It is really easy once you know the drill and procedure - My thought is many people try to first install the 'closed end' into the wrist pin hole first and end up chasing the circlips around the floor.
Practice once or twice on your old piston with the old circlips.
1. Install the wristpin into the piston so it is within 1/4 inch or so of the circlip groove where you want the circlip installed. (The edge of the wrist pin helps 'flip' the circlip)
2. Face the 'open end' of the circlip in the area you want it installed 6 or 12 o'clock. Angle the circlip (30-45 degrees) into the wrist pin opening and then using the top area of your THUMB - PUSH the open end of the circlip into the opening.
3. After the OPEN end of the circlip has entered the hole - ROTATE your THUMB down pushing the 'closed end' of the circlip towards the hole - KEEPING PRESSURE on the circlip at all times. You should be able to have the circlip now totally within the wrist pin opening and 80 % of the time it will have already 'snapped' home.
4. IF the circlip has not snapped into it's groove - stick an appropiate size finger into the hole (or an small socket) to hold the circlip while using your other hand to slide the wristpin closer to the wristpin. A slight pressure from the wrist pin and/or the socket (or finger) should reward you with a snap of the circlip into the groove.
5. The second circlip is actually easier to install since the wrist pin is located within a few thousands of final resting place of the circlip. It should 'flip' the circlip into an upright position as you push the closed end of the circlip into the wrist pin hole.
6. Always double check to be sure the circlips have seated into their grooves.
Should be NO REASON to use pliers, needle nose, screwdrivers, awls, scribes, or what ever else you may have used, or seen used when installing typical non-tabbed circlips on a motorcycle or snow machine.
After you have successfully performed this operation please give some feedback on this thread and let us know how it went!!
