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Tin Snips: PITA or not?

Starscream

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Columbia, SC
I just put on my 32x11.50 BFG MTs on my ~3.5" BDS/RE lift and I rub when I turn hard either direction. I'd like to just run up to a parts store tomorrow and get some tin snips to trim enough to clear when I turn hard (it's not much I need to trim) until I can get up to the shop and use whichever air tool.


So, the question is: how much of a pain is using tin snips to trim? Should I just wait and try to make wider turns, or should I go ahead with it?


Like I said, I don't have to trim too much. I read through a few posts saying people have done it, but nobody mentioned if it was overly difficult. It seems to me like they'd be some trouble.


Thanks in advance...
 
I'd think so - you'd have some difficulty following contours, and our sheetmetal is fairly thick. A "rolling shear" would probably be a better bet - especially a socket-wrench driven version, which you could always stick a longer lever on.

If you can hold on until you get access to a Sawzall or an air tool with a cut-off wheel, I'm inclined to think your hands will thank you for it. Granted, I haven't done the job myself - so take my advice with a small grain of salt...

5-90
 
5-90 said:
I'd think so - you'd have some difficulty following contours, and our sheetmetal is fairly thick. A "rolling shear" would probably be a better bet - especially a socket-wrench driven version, which you could always stick a longer lever on.

If you can hold on until you get access to a Sawzall or an air tool with a cut-off wheel, I'm inclined to think your hands will thank you for it. Granted, I haven't done the job myself - so take my advice with a small grain of salt...

5-90
Well, I wasn't going to fully trim and follow a countour, but more or less just make some vertical/horizontal cuts and them hammer it back- I can always cut it out later. But ya, they do look like they'd be hard on the hands. I'll have to check out the rolling shear you are talking about.
 
I've used a grinder with a cutoff disc, a cutoff wheel on a die grinder and a Sawz-All. Shears were never really an option. The metal is too thick and the results would have been much less satisfactory....not even, not done without some pain and you'd be investing in 3 pairs of shears - right, left and straight cut.
 
You should be able to find a grinder for about the same price as a good set of shears and a grinder would be worlds easier.

-b
 
tealcherokee said:
dremel or other electric grinder seems to work best, air grinders never seem to have enough nut for me
agreed
 
I started mine with tin snips and decided it was too big of a pain in the ass, so I sawsalled it and used a grinder to clean it up. The job was done very quickly.
 
I just trimmed mine last night with a dremel. Went through 19 reinforced cutting disks but the results were nice. I finished it off with a flapper sander disk thingy on my grinder.


Kyung
 
Its not bad at all with a quality pair of tin snips....i did the bulk of my trimming with a sawzall, but did the finish trimming and a couple other places that i couldnt get at with the sawzall with tin snips. Works just fine.
 
I useed tin snips for my openings. Worked fine. Just make sure you get a good pair.
I keep a pair in the boonie bag for those on the trail mods.
 
Go with a good pair of right and left handed shears. Of course, the shears are more work but I can tell you from my own experience that they make a much cleaner cut.
 
I used left, right, and straight aviation snips. Not hard at all and gives you precise control. If you are confident with a cut-off saw or wheel then by all means, but i'm not a body man so the snips worked outstanding for me.
Good luck.
 
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