Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Special tool for those plastic rivet clips?

From: John Innis <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2015 10:22:23 -0600

I use a trim panel remover on those. (like this one
http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-35260-Plastic-Fastener-Remover/dp/B0002SRCMO/ref=sr_1_3?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1424362815&sr=1-3&keywords=trim+panel+remover)
I put a little tape on the back side to avoid scratches, but they make
these in plastic now, it might be a better choice for this application.
It works pretty well on newer parts.  On ones that have seen some miles I
find the heads often break off when I try to pop them up.  When that happen
I just push the center pin out with a small screwdriver and install a new
fastener when I reassemble.

On Thu, Feb 19, 2015 at 10:07 AM, Doug Braun <[email-masked]> wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I got a new car (1025 Subaru Outback), and I realized that newer cars use
> those plastic rivet-clips (the kind with the pop-up center pin)
> EVERYWHERE.  Do they make any special sort of tool for easily removing
> these without risking scratching the surround area, or busting the clip?
> Most of the time you can pry them with a little screwdriver, but that can
> be rough on them.
>
> Doug
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From: Arvid <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2015 10:24:04 -0600

Doug,

I have a 2015 Scion. This is probably common knowledge but it took me a 
while to figure it out.

I usually just push the pin further in and then the rivet seems to 
easily pop out. I need to be careful to not push the pin "to far in" as 
the pin then falls out the back side of the rivet and into the 
unreachable spots in the car. Just a light push usually moves the pin to 
the "can get the rivet out" position that seems to be designed into the 
setup.

If I need tools I've got these ...

http://www.harborfreight.com/5-piece-auto-trim-and-molding-tool-set-67021.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/5-piece-upholstery-and-trim-tool-set-99739.html

Arvid

On 2/19/2015 10:07 AM, Doug Braun wrote:
> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/[email-masked]

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From: Scott <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2015 11:43:05 -0500

I saw a guy online use a hook tool from a pick set. Actually seemed to 
work better than the tool I have (like the one John posted) for removing 
them. Probably 30% of the time I break them with the tool. He worked the 
loop of the hook under the head and pulled.

I *hate* those things. They've been on every new-ish car I've worked on 
for the last ten years or so.

[email-masked]

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From: Doug Braun <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2015 11:51:24 -0500

I have some of those generic plastic pry-things, but I noticed a different
style of tool that HF sells:

  http://www.harborfreight.com/push-pin-pliers-67400.html

The next time I pass by the local HF, I'll have a look at it.

Doug

On Thu, Feb 19, 2015 at 11:24 AM, Arvid <[email-masked]> wrote:

> I usually just push the pin further in and then the rivet seems to easily
> pop out. I need to be careful to not push the pin "to far in" as the pin
> then falls out the back side of the rivet and into the unreachable spots in
> the car. Just a light push usually moves the pin to the "can get the rivet
> out" position that seems to be designed into the setup.
>

[email-masked]

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From: Scott <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2015 12:59:36 -0500

Oh--seeing that reminded me of the other thing I saw online--wire 
cutters (dykes?). The guy forced the 'blades' under the head of the 
retainer, closed slightly, and pulled it out that way.

(I have a new Nissan, Cadillac, Volkswagen(s), and older Mazdas and 
Toyotas that are *loaded* with these things. After I destroyed the ones 
holding the Cadillac's front valance on a while back I finally started 
looking around on how to get them off in the least-destructive way possible.

I still don't like them.

[email-masked]

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From: John Miller <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2015 10:16:30 -0800

> retainer, closed slightly, and pulled it out that way.

That's mostly how I do it.

There's also the ones that have the push-stud with no head in the 
middle, and the only way to remove them is to push the stud through the 
fastener and hope you can find it on the other side when it falls out. 
When I'm doing a job that involves these things I try to have a few 
spare fasteners around...

> looking around on how to get them off in the least-destructive way

 From an assembly perspective they hold the parts together fairly snugly 
but not TOO tight, if you're talking about something like a plastic 
underbody cover or a bumper cap, something that hits the panel and 
displaces it will tear the panel if it's held in with a screw, the 
plastic fastener will let the panel shift.

There are places that stuff like this just doesn't work, though.  Have a 
look under the last decade's Honda Odysseys sometime, half the ones 
going down the road have the front pan hanging down.

My nomination for pure silliness goes to the spring clips that hold the 
front half of the fender liner to the bottom of the bumper cap on '97-00 
BMW E39 5-series.  Even a slight curb/parking block tap on the bottom of 
the fender liner will pull it loose from the bumper and it'll blow back 
and chew itself up on the tire.

John.

[email-masked]

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From: Mark Andy <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2015 13:37:32 -0500

Howdy,

This is how I frequently get these clips out.

I've never see one where you push the pin in further to loosen it.

Mark

On Thu, Feb 19, 2015 at 12:59 PM, Scott <[email-masked]>
wrote:

> Oh--seeing that reminded me of the other thing I saw online--wire cutters
> (dykes?). The guy forced the 'blades' under the head of the retainer,
> closed slightly, and pulled it out that way.
>
> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/marka@
> maracing.com

[email-masked]