Best way to pull U-joint snap-rings?

Subject pretty much covers it - What's the best way to deal wth the
snap-rings that hold a U-joint together? Best I've managed to come up
with so far is a pair of "crossed screwdrivers" to push them off - Seat
the blade of one screwdriver against the right side end of the clip,
with the handle on the left side, seat another against the left side end
of the clip, with the handle to the right, then push (and pray...) until
it either comes off, or something slips and you get to start over.

There's GOTTA be a better way, though... Doesn't there? I haven't
stumbled onto it if there is.

--
Don Bruder - - New Email policy in effect as of Feb. 21, 2004.
Short form: I'm trashing EVERY E-mail that doesn't contain a password in the
subject unless it comes from a "whitelisted" (pre-approved by me) address.
See <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd/main/contact.html> for full details.

Don Bruder wrote:
> Subject pretty much covers it - What's the best way to deal wth the
> snap-rings that hold a U-joint together? Best I've managed to come up
> with so far is a pair of "crossed screwdrivers" to push them off - Seat
> the blade of one screwdriver against the right side end of the clip,
> with the handle on the left side, seat another against the left side end
> of the clip, with the handle to the right, then push (and pray...) until
> it either comes off, or something slips and you get to start over.
>
> There's GOTTA be a better way, though... Doesn't there? I haven't
> stumbled onto it if there is.

Try a snap-ring plier.

"Don Bruder" > wrote in message
...
>
> Subject pretty much covers it - What's the best way to deal wth the
> snap-rings that hold a U-joint together? Best I've managed to come up
> with so far is a pair of "crossed screwdrivers" to push them off - Seat
> the blade of one screwdriver against the right side end of the clip,
> with the handle on the left side, seat another against the left side end
> of the clip, with the handle to the right, then push (and pray...) until
> it either comes off, or something slips and you get to start over.
>
> There's GOTTA be a better way, though... Doesn't there? I haven't
> stumbled onto it if there is.

If you mean the snap rings without holes, I use needle nose pliers to
contract the ring and a screwdriver to flip it out of the joint. I'm sure
others have their pet methods, but this is not a difficult task no matter
what modality is used.

"Chas Hurst" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Don Bruder" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> Subject pretty much covers it - What's the best way to deal wth the
>> snap-rings that hold a U-joint together? Best I've managed to come up
>> with so far is a pair of "crossed screwdrivers" to push them off - Seat
>> the blade of one screwdriver against the right side end of the clip,
>> with the handle on the left side, seat another against the left side end
>> of the clip, with the handle to the right, then push (and pray...) until
>> it either comes off, or something slips and you get to start over.
>>
>> There's GOTTA be a better way, though... Doesn't there? I haven't
>> stumbled onto it if there is.
>
> If you mean the snap rings without holes, I use needle nose pliers to
> contract the ring and a screwdriver to flip it out of the joint. I'm sure
> others have their pet methods, but this is not a difficult task no matter
> what modality is used.
>
>

Agreed. I've used just normal slip joint pliers. Using two screwdrivers
would be like using chopsticks to drink soup when you can just ask for a
spoon.

-Bruce

In article >,
"Bruce Chang" > wrote:

> "Chas Hurst" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Don Bruder" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >>
> >> Subject pretty much covers it - What's the best way to deal wth the
> >> snap-rings that hold a U-joint together? Best I've managed to come up
> >> with so far is a pair of "crossed screwdrivers" to push them off - Seat
> >> the blade of one screwdriver against the right side end of the clip,
> >> with the handle on the left side, seat another against the left side end
> >> of the clip, with the handle to the right, then push (and pray...) until
> >> it either comes off, or something slips and you get to start over.
> >>
> >> There's GOTTA be a better way, though... Doesn't there? I haven't
> >> stumbled onto it if there is.
> >
> > If you mean the snap rings without holes, I use needle nose pliers to
> > contract the ring and a screwdriver to flip it out of the joint. I'm sure
> > others have their pet methods, but this is not a difficult task no matter
> > what modality is used.
> >
> >
>
> Agreed. I've used just normal slip joint pliers. Using two screwdrivers
> would be like using chopsticks to drink soup when you can just ask for a
> spoon.

Dunno which U-joints you've been working on, but the ones I'm dealing
with don't have room to get a pair of slip joint pliers into position -
no pliers I've got that can open wide enough to go around the cups are
skinny enough to get in there and do the job. The clips I'm working with
live on the inside of the ears of the driveshaft, clipped into a groove
on the outside diameter of the cups so as to perform as stops,
preventing the otherwise free-floating cups from moving outward through
the ears.

As far as snap ring pliers, there's nothing to get a "bite" on - These
are "hole-free", external snap-rings - The ends have to move away from
each other to expand them enough to remove from the groove they're
seated in on the cups. The "crossed screwdrivers" I mentioned are the
only way that seems to be possible, and they have to be pretty skinny
screwdrivers to fit into the small gap that's available to work in. Even
then, it's a severe pain in the backside to get the job done.

It's the "tear it apart" stage that's turning out to be the killer,
requiring anywhere from five minutes to half an hour (or more!) of
dinking around trying to get each of the old clips off so that the cups
can be pulled. Multiply that by twelve rings (3 U-joint driveshaft), and
you're talking quite a bit of wasted time and effort fighting with the
darn things.

Putting this driveshaft back together is a cake-walk - spider into
position, cups onto ends of spider through driveshaft ears, position the
clip, and give a little push with a thumb - Done, in just a few seconds
per clip. They practically install themselves. Reassembly from "totally
disassembled" to "Ready to put back on the car" is a matter of five
minutes or less, total. Getting it torn down so that the new joints can
be installed takes well over an hour, most of it spent cussing at those
#*%@%*&! uncooperative snap rings.

