MTFCA Forum

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

I was the one who bought them, so they can't be terribly expensive.

I've posted this in the past but here it is again. Found at a garage sale most likely. Jim

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?

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.

Here are photos of my Craftsman extractor. I hardly ever use it, I usually use the needle nose pliers first.

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

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.

I put a needle nose pliars through the eye and roll it against the nut for leverage.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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