I was looking at motorcycle websites for circlip pliers for changing the footpegs.

I saw these on multiple bike parts websites for $13-$14



I swing by Harbor Freight and they have the exact same, identical tool for $3.75. Even has the same color grips.

I get home and the points are all way too big to fit the Harley circlips on the pegs. Fortunately the "hardened steel tips" were super simple to shave down with a small file. It took about ten minutes to shave the tips down by about 40%. Got the circlips off easy. Still have three unmodified plier heads left for bigger circlips.

 

I've got a set like that bouncing around somewhere.

The changeable heads are pretty convenient, but I have found them to be a little bit touchy when working on bigger snap rings that carry a lot of tension and have to be lifted sideways out of a groove--like old fashioned fork tube circlip retainers. There's a hinge in the middle of them due to the removable-head design.

Always good to have a variety of snap ring pliers around, preferably ones with very strong teeth. I've broken a few off over the years...

All the best,

Shane

 

Those are junk in my line of work. The swappable heads are generally weak. So individual pliers with various styles is what I use. But I'm a tech for a living so my tools are an investment. Just wish my bill would get below $9000 sometime soon. As they say " takes money, to make money" in my line of work.

 

I bought what looks like exactly the same item from Amazon a few years back, think I paid about $7.00. It's a total useless piece of crap, and I ended up tossing it so I wouldn't be tempted to use it again.

 

same response as everyone else. i bought on for my pegs, tried it and resort to other means, the tool now just lives in my tool box on the top tray.

 

Those are junk, Just try installing a clutch cable with em lol. Yes I learn the hard way sometimes.
You can't get the small clip on the lever pin with it and it's too weak crappy to put the retaining clip back on the ball/ramp assembly. Luckily Auto Zone has a decent pair and they're open on Sunday.

 

Yes, they are junk. Fortunately I was able to make them work. I just saw the exact same pliers at Advanced Auto today for $15. I see a lot of the same stuff that Harbor Freight has at Advanced Auto with different brand names all the time.

If I would would have ordered them from a bike part site and paid $13-$14 plus shipping, then waited. I would have been extremely pissed. For $3.75 at Harbor Freight it was worth it.

 

I have been using the HF ones for 15 years. Works great. No issues at all and I have changed many pegs on the 28 bikes that I have had during that time. One must know how to properly use a tool. Finess will go a long way.

 

People like to make fun of Harbor Freight, but I have bought some absolute unusable **** at Lowes and Home Deport. Usually what Harbor Freight sells is as good or better than Lowes and Home Depot for a lot less.

The electrically component section blows away radio shack. When i extended the control wires on my last bike I went to radio shack to look for shrink tubing. Then I went to Harbor Freight. For what a few pieces of shrink tubing would have cost at Radio Radio shack I got like a 100+ piece box of shrink tubing in all different sizes.

Harbor Freight sells really nice tool chests super cheap. You just have to open the boxes and inspect them before you leave. Like 50% are severely damaged. Myself and several other people I've talked to have bought large tool chests, drove all the way home, only to find out it's mangled inside the box. Once you get one that isn't mangled they are a great deal.

 

If you want a tool box that will last make an investment in quality that the manufacturer stands behind.