General Tech Bending tabs on chrome gauge rings

[HealeyDave]

I have some new chrome gauge rings and the little tabs on them are not bent to grab the lip on the gauge when installing. These tabs are pretty short and difficult to grab with conventional pliers. Any tricks to bending the tabs without damage to the nice new chrome on the ring?
Thanks

 

[Rut]

I usually place the trim ring on the gauge and put it face down on a towel using a screwdriver to bend the tabs. It may take a little adjustment to get it right, but the bezel (trim ring) should fit tightly and still turn.
Rut

 

[Popeye]

I used a paint stirrer to protect the outside face, and used channel lock pliers to slowly work the tab inward. Finally I pinched it flat, squeezing the gasket between glass and bezel.

I was a little worried about breaking glass, but did not have any problems.

 

[sp53]

Perhaps if you had a gauge with the glass out and the ring on that gauge face down on something soft then had access to the back of the gauge through a light hole or a gauge to sacrifice, you should be able to push the ring out and open more with a hard dowel or brass drift.

 

[HealeyDave]

Thanks for the replies. I tried the suggestion from Rut, and with some playing around and more force than I was initially comfortable, I was able to get the tabs bent to where I wanted them with a screwdriver. Getting them started to bend is the trick. Once the metal bends a bit, it goes more easily the rest of the way over. It's not perfect, but pretty good. And, with no damage to the rest of the chrome or glass, or my fingers.
No clue how they did this in production back in the day, or at the resto shops these days. Gotta be some fancy service tool for the job.

 

[CJD]

I always use a drift punch and small hammer, with the bezel on the gage and face down. Initial taps are at about 45 degrees, then straight downward once the tab has started.