Thread: How to get Pistons off Rods?

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Piston pins are simple: they are either a press fit into the pistons or a slip fit into the pistons. The slip fit is referred to as "floating" where the pin "floats".

Pressed pins and floating pins both are a slip fit into the piston. If the rod end has a bushing installed in the bore, it is a "bushed" rod. Floating pins have a small oil hole drilled into the top of the rod.

To retain the pins in a floating installation, a retainer clip must be used. This can be a circlip, a spirolox, a retaining ring or such. All allow the retainer to be removed for pin removal.

For a street driven vehicle, there is no big advantage to floating pins. Floating pins are convenient for when the engine is disassembled frequently....like a true race car.

Your local engine machine shop can press the pins out of the piston/rod for a really cheap price or you can do it yourself if you have access to a hydraulic press.