How to Remove a Roll Pin

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 28, 2021 References

A roll pin, sometimes also referred to as a spring pin, is a small 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) long piece of metal with hollow ends that’s used to join together 2 components of a machine. They’re commonly used in car engines and in firearms, for example. In most cases, it’s easy to remove a roll pin by pulling it out of its housing with your fingers or a wrench. If the pin is stuck or broken, however, you may need to resort to more aggressive methods to remove it.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Loosening a Stuck Roll Pin

1
Spray an aerosol oil spray on the roll pin if it’s stuck. If the roll pin has rusted or broken - or if the metal parts it’s holding together are old - it may be tough to loosen. In this case, use an aerosol oil- and water-displacing spray to loosen up the pin. If the canister has a plastic tube that can be attached to the spray nozzle, use this to direct the spray directly onto the sides of the roll pin. Wait 10 minutes for the spray to seep into the metal around the pin.
- Aerosol oil- and water-displacing sprays are for sale at any hardware store. You can also find them at home-improvement store and large retail stores.
2
Use a roll pin removal tool to loosen up a roll pin if aerosol didn’t help. As their name suggests, roll pin removal tools are designed specifically for popping broken or stuck roll pins out of their housing in pieces of metal. The tool has a curved base that’s about 2 inches (5.1 cm) long. Coming out of one end is a knob attached to a threaded metal rod. Set the end of the threaded rod against the stuck pin and turn it clockwise to put pressure on the pin and loosen it.
- These tools are sold at hardware stores and are relatively inexpensive. They typically only cost between $10–20 USD.
Advertisement
3
Freeze and heat the roll pin to loosen it if the pin is in a small object. Place the metal object with the roll pin in it in the freezer for 4–5 hours. Then, retrieve the object from the freezer and take it out to your garage or workshop. Use a propane torch to heat up the stuck roll pin until it’s red hot. The contrast of hot and cold temperatures should be enough to loosen the roll pin in its housing.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- This works well on handguns and other smaller metal objects. If you’re working on a car, obviously it won’t fit in your freezer. But, you can still use a propane torch to heat the roll pin and loosen it up.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using a Pin Punch

1
Buy a pin punch set from a home-improvement store. A set of pin punches will contain a number of metal punches that mechanics and gunsmiths use to both install and remove metal roll pins. The metal punches are convex on 1 end so that they’ll easily fit into the hollowed-out end of a metal roll pin.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- You can purchase pin punches at most hardware stores, home-improvement stores, or gun shops. Pin punch sets typically cost less than $15 USD. Nicer models will come with their own hammer.
2
Select the size of pin punch that matches the diameter of your roll pin. Roll pins are manufactured in set sizes, so it’s very likely that the stuck or broken roll pin that you’re trying to remove is the same size as 1 of the pin punches you’ve purchased. Hold up 3 or 4 of the pin punches until you find one whose diameter matches the roll pin.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- If you don’t have an exact fit, select a pin punch that’s slightly smaller than your roll pin.
3
Tap on the end of the pin punch to loosen up the roll pin. Set the convex end of the pin punch into the end of the roll pin. If the roll pin is damaged or has been snapped in half, do your best to align the pin punch so it won’t slip off of the pin as you hammer it. Then, give the end of the punch 2–3 gentle taps with a hammer to loosen it up in its housing.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- If the butt end of the pin punch is made of plastic, use a soft-headed mallet to hammer it. A hard-headed hammer may damage the plastic on the punch.
4
Give the pin 1–2 taps in the opposite direction if it’s still stuck. It may seem counterintuitive to drive the stuck roll pin further into the piece of metal it’s stuck in. But, often doing so can loosen the pin up just enough so you can then remove it. Place the convex end of a pin punch against the end of the stuck roll pin so that you’ll be driving further into the metal it’s stuck in. Give it 2 firm taps with a hammer.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- If you tap more than twice, you’ll risk getting the pin even more stuck than it was initially!
5
Hammer the roll pin again until it comes out of its housing. Once you’ve given the pin a few gentle taps to loosen it up, you should be able to knock it loose. This time use firmer hammer blows to knock the roll pin out of its housing. Continue hammering until the pin falls out.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Unless you’re planning to reuse the roll pin (which you should not do if it’s damaged or rusted), throw it in the trash.