Call Frank Bowman's Rings Phone Number 505 327 0696. He is a vendor or rings for all brands of rings.

Best,     DennisT

     Hi Terry and Dennis:

     Thanks for the replies.  Mr. Bowman has retired and I did not want to disturb his time away from the ring business thus is the reason for me to refrain from calling him.

      Dennis, your method is the same method that I learned to r&r rings in the past. I aint a very smart or clever person, I thought that I may receive additional tips.  I sure would hate to break  new ring!

                                                                                                            Thanks for the tips,

                                                                                                            Frank McCune

I am astounded at some of these answers but admit up front I have never removed or replaced a ring on a very small piston

I have on the other hand rebuilt and hopped up way too many car engines to number

the ONLY rings spiral removed or installed were the oil control ring(s) and spacer...ALL other rings were removed or installed with the proper tool....period

If I had a ringed small engine,  I would simply push the back side so each gap end was exposed outside the groove, and use a small set (I have) of expanding jaw snap ring pliers.... holding the back of the ring (opposite side of gap) to keep the ring in plane with the gap spread, and lift off NEVER touching the piston and install same way

ON full sized car engine rings, the tool spreads the gap open and grasps the ring top and bottom holding it stable...you ONLY open enough to ensure the HARD and Sharp ring Never touches and scores the much softer piston

again before all the shade tree mechanics start yammering about how they re ring by spiral scuff n slide on their engines----

The OP has another thread about rings not seating, fit, liner concentrically round, low compression etc etc

I suspect technique of removing and installing my be inducing a out of plane twist ...in other word once torqued UP or Down ...one gap end vs the other gap end..the ring will NOW NOT lay level 360 flat on a .0001 granite surface

with ductile iron, opening the gap on level plane you do two good things... it never springs back to the same gap slightly increasing the outward spring tension. And there is no induced twist forcing the ring to ride high in the groove for some part of the circumference and low in other spots

I admit another don't know (don't really care cuz I have zero ringed glow engines)....is there a definable top and bottom as is common on MOST automotive rings

Below the snap ring could be modified to be flat faced instead of round pins for spreading

The other is perfect already a Lilly tool and NOT expensive

 

Lisle snap ring pliers

Any guess at what third photo tool is?

yes sir and a very old one from the late 40s my dad used rebuilding cars and farm equipment as a young man