What the f’n trick to get the tail shaft clip spread far enough apart

can you fit feeler gauges in there under the clip when you pry the circlip apart? Sort of a crutch to keep the thing from nesting back into the groove until you get another bite on it. Turbos have huge circlips holding the snail to the cartridge. I ended up filing the tips of some large needle nose pliers to use as circlip pliers. Sketchy but effective.