino » Tue Oct 06, 2020 5:34 pm

I don't think the cotter pin guy at the Ford factory removed very many cotter pins. :lol:


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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by Pat Branigan Wisc » Tue Oct 06, 2020 6:36 pm

The early automobile pins are a bit harder to come buy or make as the Eye is round and the ends are the same length. Making them much harder to get a hold of to bend over. On the newer pins that most are use to that are in a tight spot I take a flat blade screw driver and cut a slot in the end of it then slip it over the tab and bend it.

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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by George House » Tue Oct 06, 2020 6:58 pm

Depends on what cotter pins you’re removing. When removing the 3 cotter pins holding the 3 set screws on the high speed adjustment ‘fingers’, I think the most important ‘tool’ is paper towels-not cotton rags w/ lint- very carefully placed in the tranny on each side of the cotter pin to be removed. Then, taking a deep breath and holding my tongue just right, I straighten the legs of the pin and pull the loop out with needle nose pliers.
I don’t know why I turned out this way. My parents were decent people 🤪


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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by OilyBill » Tue Oct 06, 2020 9:50 pm

If you buy a cotter-pin extractor, especially one from Snap-On, you can have them out in 1 second, whether or not you straighten the ends. I've been using one for 40 years on aircraft. There is no argument or hesitation or fuss. No blood and no small cut off parts to retrieve.

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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by Mark Gregush » Tue Oct 06, 2020 10:31 pm

Allan wrote:
Tue Oct 06, 2020 5:20 pm
I straighten the ends as much as possible and then use a pair of side cutters to grip the loop. The cutters are used to lever against the side of the nut so I am not using a straight out pull that can let go in a hurry. That way I don't bash my elbow/hands/T with a sudden let-go.

Allan from down under.
That is also the way I do it.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by Allan » Tue Oct 06, 2020 10:39 pm

George, you reminded me of a different way I remove those 3 pins. Because they are free to move about in their application, the legs are often worn where they move. I grab that end with some long nosed lock-on pliers before straightening them. Often they break off, and the pliers have the bit held captive.

Allan from down under.

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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by Steve Jelf » Tue Oct 06, 2020 10:46 pm

I use stainless. No rust. Some claim they're harder to remove than steel, but they seem about the same to me.

IMG_5558.JPG
I was the one who bought them, so they can't be terribly expensive.
The inevitable often happens.
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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by TFan » Tue Oct 06, 2020 10:52 pm

I've posted this in the past but here it is again. Found at a garage sale most likely. Jim
cotter 006.jpg
005c.jpg
cotter 008.jpg
cotter 007.jpg
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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by Inthegarage » Wed Oct 07, 2020 6:45 am

TFan wrote:
Tue Oct 06, 2020 10:52 pm
I've posted this in the past but here it is again. Found at a garage sale most likely. Jim

cotter 006.jpg

005c.jpg

cotter 008.jpg

cotter 007.jpg
That’s a great for pins.
I Magine they are scarce
Where can I find one of those?
Last edited by Inthegarage on Wed Oct 07, 2020 9:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by John Warren » Wed Oct 07, 2020 8:50 am

Bill, can you post a photo of the snap on one? Craftsman use to have one that looked like a bent awl. The one Jim posted is interesting, and looks like it could be effective. I also usually use side cutters. I really like Steve's ss pins.
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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by CudaMan » Wed Oct 07, 2020 9:10 am

Here are photos of my Craftsman extractor. I hardly ever use it, I usually use the needle nose pliers first. :)
Attachments
IMG_7884.JPG
IMG_7883.JPG
Mark Strange
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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by John Warren » Wed Oct 07, 2020 9:22 am

A friend that installed windshields always called that one a window installation tool! HA HA Anyway it worked well with the rubber.
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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by RajoRacer » Wed Oct 07, 2020 10:00 am

I also have a Craftsman puller as shown - depending where on the T that I'm working, my dykes (side-cutter apparently is the proper term ?) pulls most all of them.

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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by Dan B » Wed Oct 07, 2020 12:20 pm

I put a needle nose pliars through the eye and roll it against the nut for leverage.
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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by otrcman » Wed Oct 07, 2020 7:47 pm

A lot of good tools and methods here. I have most of the tools shown and have used all of the methods at one time or another. If one tool/method doesn't work, try one of the others.

The only thing I have to offer that's different is to grind the flat side of a pair of side-cutters down until the cutting edge is nearly flush in order to get hold of the head when it's nearly flush with the slot of the castle nut. Be careful to not overheat the cutters while grinding -- you don't want to soften the cutting edge.

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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by Craig Leach » Wed Oct 07, 2020 9:44 pm

I assume we are talking about cotter pins someone else installed? The thing to remember is cotter pins don't realy keep nuts from coming loose. They keep them from falling off. Wrapping them around around the nut is not nessessary. They only need to be bent enough to keep the pin from falling out.
All the tools mentioned are great to solve the problem of people trying to hold bolts tight. Do your self a faver and don't fallow their example, keep it simple. You are probably going to be the next one to work on it.


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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by Allan » Wed Oct 07, 2020 10:33 pm

I too bend one leg up over the end of the bolt, and one end down the side of the nut. I can't imagine that much effort went into doing it this way on the production line. I believe on engines both legs of the pins were bent down, about 45 degrees. It makes sense, just dong the pin with a hammer/tool of choice, job done.

Allan from down under.

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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by TFan » Wed Oct 07, 2020 11:37 pm

I should mention that tool I posted works well on newer or recent applications but if your working on something that has not been apart in 100 years or so they won't come out so easy. This is what I have had good luck with, I just back the nut that I'm working on off shearing the cotter off then I take a small drift and drive out the remaining parts of the pin, the remains usually show up as shiny metal against a rusty background. Jim
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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by Modeltmike » Thu Oct 08, 2020 5:47 am

Are there any manufacturer markings on your old tool? Wondering who made it. It would be a neat conversation piece if you never used it.

Thanks

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Re: Cotter pins tips

Post by TFan » Fri Oct 09, 2020 11:17 pm

Mike, I finally dug it out haven't used it in awhile, it is made in USA and named Zim cotter pin puller. It looks as if it may have been plated at one time. Jim
Back road kinda guy stuck on the freeway of life.

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