Turbo actuator circlip

What is the best way to get it back on when installing a new actuator?

I usually use a pair or small forceps to start it then use a screw driver to finish stalling it.....works for me.
I also get the cheap circlip assortment box from HF as I'm damn sure I'm gonna lose one or two.

I just didn't put it back on my ALH. It has been working fine for 3 months without the clip.

Would a small pair of vise grips work? The newer one I have allows you to tighten it down with an allen wrench.

I was able to push it on with my thumb. Callouses I guess. It's tough to get it started square to the rod. A piece of masking tape helps, you can find it if it flies.

In my left hand I use needle-nose vice grips to line it up and steady it - and then with my right hand push it home with the flat side of a screw driver. Release the needle nose pliers. Done. I find that where you eye-ball the actuator rod helps too - Instead of looking up at it from below, I look from the BACK side of the sub frame, looking above the sub frame, facing the front of the car, which is the same direction I am pushing on the clip.

I did it with my thumb as well. Car runs like a champ. All new vacuum lines and actuator. My actuators last about 8.5 years.

This is my third actuator. Very weirdly, my car ran ok, or so it seemed most of the time. This is what it looked like. I really don’t understand how the car ran was well as it did. But now it runs awesome.

I'm not a contortionist with a bountiful amount of specialized tools that are just right for the clip assembly. I just put a dab of Loctite "Blue 242" on the threads then called it a day. I used a coat hanger as an application tool. It's been around 30K since that day and I haven't had a reason to look at the arrangement as of yet. I still have the clip siting in the deep compartment that only people with freakishly long fingers can get to the bottom of in the center console.

I have short fingers and used my thumb and a shirt jewelers screwdriver.