On Tue, 15 Mar 2011 05:33:46 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

One more question. I have installed a u joint. I am not sure one side
snap ring is fully seated. I can see the ring grove and the ring is
there but I am not sure the ring is fuly seated. Is there an easy way
to tell and if it is not seated what could cause it?

I know typically the first answer is a needle bearing. But every time
I have had a needle bearing fall into the cup, you cant even see the
groove the snap ring goes into. Also when I have had a needle fall
into the cup, there is typically a gap between the rubber seal for
that cup and the u joint body. I can say for sure there is no gap in
this area.

The opposite side I installed the snap ring fully into the bore before
pressing the opposite cup into the boar. On the one I know is fully
seated, there is a nice gap between the ends of the pretzel looking
ring. (I would think this indicates the ring is expanded fully into
the groove). On the opposite cup, the ring is almost touching. By
eyballing the depth from the snap ring to the top of the driveshaft it
looks about the same. I may just be anal about this but I want to make
sure it is right. I did drive it down the road about 1/4 of a mile and
there was no noise or problems. I appreciate any help.
If the ring is not seated, it's not seated. If the gap is not the
same as on the one you know is seated, it's not seated - and it WILL
come out some day. I generally use a big brass hammer or a dead-blow
to whack the joint all the way to the side with the known properly
seated ring, then using a vice and a spacer (usually the old cup) I
press the second cup in as far as it will go. If the ring will not
seat, you LIKELY have a compressed yoke and you need to spread it so
the clip will fit.

No fun losing the rear U-Joint at 70 MPH in an Aerostar, (on the
friday of a long weekend a thousand miles from home) as both my
daughter and I can attest to. I had both joints replaced by local
garage while I was out of the country because I knew I had to go from
Waterloo to Winnipeg a few days after I got home from Africa.
The mechanic was not as fussy as I am. Perhaps he will be next time.

I got to replace the joint lying on my back in a parking lot without
all the proper tools, and I STILL got it right. Vice on chest to
squeeze everything together.