TheSamba.com :: View topic - Homemade piston pin removal tool

Fri May 10, 2013 11:10 pm

If anyone has any pictures of the homemade piston removal tool, I sure could use it.
I am trying to build one. Any and all help is greatly appricated.

Sat May 11, 2013 12:43 am

I used a Air cooled #3 piston case insert with a case stud screwed into it and harmonic balancer as a slide hammer. Sounds a bit rude ,but worked like a charm .

Stacy

Sat May 11, 2013 1:39 am

I think if you change the title to "Piston Pin" tool, you will see better response. I read piston ring tool and thought to myself that you can just buy one so cheap locally that there is no need to make a home version.
I too will be doing an engine job soon, and will need this same tool to pull out the piston pin, so I am eager to see the postings.
Tony

Sat May 11, 2013 2:46 am

are the rods still on the crank, i always take the rods off of the crank before i remove the pistons, even if you have not split the case, it's quite easy if you have a 14mm socket on a wobble end extension, putting the rods back on the crank is just as easy, you just need a small hook to go around the back of the big end cap while you push on the rod, i've been doing them that way for the last 25 years, once you have them off, sit them in boiling water for a few minutes and the wrist pins will push out quite easily.

Sat May 11, 2013 7:43 am

There was one instance where I replaced the rods on an otherwise perfectly running 2.1 WBX. Because it was otherwise in excellent condition I did not want to mess with the rings. In that case I pulled the piston pins. In any situation where the cylinders are being deglazed and rings replaced, just pull the jugs and remove the rods and pistons as a unit.

In that one instance, in order to remove the pins I made a piston pin puller from a concrete anchor bolt combined with slide hammer. It was very effective.

Sun May 12, 2013 7:17 am

This one was made using some all-thread a couple of nuts and washers with a deep socket that the pin slides into.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/1060739.jpg

Sun Jul 17, 2016 3:54 pm

I'm struggling to remove the Piston wrist Pins..

Can anyone please provide a Pix, or details of what I need to make?

I tried heating the piston to help expand them but still can't get the wrist pins moving out enough away from the connecting rods to remove the pistons..

Sun Jul 17, 2016 3:57 pm

Just pull the rods and be done with it.

Once removed you can press out the pins.
Once the pins are out clean them, freeze them and the reinstall will be a breeze!

Do NOT reuse the rod bolts though if you've got a 2.1..... No good will come by doing so.

Dave

Sun Jul 17, 2016 4:08 pm

Babin used a rope!

Darn clever if you ask me!

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=658951&start=40

Babin wrote: I just thought I would share a stupid trick I used to pull my piston wrist pin that were stuck in there good. I slowly pulled my cylinder off the piston until I could see writs pin through the hole left after I removed the water pump. I removed the small clip through that same hole hole. Then I passed a rope through the big hole in the middle of the wrist pin itself to the other side. I got the rope end on the other side, made a knot in the rope so it would be a bit bigger than the hole in the wrist pin. I carefully pulled until I made sure it was nicely sitting in the wrist pin side hole and not on the clip. I heated the center of the piston from the combustion chamber side for 45 second with my plumber propane torch. Easily pulled the wrist pin out, like a charm. Repeat concept for all other three piston. I was more careful than not enough so I shim the piston sleeve with wooded shim until they couldn't move anymore to make sure I wouldn't stress the rod by pulling the sleeves sideways. Who know it might come handy to someone like me, with no mechanic knowledge. Taking the 4 sleeves out with pistons still ring in them was less than a half hours.

Dave

Sun Jul 17, 2016 7:51 pm

Search the Gallery in the Vanagon/Euronvan folder for Piston Pin, there's a photo of a home made one. I made mine out of all-thread, washers, nuts and PVC, works great. No heat needed to remove pins other than possibly using PB Blaster or similar.

Tue Jul 19, 2016 7:12 am

While doing my EJ22 rebuild I carefully used some long needle nose pliers to remove the c-clips. Be careful as they'll zoom across the shop!

Once c-clips are removed you can shine a light in the 'tube' and see where the piston pins are placed. I used a metal rod, kind of like a welding rod to push against the piston pin's edge then gently tapped it out.

Some people take a metal rod and bend a small 90 degree angle on it to make a hook to pull them out. However, I think it's just easier to use a rod or long screw driver to tap them out.

Once you get one out you'll see that they're quite easy to tap out.

Tue Jul 19, 2016 7:12 am

Rope trick is pretty cool btw - I would try that as well.