Plug Puller?

Well, I gently grasp them with diagonal cutters and wiggle them out.  I've never seen a "universal" puller for them, but it's a good idea.

Take a pair of cheap needlenose pliers, you can pick one up sometimes at the Dollar Store or Walmart.  Open up the jaws, clamp into a metal vise, heat one jaw up at a time with a propane torch just enough to bend the jaw slightly with vise grips inward towards the other jaw (10-15 degrees) should be fine, then do the same to the other jaw. Remove from vise with a pair of channel locks or pliers, drop needlenose pliers into bucket of cold water to cool and set up the metal. Give a minute or 2, remove from bucket and dry. That's what I did so I could unclip and remove the male part from the female part. My arthritis is bad enough that I don't have the strength to make the clip release with my hands, the pliers works great.

Otherwise, depending upon the size of the connector, I have used the smallest sized hose pliers in a hose pliers set from Harbor Freight which I use for removing fuel line when I work on our small engines and I've also used these to disconnect automotive electrical connectors.  I think the set of 3 costs about $15 at Harbor Freight.

These are basically what @Gary P mentioned you can make (and that's a great idea to do with a small needlenose pliers!).

I see the ones I have are avail from Amazon for more money, and I saw smaller handled one (5.5") on Amazon, as well as a fuel clip removal too, but I haven't used either of those so I can't say whether those work.

Dollar General has the needle nose pliers in their craft section. You might also check the jewelry department at Wal-Mart. They have small needle nose pliers by themselves (and decent flush cutters for small wire gauges, BTW) or a set of three, straight needle nose, chain nose and bent jaw.

Needle nose pliers aren't really ideal, but you need is something with an edge to grip the connector along the top edge right below the entry of the wires.  The needle nose pliers slip off too easily, some of the connectors have some really secure locks for as small as the little nubs are!

If I can get to them from the side, my flush cutters work great, but sometimes you don't have that access.  I need to find a tool, or perhaps modify one, that grips that way from straight on the connector from above.

I use various methods. Needle nose pliers or flush cutters, typically do the job. Sometimes a small pocket knife blade does the trick. I bought these years ago....comes in handy occasionally too.

I just took a Lionchief board apart and the motor and speaker output plugs had small locking tabs that I had to release as well.

For removing the pins from the plugs, the same knife or a small jewelers screwdriver lifts the plastic tab holding the metal plug in place. ,

Getting a couple of my fat fingers in the right spots is always the biggest challenge.....

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Needle nose pliers aren't really ideal, but you need is something with an edge to grip the connector along the top edge right below the entry of the wires.  The needle nose pliers slip off too easily, some of the connectors have some really secure locks for as small as the little nubs are!

If I can get to them from the side, my flush cutters work great, but sometimes you don't have that access.  I need to find a tool, or perhaps modify one, that grips that way from straight on the connector from above.

John, I wonder if something like this will work.

Maybe grind off the edges away from the jaws for better clearance.  $3.99 at HF.

Bob

I have a similar pair.  One issue I have is the handles spread too wide to fit into most shells, which limits the usefulness.  What I need is a tool that has a long narrow reach and those jaws.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I have a similar pair.  One issue I have is the handles spread too wide to fit into most shells, which limits the usefulness.  What I need is a tool that has a long narrow reach and those jaws.

How about this, circle nose pliers

Close Bob, but they have to have a wide enough grip so the connector won't grab at one end.  So, they have to have a wider gripping surface.

No side views are shown, the "ring nose" appears to be bent at an angle.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Close Bob, but they have to have a wide enough grip so the connector won't grab at one end.  So, they have to have a wider gripping surface.

@PRRMP54 posted:

No side views are shown, the "ring nose" appears to be bent at an angle.

Not a perfect solution but 5  minutes on the internet yielded those results....😃

In my post above I mentioned a hose pliers I see is also referred to as "circle" pliers (never heard that before) and I failed to add some pictures.  I've added some pictures of the various items I've used, including a bent long nose pliers, the hose pliers (and yes they are bent on the end), and a small end nippers I have used which I've found to be better than those above.  I like the hose pliers for pressing the tabs in on connectors.

