Calling all MAG lite C and D users

How do you remove the C clip inside the battery tube? It's damn.... err tight and hard to remove with damaging the anodizing.:shakehead

I find the easiest method is to use a smallish flat bladed screwdriver. Working from the head end, put the tip of the screwdriver at an angle so that one corner is under the lip of the snap ring. Then give the screwdriver a little twist to lift the end of the ring out of the groove while pushing down on it at the same time. Once you have the end of the ring started, just work your way around the ring by pushing down and when you're about halfway around it will usually pop out of the groove and fall out the bottom of the barrel.

Thanks but is the anodizing damaged?

DonShock said:

I find the easiest method is to use a smallish flat bladed screwdriver. Working from the head end, put the tip of the screwdriver at an angle so that one corner is under the lip of the snap ring. Then give the screwdriver a little twist to lift the end of the ring out of the groove while pushing down on it at the same time. Once you have the end of the ring started, just work your way around the ring by pushing down and when you're about halfway around it will usually pop out of the groove and fall out the bottom of the barrel.

Click to expand...

Not that I've ever noticed. But it's not like I stick a mirror down in the head to look closely. But even if there were a slight scratch, I doubt it would affect anything. One of the times I did a mod where I wanted the snap ring to make contact to the aluminum body, I had to do some fairly substantial sanding to remove enough anodizing to make contact.

I do it the same way as DonShock. Any particular reason you're worried about the interior finish of the light?

I use a kitchen flatware table knife because it is the perfect width to wedge between the two "ears" of the O-Ring. By lifting both ears at the same time, the O-Ring cannot slip away. I have no scratching of the inside anodizing, in part because a kitchen table knife is not sharp.

Like others have said, it is of no consequence if the anodizing is scratched inside. It has no practical purpose, and is unseen.

Thanks guys, just like to leave things in its original state, same for the anodizing.

Why do you need to remove the clip? The switch assembly should fall out the bottom of a modern Mag without having to deal with it.

The older Mags have a screw-in top plate instead of a clip (first aluminum, later plastic) which does need to be removed to pass the switch through the top.

If you chuck up a rag and a sheet of sandpaper it has a habit of coming loose as a side effect of sanding of the paint in the ID when you're trying to fit in an aluminum heatsink. :twothumbs

bfg9000 said:

Why do you need to remove the clip? The switch assembly should fall out the bottom of a modern Mag without having to deal with it.

The older Mags have a screw-in top plate instead of a clip (first aluminum, later plastic) which does need to be removed to pass the switch through the top.

Click to expand...

You need to remove it for things like inserting a KIU and/or AWR's Hotdriver.

Dont like to insert from the tail end, very troublesome.

LuxLuthor said:

You need to remove it for things like inserting a KIU and/or AWR's Hotdriver.

Click to expand...

Try 45degree needle nose pliers like the one here: www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=33202

Those look like handy pliers just to have...but realy just get a table knife that is the width of the Retainer Ring ears. It slides right up under the ears...no sliding or scratching anything, lifts and pops it sideways in a second.

snipinglight said:

Dont like to insert from the tail end, very troublesome.

Click to expand...

Ok, I don't have a hotdriver for a C maglite, so maybe that is why I don't understand this, but...

How is it troublesome to insert from the tail end? Is it less troublesome than:
1) removing the snap ring
2) ensuring that the anodising is not damaged in the process (not sure why this matters either, but...)
3) inserting the desired module
4) re-inserting the snap ring, being careful of the anodising again

Seems to me, if you were trying to avoid the 'troublesome' part, you'd just insert from the tail.

Once again, I do not know if the hotdriver is what needs to be installed here, and if it will go in from the tail. If it will, seems like the tail end would be the way to go. Especially if you need to protect the inside of the body.

schiesz

I was talking about the retainer ring being in the way for hotdriver in D mag, but similar issue for AW's soft start driver in a C Mag. Both replacement drivers are secured by setscrews, and the stock clip needs to be removed altogether. In reality it does not matter if the inside anodizing is scratched, except this guy doesn't want to scratch his inside. Who knows why.

The Hotdriver is a tight fit, and it is much easier to insert from top, since it must be pushed with some force to get it into position. Neither driver will work with the existing spring retaining clip.