position of wrist pin circlip

[OneWithWood]

After rebuilding my MS460 with a new cylinder and piston (meteor) I ran across an article that suggested the wristpin circlips should be positioned so that the opening is either straight up or straight down.  I know one of the circlips is positioned so the opening is in line with the opening on the piston used to remove the circlip.
Should I tear it down again and re-align the circlip?

[ZeroJunk]

I would not. I doubt anybody has ever made any correlation between clip position and failure. Just sounds good to do it that way.

[bandmiller2]

Like Zero I wouldn't bother. The theory is if the opening is left or right (three and nine for the clock guys) inertia will loosen its tension top and bottom stroke. If I think of it I locate the opening top or bottom but loose little sleep over it. Frank C.

[HolmenTree]

After rebuilding my MS460 with a new cylinder and piston (meteor) I ran across an article that suggested the wristpin circlips should be positioned so that the opening is either straight up or straight down.  I know one of the circlips is positioned so the opening is in line with the opening on the piston used to remove the circlip.
Should I tear it down again and re-align the circlip?

I was taught  when I worked  for Stihl that the retainer clips gap face either vertically upwards or downwards  to a verticle positioned piston .
Either hooked or hookless retainer clips can be fitted in pistons with a assembly  recess slot. But only hook gap ended clips can be used on pistons without a recessed slot.

[HolmenTree]

We had a nice Stihl special tool for installing hookless circlips into the piston boss.
It was a pair of pliers with a built in sleeve and push button to insert the clip.

[Lazy logger]

With two stroke engines you should have the gaps up or down so the reciprocating forces don't close the gap and they pop out. If they do the clip and or pin will damage the piston and cylinder. Really bad on dirtbikes when in the air and the engine locks up and you nose dive.

[Al_Smith]

A larger cir-clip like 12 and 13 MM isn't too hard to install.The little 8 and 10MM clips present a problem.

I made a little hand pinner from both nylon and aluminum that works nicely for the tiny 8 mm clips for Stihl 200T's .Sure beats trying to find the things when they pop out and orbit your garage .