2006 Prerunner A/C clutch. Desperate cry for help!!

My a/c stopped working. Ac light flashing. Tried a new relay no luck heard some whining from under the hood. After research I decided to try and replace the compressor clutch. For the life of me I cannot get the snap ring that holds the magnet on the compressor shaft. I have tried both the old and the new snap rings. Everything look identical. Been struggling on this for a couple of days and am now considering pulling the compressor.
If I need to pull the compressor I might as well replace it.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Angelo

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBmYmb4NM8I

 

Thanks, all the video I watch just says put the snap ring back on. I just can’t get it.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYQtP2pvpkM

 

http://www.ttguide.net/reassembly-1707.html

 

Thanks again Bill. It looks like I’m going to need to pull the compressor to get the snap ring on. Appreciate your help.
Where did you get that manual? I’d like to get it for my 06.
Thanks again
Angelo

 

Do you have a good set of snap ring pliers?

 

Bill and Curt,
Thanks for all the help!
You hit the nail on the head. I was using cheapies from OReilys. Today I went to Lowe’s and bought a Set made by channel lock. It took me a couple tries, maybe 20 minutes and it was done.
I was just going on to update the post when I saw your comment. I usually buy good tools but this one got me. Cost me about 8 hours. Thank god I didn’t pull the compressor.

 

DONT BUY CHEAP TOOLS. THESE DID THE TRICK!

 

should help a lot of people doing this in the future, those snap rings seem to cause a lot of pains when replacing those clutches, now you can turn on that AC and enjoy

 

different model Tacoma but good thread about the AC clutch
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/a-c-compressor-clutch-on-3-4.411362/