13 replies to this topic

[Mini Manannán]

The short story of a  near-miss.

 

When we replaced the brake master cylinder a few months ago we thought "why are we struggling with split pins, let's use R-clips"  A few weeks later I saw THIS POST from Dan.  The alarm bells rang in my mind and I thought I'd best get them changed "fairly soon".

 

  Last weekend I was driving home with a few mates in the car when I lost my clutch.  The usual cussing was provoked until I found the cause: an r-clip lying on the carpet under my feet.  It could so easily have been the brake next to it and I'd have been out of control with three of my mates in danger, never mind all the other road users.  Needless to say, the r-clips got changed out for split pins as soon as I got home.  

 

Do it.  Yes, they are a ball-ache to do but 10 or 20 minutes of grief is nothing compared to a life, be it yours or someone else's.

[frogeye]

It never fails to amaze me how a screw or bolt, usually in an inaccessible position, somehow manages to undo itself. When an 'R' clip was suggested to me as a replacement to a split pin I really couldn't see the problem. Surely this was an improvement on a securing method bought about by better materials and using the latest manufacturing techniques, unless it was previously invented by Boulton, Murdock or Watt. 

But when someone posts dire warnings of the potential problems, it's time to look again.

A quick google search reveals the problem - there is a split decision (sorry).

I was personally planning to use a split pin again  - It was the removal that was the problem for me, in how it had originally been installed 25 years earlier, or had it simply relocated itself to the most awkward position in all that time? 

For some it is a no brainer - for me it's split pin 1 - R clip 0 - just what I hope for the England v Italy game - England being the split pin.

[rally515]

Wow nice bit of luck there, I'm sure you've made sure a lot of us rethink what we've done or planned on doing.

 

I must admit, I don't like the thought of the split pin rusting up and needing drilling out or similar, but I might just look for a stainless split pin or something myself.

 

Time to get the pliers out again!! 

[Mini Manannán]

Split pins are the only way. I'm convinced. I got a real cold rush when I realised the danger.

[L400RAS]

I will be chucking my new R Clips away and finding a new split pin of the correct size to suit my new clevis pin...

[Alex_B]

Wow nice bit of luck there, I'm sure you've made sure a lot of us rethink what we've done or planned on doing.

 

I must admit, I don't like the thought of the split pin rusting up and needing drilling out or similar, but I might just look for a stainless split pin or something myself.

 

Time to get the pliers out again!! 

Stainless steel is much more brittle than mild steel, its elastic properties are less essentially so i doubt you will find split pins in stainless (and if you do they will likely break when split) I would stick to standard if it was me 

[Broomer]

Wow nice bit of luck there, I'm sure you've made sure a lot of us rethink what we've done or planned on doing.
 
I must admit, I don't like the thought of the split pin rusting up and needing drilling out or similar, but I might just look for a stainless split pin or something myself.
 
Time to get the pliers out again!! 

Stainless steel is much more brittle than mild steel, its elastic properties are less essentially so i doubt you will find split pins in stainless (and if you do they will likely break when split) I would stick to standard if it was me

Don't talk nonsense, stainless cotter pins are readily available if you feel the need.

[Alex_B]

 

 

Wow nice bit of luck there, I'm sure you've made sure a lot of us rethink what we've done or planned on doing.
 
I must admit, I don't like the thought of the split pin rusting up and needing drilling out or similar, but I might just look for a stainless split pin or something myself.
 
Time to get the pliers out again!! 

Stainless steel is much more brittle than mild steel, its elastic properties are less essentially so i doubt you will find split pins in stainless (and if you do they will likely break when split) I would stick to standard if it was me

Don't talk nonsense, stainless cotter pins are readily available if you feel the need.

 

Well fair enough, I haven't searched it up, but stainless is much more brittle than mild steel so my point still stands on that stainless split pins may not be as reliable as mild steel ones 

[sledgehammer]

Mild steel split pins & a dab of grease - sorted

 

never liked the idea of 'R' clips -

 

although we use large ones at work with no problems - (although they are not on safety critical parts)

 

just imagine how it feels when the brake pedal sinks to the floor , with no stopping , not nice

[Broomer]

Wow nice bit of luck there, I'm sure you've made sure a lot of us rethink what we've done or planned on doing.
 
I must admit, I don't like the thought of the split pin rusting up and needing drilling out or similar, but I might just look for a stainless split pin or something myself.
 
Time to get the pliers out again!! 

Stainless steel is much more brittle than mild steel, its elastic properties are less essentially so i doubt you will find split pins in stainless (and if you do they will likely break when split) I would stick to standard if it was me

Don't talk nonsense, stainless cotter pins are readily available if you feel the need.

Well fair enough, I haven't searched it up, but stainless is much more brittle than mild steel so my point still stands on that stainless split pins may not be as reliable as mild steel ones

Still nonsense, the majority of split pins you can purchase are stainless.
I have personally never seen reliability issues of stainless cotter pins in industry.

[Mk1Dave]

A fair few new cars i have had the misfortune of having to work on have R clips fitted to brake clutch pedal. Anytime I've had to remove the split pin over the last 18 years I've always put a R clip back in its place and never had any issues.

[KernowCooper]

Its pot luck R clips with rotational forces can and do come out, split pins is the only safe way IMO otherwise its russan roulette

[nollyd]

on the metal content issue,there are different grades of stainless,even magnetic stainless.there are also harder mild steel ones.en24,en8,en36b,could go on for ages,but guys just get what was originally intended for the job.bit of a ball ache i know,but come on,taking chances with brakes is a defo no no.

[henri1972]

 

Wow nice bit of luck there, I'm sure you've made sure a lot of us rethink what we've done or planned on doing.

 

I must admit, I don't like the thought of the split pin rusting up and needing drilling out or similar, but I might just look for a stainless split pin or something myself.

 

Time to get the pliers out again!! 

Stainless steel is much more brittle than mild steel, its elastic properties are less essentially so i doubt you will find split pins in stainless (and if you do they will likely break when split) I would stick to standard if it was me 

 

they will not break they are used in the aviation industry and they do not break i have fitted loads on aircraft with no issues my mini has R clips as long as you remove them properly they should not fall out when replaced mine has had them since being built and they were a bugger to get out

Edited by henri1972, 10 June 2014 - 08:20 PM.