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Strange fastener

sssboa

sssboa

Super Member
Hi

Any special way to disengage this pcb fastener? It is used instead of screws on this pcb. In the middle is a plastic pin which comes through a hole in the pcb to keep it in place, around it a rubber washer and then the metal ring with tabs which block the pcb from getting off the plastic pin.

fastener.jpg
 
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I believe these are normally regarded as a 'one-time' use fastener, very difficult to remove unless you damage either the plastic pin or the spring washer. Replacement spring washers are generally available, (although you might have to buy quite a few as they are so cheap), so if you damage it it isn't the end of the world.

Sometimes it is possible to prize up one or more of the 3 holding tabs with snipe nose pliers or something similarly tough. Others faced with the same issue have used a Dremel with a small burr and cut through the rim of the spring washer to release it.

See what others say, they might have a 'trick' with these that I don't know.

Good Luck!
 
I hate those. If you can get three wires underneath each tab and then pull up (same force in each tab) it may come up.
What gear is this? I don't want this gear. Like yesterday, I opened up a preamp and it was full of ics (google didn't work) and I said fudge (but I didn't say fudge).
 
sssboa said:
Hi
Any special way to disengage this pcb fastener? View attachment 1225430
Click to expand...

Very carefully I'd say..... where I've seen similar types of clip, they've always been very prone to breaking at the slightest attempt to remove them, and I'm sure that'll just get worse the older the plastic is. It's probably better to avoid removal, if at all possible.

When I've had to remove them (albeit not in electrical equipment), I've gently 'levered' up 2 or 3 of the 'tabs' with something like a small jeweller's screwdriver, while holding the clip down with pliers or similar, so a minimum of stress passes to the plastic. Far from ideal, but maybe 50/50 success rate.
 
fernarias said:
I hate those. If you can get three wires underneath each tab and then pull up (same force in each tab) it may come up.
What gear is this? I don't want this gear. Like yesterday, I opened up a preamp and it was full of ics (google didn't work) and I said fudge (but I didn't say fudge).
Click to expand...
The new incarnation of this is called starlock washers. Now to buy them it's hard to say what size I need. Anything between 2 and 3 mm. And there are 2, 2.4 and 3mm available. The tabs go into a groove in the plastic pin I suppose so brute force will damage the pin I think. So I will cut the tabs with pliers if possible.

The gear is Roberts R606 MB radio from 1976.
 
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