[Boatanchors] sp-600 help

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Al, et al & Group,

Circlip is the Brit term.  Or at least that's what the Land Rover manuals all 
call them.  The American term is Snap Ring or sometimes Retaining Ring (which 
is more generic).  Snap Rings are generally characterised by having holes in 
the end into which the tips of Circlip or Snap Ring pliers are fitted in order 
to install or remove them.  They come in both Internal and External types.

There are that I know of at least four types of retaining rings that lack 
installing/removal holes.  One is made of round wire.  One is made of square 
wire.  But I've only ever seen them in motor, generator and gearbox applications.  
The third is the E-Clip or E-Ring.  Although I've never worked on an SP-600, 
I'd bet that the clips or rings pertinent to this thread are the ones called 
C-Clips or C-Rings.  They are similar to E-Clips or E-Rings except that they 
lack the post or leg that sticks out from the side opposite the opening.  And 
they are in fact miserable things to work with.  You can buy installation tools 
from most companies that make or sell the clips.  But if anyone makes a 
removal tool, I haven't found it.

However, you can make a removal tool fairly easily, if there is a fair amount 
of room around one side of the shaft and clip in which to use it.  The 
dynamotors for the AN/ART-13 have two of these things in them, which I've had to 
remove on occasion.  I usually make the tool from hacksaw blade stock (cheap and 
readily available).  The thickness of the tool must be a few thousandths of an 
inch less than the groove width.  Cut or grind the stock off square 
(perpendicular to the length).  From here, it depends on what you have to work with.  
First determine the diameter of the bottom of the groove.  If you have a 
milling machine, simply mill a slot of the proper width (diameter of the bottom of 
the circlip groove) into the end of the stock for about one diameter (this 
gives you enough material to re-grind the end of the tool a few times as it 
deteriorates in use).  There are other ways to do it, including the Armstrong one 
using a drill bit and a round file, but try not to let the slot get any wider 
than the groove diameter.

Position the tool such that both tips of the C-Ring touch the end of the tool 
adjacent to both sides of the groove, and push smartly.  If you have it lined 
up properly, the ring will pop off easily.  If it turns on you instead of 
popping off, reposition it, check the end of the tool for damage, regrind as 
necessary and try it again.  A tool made from a hacksaw blade will usually remove 
three or four rings before you will need to dress the end with a grinder.  
Harder material would of course last longer, but be correspondingly more 
difficult to make.  Wrap the tool with Ordnance or duct tape before you use it.  
Otherwise you'll cut your hand.  

In a message dated 11/28/2004 6:15:36 PM Central Standard Time, 
anchor at ec.rr.com writes: 
> They don't work on these, they're not Circlips, not even quite "E-clips"
> they're just plain miserable.

73
Robert Downs - Houston
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