I do not remember how I got these little suckers in the last time (20 years ago). They are the spiral type. I do not have the Harley installation tool of course. My new pistons came with the spiral type clip. The shop manual shows a snap ring type as well as the spiral type. Can I just go with the snap ring type? Oh yeah, 1000 cc engine.

 

Cal.....What manual do you have that shows the 'clip' type? Is it a Clymers?
I would recommend using what came with the pistons because the groove is cut to a dimension to fit the spiral clips. If one of these things come out of it's groove the game is over.
I would never take a shortcut on a piston pin clip because you have too much at risk should it fail to remain seated. I have used nylon buttons instead of clips in the past. These buttons fill up the space between the pin ends and cylinder wall and retain the pin in place.
Try to locate a tool or make one yourself, if possible, to install these spiral clips. My 2 cents worth anyway.

 

Hey Pinion - It is a H-D shop manual. In the parts breakdown it lists clips as #5 and the snap rings as #5A. The manual is through 1978. The H-D maual shows this complex tool designed to install them. The Clymers manual I have does not say squat about the clips. I know how important they are. I just can't remember how I put them in last time. When I tore the engine down this time the clips (spiral type) were still firmly in place. I have not seen the nylon inserts, thats a new one on me. Do you think a small wide hose clamp would constrict the clip enough to insert using an old pin as a drift?

 

Cal...OK, if you have a H-D manual and it shows the common clip as a choice, then you should be OK using those IF, and only IF, the spiral clips are the same thickness as the regular clip. The spiral clips that came with your pistons should be in a package, not installed in the piston, correct? The groove in the piston is of course sized to these clips, and if you are lucky, the common clip will be the same size.
I would take these to wherever you are going to purchase the common clip and compare the thickness of them to the spiral clips.

As for that tool required to install the spirals:
I do not think the hose clamp idea will work. I believe the tool is made up of two parts as I recall. The tubular part that the spiral goes into has a tapered bore on one end. The taper bore facilitates the insertion of the ring. This piece is inserted into the piston pin hole.

The clip goes on the rod end and into this tapered bore. It is compressed as it is pushed by the rod side of the tool into place. This tool keeps the clip straight and compressed at the same time as it travels down the bore toward home plate. When it reaches the piston groove it comes out of the bore and snaps into place in the groove.

I know if it were me, I would not be able to duplicate this using a hose clamp and a rod. I could make the tool on my lathe, but I know of no other way of doing this except to get your hands on one of those tools.

So, see if the common clip is the same size. It should fit TIGHTLY in that piston groove. If it is the least bit loose, it is going to come out pretty quickly and that will be costly!

 

Thanks again Pinion. Your advice is always welcome and appreciated here.

 

You don't need a special tool for the spring clips. Just stretch it out a bit and guide it into the hole starting with one end then going around as you insert more of the clip into the hole. If you are looking for some hard to find OEM parts, try www.bikebandit.com.