The Steel Guitar Forum

I have an Emmons with 4 hole bell cranks. Wanted to try a pull in a different hole. It looks like I would have to remove the retainer ring for the bell crank swivel. Simple question I know, but what is the correct procedure and tool for removing those horse shaped rings? They look so lightweight I wouldn't want to bend it, break it or render it useless as I do not have any replacements.

Thanks,
Ken

Ken,
I think you want a special tool known as snap ring pliers. They look like pliers except the ends have 2 small prongs that fit into the 2 holes near the open end of the retaining ring. They act the opposite of normal pliers, in that as you squeeze the handles together, the ends go apart, thus spreading the ring apart so it can be removed. If your lucky the ring won't fly across the room. You might want to get some extras. My local hardware store has them. On my Emmons they measure about 0.5 " in diameter. bob

Ken, I use this retaining ring pliers when removing and replacing the retaining rings (some call them snap rings) on an Emmons push/pull. I'm not sure if the pullers you have use the same ring but I'll bet the same type of tool is used.

Milbar IR-3890S
290R EXTERNAL RETAINING RING PLIERS .038 DIA TIP 90 DEGREE TIP ANGLE.

You can probably figure out how much to spread the ring when removing it...just barely enough.The plier costs about $17 and you can find them online.

TC

Well , we call them circlip pliars but I bet they are the same tool . There is internal and external circlips and pliars to match and some very clever ones that do either . Nothing like having the right tool for the job .

At least 3/4 of the time I am able to pop them off using my very short fingernails by catching one end and gently prying it off~

A little screwdriver always works for me (to remove them). I can push them on with no tools.

Ken, I have several C clip (snap ring) tools but the best one I have came from a NAPA auto parts store and the tips are bent to a right angle. It takes a small size tool. Just open the ring up enough to remove it, if you overdo it you can damage or break the clip. If you get in a bind for some clips let me know, or you might get a few when you get the snap ring pliers.
Jerry

I got my retainer ring pliers at Sears - Craftsman # 47383 for 0.038" tip applications. I also got a bunch of extra snap rings at a local hardware store - it is pretty easy to distort them, and they occasionally like to go flying. Definitely wear eye shields.

Thanks guys for all the helpful info. So you say that they sell these retainers rings at the local hardware and I should get .5 "
diameter? I'll pick up several just to have on hand. I may go with the screwdriver method at first. It would be hard to justify buying a set of pliers just for one ring. Obviously I've never changed one of these before and may never change another. I was just worried about screwing up the one ring that I had. This particular one looks like it would be hard to get to, on a right knee right lever.
This lever lowers the 6th string and has a half stop before going to a whole tone. The feel of the first part of the lever is good, but when it engages a second crossbar on the second half of the lever travel it is very stiff. It's in the next to the last hole on the bell crank and I don't know if moving it out to the last hole would do much good, but I thought it was worth a try.

I'd even thought about moving the whole tone change to another lever all together. I have an offset lever that raises the 2nd a half tone and the 7th a half tone. I never use the 7th string raise so I thought about changing it to lower the 6th string a whole tone. That way I would just leave the right knee right as it is and wouldn't have to worry about removing the retainer ring. There may be tuning conflicts or on the other hand there may be some good stuff in there lowering the 6th a whole tone and raising the 2nd a half tone on the same lever.

I have to give it a little more thought.

Anyway, thanks again for all the help.



Ken

Ken,
There is basically two types of retainer rings for the Emmons guitars. They are both 1/4 inch rings (.250). One is the snap ring which takes (in most cases) a snap ring pliar. The other is an E clip or some call them a C clip among other names. Most any good hardware store or automotive supply will have them.
BB

www.bobbybowman.com

Hey Bob,
I hope you didn't take what I said as a "slam". I figured you might have thought of the outside diameter, especially the "E" clips.
BB

In the automotive industry we called the C clips that BB refered to
as Jesus Clips.
Cause usually you said Jesus where did that thing go
Hope it didn't go down the Carb. LOL

Bobby Bowman wrote:Hey Bob,
I hope you didn't take what I said as a "slam". I figured you might have thought of the outside diameter, especially the "E" clips.
BB

Bobby,
No i did not take it as a slam. It was merely a correction of a mistake. As a new comer, i see the neat thing about this forum is the way so many contribute to a question so that in the end the seeker has a real good feel for the answer and whole picture.

Anyway, thanks for the effort and concern to make sure. bob