However I agree with John, these don't always work and the hose pliers would run the risk of not pulling the connector out straight (likely obvious when you refer to the pictures I added that have also provide a side view).

@gunrunnerjohn  I wonder if this long reach end nippers would be better (especially after trimming or removing the large grips)?   Sorry if I didn't add this link correctly, first time I've done this:

SPEEDWOX Long Reach End Nippers 5-1/2 Inches Mini End Cutting Pliers Fine End Cutters

I am going to buy one and see how it looks.  I could always heat up the handles and bend the a little if they are too wide, or even cut them off and re-weld them at a different angle.  If nothing else with the long reach it will be a useful tool for other purposes.

Channellock of course sells has its #748 8" long reach end nipper, which would have plenty of reach, but I don't think the end is wide enough and likely awkward given the length of it and a little overkill for trains.

Of course if anyone is using an end nippers to pull these connectors, be careful because if you slip off the end...you just might cut the wires (ok, maybe I'm the only one that runs this risk ).

I suppose one could dull the nippers a little with a file (equally on each side), but maybe you'd lose gripping ability.  Filed or not, the ends could be coated with Plastidip (or sprayed with liquid duct tape).

@Steve W posted:

Of course if anyone is using an end nippers to pull these connectors, be careful because if you slip off the end...you just might cut the wires (ok, maybe I'm the only one that runs this risk ).

That would kinda' defeat the purpose of using them to pull the connectors, might as well pull on the wires.

An IC puller sometimes works depending on the available space:

https://www.digikey.com/en/pro...DEAQYBiABEgIqZPD_BwE

A quick search found this    https://www.tindie.com/product...er-jst-ph-20mm-2pin/

self made tool to work with 2 pin plugs, but will maybe provide inspiration for a larger size plug puller - not sure if this one will work on the boards in the locomotives as I haven't had to work on 1 yet.

includes a short youtube video after the description

Bruce

Nice!  Those could even be 3D printed.

Had another thought: might a Kelly clamp work? Bent nose, adjustable clamp strength, possible to use a printed pad on the end (or dunk in plasti-dip,) wide variety of sizes, long handles, inexpensive?

@Becky, Tom & Gabe Morgan posted:

Had another thought: might a Kelly clamp work? Bent nose, adjustable clamp strength, possible to use a printed pad on the end (or dunk in plasti-dip,) wide variety of sizes, long handles, inexpensive?

I wondered about that as well, but I tried it and the challenge with it is the shape. it can work, but much like a long bent needle nose pliers, due it's shape, as you start to clamp it down it grabs on the one edge first, not evenly, so it doesn't grab on the end of it, it grabs  on the first part that hits the connector.  maybe I could say it's like a scissors where it hits furthest in on the opening and the part on the end doesn't touch it.  So you end up with an uneven pull if it's wider connector.

...or to they maybe make one that is shaped like the end nippers?

@NHVRYGray, the long reach end nippers I mentioned above just arrived.  Below are my attempt at pictures with it in a Lionel GP7 6-28563 (only one I have open right now) to show that these do in fact have a longer reach than the standard version @gunrunnerjohn mentioned was hard to use inside of a shell.

I struggled with getting a good angle to show how far it reaches in with the jaws being open as big as seen in the picture, but it definitely reaches in and works better than the standard version.  These will provide even more reach and flexibility if I cut off the part of the grip that flares out.

Hope that helps.

I found these on Amazon, this is exactly what I was thinking of to do this task, and I like the price as well.

HTS 164P5 6" Non-Slotted Locking Pennington Forceps, $6.95

Looks like a great solution!!

I will look for some nippers.  I just bought 4 forceps for 6.20 ea off the auction site.  I use them to hold parts being painted as well, so I can use more.  Free shipping too.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I found these on Amazon, this is exactly what I was thinking of to do this task, and I like the price as well.

HTS 164P5 6" Non-Slotted Locking Pennington Forceps, $6.95

Surgeons have the best tools.....🤣🤣

@RSJB18 posted:

Surgeons have the best tools.....🤣🤣

This train surgeon will have a pair soon.

Got my puller from Amazon, and I have to say, I wish I had looked for this before.  Works great and since the clamp latches, it makes it even easier to manipulate, $7 well spent!

Just order the forceps from Amazon