Piston wrist pin retainers!?!? Options

[stugray]

The new "spiroloc" wrist pin retainers as driving me insane!

I got the KB pistons from EMW and they come with the new fancy spirolocs for wrist pin retainers.

I just want some feedback about who thinks these are better than the plain old circlip retainer clips that come as stock.

IMO the older rings are MUCH easier to install and remove than the spirolocs.

I have spent an hour and many searches on the internet & youtube watching the spiroloc install but I still do not see how it can be done with the piston/cylinder up in the engine assembly.

AND I am planning ahead. Once I assemble everything & measure my deck height, I am expecting to have to take all of the pistons off.
Removing those spiroloc retainers looks like I will have caught turret's syndrome and ordered explosive devices online before removing just four of them.

What am I missing?!?

Stu

[VaccaRabite]

They are not hard once you get used to them.

Pull them a bit to stretch them out. Lube them up with engine oil. Get an end started and twist them in by hand until you cant any more. Then twist them more with a pair of pliers. To get the last bit in, use a small flat head screwdriver and push the last tab in.

Getting them out can be fiddly. I use a jewlers flathead screwdriver to pry out the first bit, and then grab with pliers and work them the rest of the way out. Once you have the first third out, they get easier.

I'm not sure why these are used instead of the more usual circlips, but there must be a reason.