Peter Xerri from Watford puts this very useful hand tool through it’s paces.
Nowadays there are all sorts of clamps/clips utilised in the construction of a passenger car, particularly where hose connections are needed in air intake cooling, charged air, water return flow, fuel and heating systems.
Experienced technicians will know that your success rate with adjusting or removing clips can be a hit or miss affair. Often it is down to the sort of clip that is utilised; the four main types being standard, space-saving, wire and spring band clamps. The size of the clip also comes into the equation, as well as the amount of room that you have to operate in.
Multiple tools
In the past you’d have to purchase multiple tools to ensure compatibility with all clamp sizes and types, with most mechanics I know opting for a set of pliers that can deal with the most common variants that they’ll come across. This does, however, leave you in a situation where you’re unable to adjust certain clamps because you don’t have the right type of pliers.
“In the past you’d have to purchase multiple tools to ensure compatibility with all clamp sizes and types.”
KNIPEX’s Spring Hose Clamp Pliers alleviate this situation as their ‘universal’ functionality means they can be adjusted to grip each of the aforementioned clamp types – from sizes 15mm up to 70mm – all with the use of just one tool. This is thanks to the unit’s quick-set adjustment feature that can allow the unit to be adapted easily by pushing one handle inwards directly on the workpiece.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve grazed my knuckles as a result of pliers slipping from the clip because I’ve not been able to get enough leverage in a particularly tight space. Once again KNIPEX’s offering comes up trumps where it’s needed. Firstly the tool features an anti-pinch mechanism (in its fullest setting) which allows the user to get full purchase on the clip so you can move it around the hose – you simply locate the clip and squeeze!
Tight areas
The slim head design and narrow head width, coupled with jaws that utilise tips that can swivel, allows for reliable grip in the tightest of areas. This proved particularly useful to me when I was trying to loosen a radiator hose on a VW that had arrived in the workshop and was suffering with a cooling system problem – access was tricky to say the least, but the pliers allowed me to remove the clips with little fuss.
In terms of quality, I was highly impressed with how solid, yet comfortable, these pliers proved. Non-slip handles are a welcome addition for those that suffer from hand blisters and sores, while the user is well protected from nipping and pinching.
If you’re in the market for a single tool that can cater to your clip adjustment/removal needs then I’d recommend you take a look at the Spring Hose Clamp Pliers.
