C-clip, Rotor Clip, snap ring or Jesus clip

1998 Views 9 Replies 8 Participants Last post by oldjeep, 10 mo ago

Dado8

Discussion Starter · 10 mo ago

I never knew there is a "RIGHT" and "WRONG" way to install one of these

... apparently there is a rounded and sharp edge...now I know why some of my "fixes" failed,... like wheels falling off the car at highway speed

Wiki.....Since most snap rings are stamped from sheet steel, one side is slightly rounded and the other has sharp, rough edges. This is due to the stamping die behaving like a cookie cutter and causing a slight rounding of the upper edge of the cut clip. The snap ring must always be installed such that force is transmitted to the retaining groove from the rounded side of the ring, not the rough/square-edged side. If a snap ring is positioned such that its flat side is pressed into the rounded edge of the groove then when load or force is applied, the flat edge of the snap ring will "bite" into the rounded edge of the retaining groove. The snap ring will distort and ride up the rounded edge, spreading an external snap ring and compressing an internal snap ring. This leaves the clip prone to being forced out of its groove and failing at its retaining function. The accompanying images illustrate the correct orientation of the snap ring in its groove. Wet or dry lubrication is recommended to reduce friction against the circlip and maintain function.

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24714

· #2 · 10 mo ago

Same rules apply to motorcycle chain master link clips.
Flat side goes out.

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tgeliot

· #3 · 10 mo ago

24714 said:
Same rules apply to motorcycle chain master link clips.
Flat side goes out.

That seems like the opposite rule. Am I misunderstanding?

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24714

· #4 · 10 mo ago

tgeliot said:
That seems like the opposite rule. Am I misunderstanding?

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

After taking a closer look, you may be right.
I was always told for a master link clip to put the flat side out so it "digs" in the pin slot.
Rounded side would be easier to push out of slot.
Am I wrong ?

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tgeliot

· #5 · 10 mo ago

24714 said:
After taking a closer look, you may be right.
I was always told for a master link clip to put the flat side out so it "digs" in the pin slot.
Rounded side would be easier to push out of slot.
Am I wrong ?

I hope you're not expecting me to provide an answer

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Brockie

· #6 · 10 mo ago

I've always done the opposite of what is described above on the basis that the rounded edge should not grip as effectively. Hmmm.

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Motor7

· #7 · 10 mo ago

Wow, I honestly did not know there was a radius on one side of a snap ring. The illustration of installment does seem wrong. Maybe someone here can explain why putting the radius 'out' is better?

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BackPacker

· #8 · 10 mo ago

What I understand is that it's just about matching the shape of the ring with the shape of the groove.

Due to the way the groove is machined, there's always going to be a radius in the inner corner: It's never going to be a perfect square corner (*). If you then put the square edge of the ring into that rounded corner, it's going to deform (compress/expand) the ring once the force is applied. This, at the very least, reduces the effective work surface of the ring. It may even force the clip out altogether. So you'll want the rounded edge of the clip in the rounded corner of the groove, at the point where the force pushes the clip into the groove.

As these clips are usually used to hold something in (rather than out), it means the round edge has to be on the outside.

(*) Actually come to think about this, it may not be due to a limitation of the machining process that there's a radius here. It may also be for better force distribution. Same reason that airliner windows have round corners instead of square.

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STCorndog

· #9 · 10 mo ago

24714 said:
After taking a closer look, you may be right.
I was always told for a master link clip to put the flat side out so it "digs" in the pin slot.
Rounded side would be easier to push out of slot.
Am I wrong ?

Not in my book. I was taught the same. I have grey hair and have never lost a circlip yet. Most circlip don’t see much force.

I learn (or try to) something each day though. Going to check this out with my mentor.

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oldjeep

· #10 · 10 mo ago

I always thought the round end of an internal snapring went down and the reason it was there was to allow it to slide in diagonally easier. And that the square edge is up so it doesn't want to roll out of the groove under pressure. In any event I've never had a clip spit out of a driveshaft, transmission, etc so I guess I won't worry about it.

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