--
Don Bruder - - New Email policy in effect as of Feb. 21, 2004.
Short form: I'm trashing EVERY E-mail that doesn't contain a password in the
subject unless it comes from a "whitelisted" (pre-approved by me) address.
See <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd/main/contact.html> for full details.

Don Bruder wrote:
>
>Subject pretty much covers it - What's the best way to deal wth the
>snap-rings that hold a U-joint together? Best I've managed to come up
>with so far is a pair of "crossed screwdrivers" to push them off - Seat
>the blade of one screwdriver against the right side end of the clip,
>with the handle on the left side, seat another against the left side end
>of the clip, with the handle to the right, then push (and pray...) until
>it either comes off, or something slips and you get to start over.
>
>There's GOTTA be a better way, though... Doesn't there? I haven't
>stumbled onto it if there is.

Presumably you're referring to the ones that fit below the ears of the
yoke.

Try using a pin punch. A sharp tap to one leg will usually get the
clip on it's way, a hit to other should expose enough of the clip to
lever it the rest of the way with a screwdriver (assuming you don't
want it to end up in the dirt).

--
John H

Don
My old Toyota has the "C" type inside clips. What I've done in the
past is taken a small pin punch about an 1/8 in around to one end of
the clip with a small hammer and just give it a light rap. The other
end of the clip will dig into groove and the clip will rotate out. Put
a rag under the joint your working on so that if the clip decides to
come out all at once it won't go zinging across the garage

Rick

"Don Bruder" > wrote in message
...
>
> Subject pretty much covers it - What's the best way to deal wth the
> snap-rings that hold a U-joint together? Best I've managed to come up
> with so far is a pair of "crossed screwdrivers" to push them off - Seat
> the blade of one screwdriver against the right side end of the clip,
> with the handle on the left side, seat another against the left side end
> of the clip, with the handle to the right, then push (and pray...) until
> it either comes off, or something slips and you get to start over.
>
> There's GOTTA be a better way, though... Doesn't there? I haven't
> stumbled onto it if there is.
>
> --
> Don Bruder - - New Email policy in effect as of Feb. 21,
> 2004.
> Short form: I'm trashing EVERY E-mail that doesn't contain a password in
> the
> subject unless it comes from a "whitelisted" (pre-approved by me) address.
> See <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd/main/contact.html> for full details.

Don,

I have a pair of snap-ring pliers that have flat cross-hatched (so they
don't slip out as easily) blades that spread apart when you squeeze the
handles together. They are made just for these types of external snap rings
with no holes. I bought them many years ago when rebuilding a manual
transmission, which had many of these snap-rings inside. I got them in the
specialty tool section of my local auto parts store. Check out this link
for a picture (click on the small picture to zoom):

http://www.prosourcetools.com/view_p....php?upid=1147

Hope this helps,
Paul

On Sun, 12 Jun 2005 20:29:09 +1000, John_H >
wrote:

>Don Bruder wrote:
>>
>>Subject pretty much covers it - What's the best way to deal wth the
>>snap-rings that hold a U-joint together? Best I've managed to come up
>>with so far is a pair of "crossed screwdrivers" to push them off - Seat
>>the blade of one screwdriver against the right side end of the clip,
>>with the handle on the left side, seat another against the left side end
>>of the clip, with the handle to the right, then push (and pray...) until
>>it either comes off, or something slips and you get to start over.
>>
>>There's GOTTA be a better way, though... Doesn't there? I haven't
>>stumbled onto it if there is.
>
>Presumably you're referring to the ones that fit below the ears of the
>yoke.
>
>Try using a pin punch. A sharp tap to one leg will usually get the
>clip on it's way, a hit to other should expose enough of the clip to
>lever it the rest of the way with a screwdriver (assuming you don't
>want it to end up in the dirt).

Ill second that method.
Same as I do.

On 2005-06-12 said:
>Newsgroups: rec.autos.tech
>"Don Bruder" > wrote in message
...
>> Subject pretty much covers it - What's the best way to deal wth
>>the snap-rings that hold a U-joint together? Best I've managed to
>>come up with so far is a pair of "crossed screwdrivers" to push
>>them off - Seat the blade of one screwdriver against the right
>>side end of the clip, with the handle on the left side, seat
>>another against the left side end of the clip, with the handle to
>>the right, then push (and pray...) until it either comes off, or
>something slips and you get to start over. >
>> There's GOTTA be a better way, though... Doesn't there? I haven't
>> stumbled onto it if there is.
>> --
>> Don Bruder - - New Email policy in effect as of
>>Feb. 21, 2004.
>> Short form: I'm trashing EVERY E-mail that doesn't contain a
>>password in the
>> subject unless it comes from a "whitelisted" (pre-approved by me)
>>address. See <http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd/main/contact.html> for
>full details.
>Don,
>I have a pair of snap-ring pliers that have flat cross-hatched (so
>they don't slip out as easily) blades that spread apart when you
>squeeze the handles together. They are made just for these types
>of external snap rings with no holes. I bought them many years ago
>when rebuilding a manual transmission, which had many of these
>snap-rings inside. I got them in the specialty tool section of my
>local auto parts store. Check out this link for a picture (click
>on the small picture to zoom):
>http://www.prosourcetools.com/view_p....php?upid=1147
>Hope this helps,
>Paul
Mine has "MAC-P20" stamped on it. Bought sometime in the '60's. Works.


Tom Willmon
near Mountainair, (mid) New Mexico, USA

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