Ball link pliers, that don't suck!

[Vinny ///M3]

I got some pretty crummy ball link pliers, it's hard not to scratch the ball link (metal on metal). What are some decent pliers that don't suck?

[KSHeli]

if you have a Dremel or equivalent power tool get a small wire wheel and buff the edges to take off the sharp edges the that were produced during its manufacture. My pair worked fine on the ball-links of my 500 heli but my 700 it would hang up on the ball-links, so I just polished them and the pliers work perfect. Maybe even 1000 or finer wet/dry sand paper to remove the sharp edges just like taking the sharp edges off of CF frames.

[Vinny ///M3]

Great tip, thank you!

[Mercuriell]

It's also worth grinding the tips to the exact length you need for the ball links you use, most are too long and bind

[Thomas89]

Are the balls on the ball links different size for different size helis? My ball link plier works great for getting the links off the balls but it sucks balls(pun intended) at putting the balls back on.. Maybe it's the wrong size?

[josecr]

Hi there Thomas

I am glad you asked. I have exactly the same question about the universality of ball link pliers...I just bought some from Align and didn't even think about that. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me can tell us

Cheers
Jo

[whitehedr]

I had a set of the Align Ball Link Pliers. They were junk.....Notice I said junk. Yep, the split ends bent and then broke off. I do like the Align set of Allen Wrenches. They are very nice tools.

[josecr]

thanks for the heads-up!

I will keep an eye on those and see how Align's pliers work

Jo

[eskoskimo]

First post for me but ive been following Helifreak for a while now. I have the red handled Heli-max set of pliers and they work pretty slick on putting balls on and off on my Blade 400/ Trex 450 if your make sure they're lined up which ain't hard. They work absolutely flawlessly on my Trex 550 which uses same ball as a trex 600. Align pliers suck, have them too.

[wanderer56]

I've found that I need 3 different styles of ball link pliers for different heli. Some pliers work better on one heli than the other without gouging the balls up.

So I use the plastic "Universal Link Out Pliers" for removing and either the Align or EXI pliers to reinstall the links depending on which heli I'm working on and what link it is.

If your a heli tech or use the link pliers a lot, then it might be worth the investment for $38.00 pliers. That's the way I look at it from my experience as a technician. If it's a tool I'll use once and then throw in the box, and it can't be rented, I'll probably get the cheapest tool I can find(Harbor Freight). If it's a tool that I'll use day in and day out I'll get the highest quality I can afford (Craftsman is my personal choice). Can't afford Snap-On.

Just saying.

[Wizzard]

I have used the Align version for the last 4 years, same ones, and they work perfectly on everything from my 450 up to the Logo 500 I had....

[scwest]

Originally Posted by eskoskimo

First post for me but ive been following Helifreak for a while now. I have the red handled Heli-max set of pliers and they work pretty slick on putting balls on and off on my Blade 400/ Trex 450 if your make sure they're lined up which ain't hard. They work absolutely flawlessly on my Trex 550 which uses same ball as a trex 600. Align pliers suck, have them too.

+1
I use the Heli-Max for my Trex 450 and 500. The Align pliers haven't worked very well for me. Align has been promising new (green-handled) pliers for some time now. I hope that they are an improvement.

scw

[jhunter]

JR makes a great pair. Not the ones that come with tool set. They are pricy but are still straight after 24 builds and 3 years. Ron Lund sells them. They are about $34. I've been through 3 other sets that were $10-20 and all were junk. Buy once, buy quality.

[wrecker70]

Originally Posted by eskoskimo

First post for me but ive been following Helifreak for a while now. I have the red handled Heli-max set of pliers and they work pretty slick on putting balls on and off on my Blade 400/ Trex 450 if your make sure they're lined up which ain't hard. They work absolutely flawlessly on my Trex 550 which uses same ball as a trex 600. Align pliers suck, have them too.

+1 on the helimax, they are very good for $12-15. My first pair were the EXI ones that come in the kit but I thought they were complete garbage (the tip constantly flexed). I tried a buddy's Align pair and they wern't to bad but for the same price the helimax are better.
Just my 2c

[Todd Moriarty]

Originally Posted by jhunter

JR makes a great pair. Not the ones that come with tool set. They are pricy but are still straight after 24 builds and 3 years. Ron Lund sells them. They are about $34. I've been through 3 other sets that were $10-20 and all were junk. Buy once, buy quality.

My Mother In Law is gettimg me a set of these for Christmas!!