There must be an easier way to remove the little oval clip that hold the trucks in place on a Lionel car 027. Is there a tool that I can use?
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For my shop, when it was still open, I purchased a cheap pair of bent nose pliers and filed the sides of the tips until they would fit in the gap of the retaining clip. Slide into the gap, the pull the handles apart to spread the clip open enough to pop off the truck post. Don't spread too far or the clip can split in half.
Or, if you're only doing a few, you can use a straight blade screw driver. Place in the clip gap, then give it a half twist to open the clip. Use the blunt end of the screw driver to push the clip off after it's opened.
I use a pair of needle nose pliers. I put them in and twist them then push it off. I haven't broken one in half yet, but I worry every time I do one.
Larry, they're not E-clips, but rather the soft metal C-clips. Personally, I just twist a screwdriver in the slot until there's clearance to get them off. Like sinclair says, if they break, I keep spares in my parts box.
A very simple tool to remove 'C' clips can be cut out and fashioned after this tool to fit our size.
Larry
