There must be a specific tool for this situation...

[Teakettle]

Over the past couple of months I've been doing more wrenching than usual on "modern" (meaning under 50 years of age) vehicles and I keep running into situations where there's a bracket with a plastic something going through a round hole around the size of a nickel or quarter, held in place by plastic tangs that have to be compressed to slide it out. One example: shifter cables. Inevitably the neighborhood around this setup is so tight that I can't easily get any of my usual go-to tools (such as a mini vise-grip or water pump pliers) in there to squeeze the tangs and I end up trying to use screwdrivers as levers and other non-ideal approaches.

Is there something like pliers with really skinny jaws that close in a sort of ring shape? Or is there some completely different sort of tool that every mechanic has and somehow is lacking in my tool cabinet? Thanks in advance for any pointers -- except to solutions that are only sold by Snap-On and have no clones at Amazon or the Chinese tool store

 

[scootergmc]

Like plug disconnect pliers or something like small hose grip pliers? Plenty of cheap options available...

 

[Jim.ME]

There are a number of types and options. Go to Harbor Freight and check out "Body Clip Removal Tool". You will find them on Amazon, eBay and auto parts stores.

 

[Teakettle]

There are a number of types and options. Go to Harbor Freight and check out "Body Clip Removal Tool". You will find them on Amazon, eBay and auto parts stores.

Thanks, but those are for removing the little push clips that hold panels in place. I have tools for that. I need something that will squeeze (not pull) something that's an inch or two in diameter.

 

[Jim.ME]

Post some pictures of what you are describing.

 

[Teakettle]

Like plug disconnect pliers or something like small hose grip pliers? Plenty of cheap options available...

Thanks for the suggestion, something like that might work, though the parts I'm talking about are a lot larger in diameter than spark plugs and the jaws might not stay parallel. Will definitely try next time

 

[Teakettle]

Post some pictures of what you are describing.

Good suggestion, thanks. Here's a recent example, tangs that need to be compressed to the right of the white band. Imagine that when this is in place you have under 1/4" of clearance on three sides of the opening that this goes into and maybe five or six inches of clearance to the right, parallel to the tangs that need to be compressed:

 

[Teakettle]

One old mechanic in the neighborhood said that he tightens a hose clamp around things like this to compress them! Still hoping there's an actual tool, given that the part I showed above is in literally millions of Chevy and GMC trucks from the 1990s and early 2000s.

 

[MM-TX]

That's a hard function to describe. What is the part called? Might help figure out a google search.
These might have some potential.

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-long-reach-hose-grip-pliers-37909.html

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081YRR317/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_1?smid=A1S5JD6E6XF52X&th=1

 

[Charles in Aus.]

Would a zip tie compress them enough to allow the points of the tangs to enter the hole ?

 

[Eman85]

Retainers like the parking brake cables use a worm gear hose clamp works. On clips or retainers like the cable you show piers or a wire tie pulled tight would work. A lot of it requires use of a language know to mechanics and frowned upon by many.

 

[joeysmith]

Good suggestion, thanks. Here's a recent example, tangs that need to be compressed to the right of the white band. Imagine that when this is in place you have under 1/4" of clearance on three sides of the opening that this goes into and maybe five or six inches of clearance to the right, parallel to the tangs that need to be compressed:

Does the white part not slide down an release them on that one?

A lot of that style the release is built into them

 

[gf in S.IL]

Over the past couple of months I've been doing more wrenching than usual on "modern" (meaning under 50 years of age) vehicles and I keep running into situations where there's a bracket with a plastic something going through a round hole around the size of a nickel or quarter, held in place by plastic tangs that have to be compressed to slide it out. One example: shifter cables. Inevitably the neighborhood around this setup is so tight that I can't easily get any of my usual go-to tools (such as a mini vise-grip or water pump pliers) in there to squeeze the tangs and I end up trying to use screwdrivers as levers and other non-ideal approaches.

Is there something like pliers with really skinny jaws that close in a sort of ring shape? Or is there some completely different sort of tool that every mechanic has and somehow is lacking in my tool cabinet? Thanks in advance for any pointers -- except to solutions that are only sold by Snap-On and have no clones at Amazon or the Chinese tool store

Check to see if what you have is called a "strain relief grommet". If so, they do make pliers for that purpose

 

[1948CaseVAI]

You can gt a whole box of assorted replacements on Anazon for very little. Just destroy the little beggars and replace them.

 

[Teakettle]

Would a zip tie compress them enough to allow the points of the tangs to enter the hole ?

I've done that, it works often enough (though not 100% of the time in my experience)

 

[Teakettle]

Does the white part not slide down an release them on that one?

A lot of that style the release is built into them

The white clip pulls out to make cable adjustments but doesn't release the collar from the hole. There's sometimes a metal clip on the other side but that's more of a belt-and-suspenders thing, after it's removed the tangs still need to be squeezed to go through the hole.

 

[Stephen Newell]

Good suggestion, thanks. Here's a recent example, tangs that need to be compressed to the right of the white band. Imagine that when this is in place you have under 1/4" of clearance on three sides of the opening that this goes into and maybe five or six inches of clearance to the right, parallel to the tangs that need to be compressed:

My guess is you need something like a pipe that slides over the whole section and mashes down the tabs. Maybe 1 1/2" or 2" pvc.

 

[a49deere]

channel lock pliers

 

[Teakettle]

Check to see if what you have is called a "strain relief grommet". If so, they do make pliers for that purpose

Nice idea! For those who don't know what gf is referring to, that's the plastic squeeze grommet where a lamp cord goes into a metal lamp base (or where a cord goes into an electrical chassis, if it doesn't have a connector on the back of the chassis). The pliers for squeezing them could work if the jaws would open to about 2-3 times the diameter of the usual cord grommets; not sure if that's possible.

 

[Teakettle]

My guess is you need something like a pipe that slides over the whole section and mashes down the tabs. Maybe 1 1/2" or 2" pvc.

Okay, now we're heading somewhere potentially promising, For a pipe we need a section about 1/4" cut out lengthwise to admit the cable that passes through the tangs so we're looking at either a pipe with a section sliced out lengthwise attached to a handle for pushing down toward the bracket, or two lengthwise cut halves of a pipe welded/brazed to the jaws of a pair of pliers. Only complexity either way is the need for several different diameters depending on the application.

I still can't believe that there isn't a dedicated tool for this situation given how common it is, but all I see on YouTube is mechanics trying to jam pliers or screwdrivers in there or using things like hose clamps and restraining themselves from expressing the applicable obscenities