Shock Pliers - Do they really work?

[Inspector86]

Originally Posted by tuxstang

A pair of generic pliers, a bit of rubber band ... no need for a special tool.

Spoken by someone who has never used shock pliers! I used to think the same thing until I used a friends shock pliers. Ordered my Tekno pliers the next day.

[Inspector86]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

What makes them worth the $10 more than the Protek pliers?

I have never used Protek pliers so I have nothing to compare. But I love my Tekno pliers!

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Inspector86

Spoken by someone who has never used shock pliers! I used to think the same thing until I used a friends shock pliers. Ordered my Tekno pliers the next day.

Truth!

Early on after getting back into RC I was being cheap and used a regular pliers wrapped in electrical tape for shocks. Then I guess the tape broke or moved and the shock shaft got scratched. I ordered replacement shock shafts and a shock pliers and never looked back. A good set of shock pliers is only $30 which is nothing compared to what I spend in this hobby.

Originally Posted by Inspector86

I have never used Protek pliers so I have nothing to compare. But I love my Tekno pliers!

They do look nice. I've had my eye on them, but they look massive compared to something like my Protek set. I'm not sure if the looks deceiving or if they are really larger than the competition.

[2mtech]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

They do look nice. I've had my eye on them, but they look massive compared to something like my Protek set. I'm not sure if the looks deceiving or if they are really larger than the competition.

Looks are deceiving...I thought the same thing, was surprised when I got them how small they are. Next to a AA batt

20200521_013542 by W2, on Flickr

[tuxstang]

Originally Posted by Inspector86

Spoken by someone who has never used shock pliers! I used to think the same thing until I used a friends shock pliers. Ordered my Tekno pliers the next day.

I've tried, it's cute, it's handy, but never feel the need to spend $20-30 on a specific tool I'll use once in a while when I already have everything I need in my toolbox.

[svt923]

Originally Posted by tuxstang

I've tried, it's cute, it's handy, but never feel the need to spend $20-30 on a specific tool I'll use once in a while when I already have everything I need in my toolbox.

Still sounds like someone who has never really used them.

I have used my set of Protek pliers so much over the past 6 years or so that I'm starting to wear out the 4 mm jaws (and only a fraction of that use was building shocks). These were legitimately the best $25 I have ever spend in RC.

[B-MOW71]

I've gone years without owning a set until recently. I honestly don't no how I ever lived without them.

They are a great tool to have and work great for shocks and many other things.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by 2mtech

Looks are deceiving...I thought the same thing, was surprised when I got them how small they are. Next to a AA batt

Thank you for that photo! Looks like they're about the same size as the Protek pliers so looks are definitely deceiving in this case.

[tuxstang]

Of my 10 RCs, except once on the Twin Hammers that had its share of bad treatments as it was my only basher until 3 weeks ago, I've never had to rebuild a single shock in the last 5 years ... just a bit of refill (if any) from time to time and cleaning of the shaft.

I agree such a tool can be helpful, but unless I'll be building or rebuilding shocks as a hobby or racing, I don't feel the need for it. To each is own.

[odomandr]

The correct tool for the task at hand is worth it in my opinion. Who argues about having more cool tools....

[FloridaST]

Absolutely required IMO. I like the ones with the shock end ball installer.

[McCrash]

For me it’s one of those “how did I live without this” tools. I have 2 sets, Associated and Tekno. The Tekno’s are my go to for assembling shafts, both shock and otherwise, tightening shock caps, inserting and removing balls, ...

[JatoTheRipper]

Just an FYI - the Arrowmax soft jaw pliers that I mentioned on the previous page are back in stock at AMain.

https://www.amainhobbies.com/arrowma...0031-b/p441359

[coffeeaddict17]

Yes.

[meatmonkey]

I spent over a decade assembling shocks using all sorts of cobbled methods. I finally splurged for the Tekno pliers last Christmas and find myself using them alot. Precise fitment and their comfortable in my hands. Easily worth what paid, and I should have got them long ago.

[King Dork]

A friend of mine bought new links and rod ends. Showed him how easy it is to snap the BALLS in and out of the rod ends and shocks with my Protek pliers. He went straight to the local hobby shop after work the following day and picked a set up. “If I only ever use it to snap those little BALLS in and out it’s money well spent.” Those were his words.

[Turtlejon]

Originally Posted by marinearmeni

Yes, I'm one of the design engineers.

cool! any chance Tekno will ever make a crawler?? I'd love to see what they came up with! I just put together a sct410.3, and this thing is amazing!!

[mash914]

I have the Tekno pliers. I had saved everything up until I got the pliers (4 new shocks and 9 rods) - it was a night and day improvement vs any other method I've tried. I'll admit my hands were a little sore at the end though.

The pivot ball insert / remove section was absolutely fantastic - so easy to control.

[soze]

Like almost everyone here, before I got them.... I thought they weren't necessary. After I got them.... They get used all the time. Way too useful, and makes things way easier.

[Kingmeow]

Ditto. I got the $17 job on Amazon and they work perfectly.