What is the easiest way to install a piston while keeping the orientation of the rings clocked right ? I have a ring compressor that’s the band style and it works fine but I struggled keeping the rings where they needed to be while holding it with one hand. There has to be a better solution. How do yall do it and what’s your method ? Vise clamp ?

 

The rings turn on the piston, as soon as you knock them into the bore. Do your best to orient them correctly at install, but know that as the piston travels in the cylinder, the rings are spinning on the piston…unless youve polished the cylinders…which I don’t recommend for a street engine.
I use tapered ring compressors on all my builds…seems I’m buying a new size quite often. The tapered compressors hold the rings in place for you. Makes installation super easy.

 

100% agreement on tapered ring compressor. Its all I use. The old syle does fit a variety of diameters, but once I used the tapered one I was hooked. Gladly buy another one for whatever size bore I'd need it for......