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Universal Joint Circlips. Is there a right and wrong way to install.

Wild Rover

Wild Rover

Overdrive!
After my recent UJ replacements (www.lrukforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=81207) I thought everything was great but after my first long distance run (20 miles) I noticed a vibration at apr 50 - 60 mph. I know that I put the yolks and uj's and grease nipples back in the same configuration as before so thought now would be a good time to double check all the nuts and bolts for tightness. They all seemed fine but when I grabbed the prop shaft for purchase it moved. After calling Paddocks all the names under the sun for sending me a reject uj I noticed that one of the bearing cups was shorter on the inside of the yolk than the others. Closer inspection showed that the circlip had worked its way out of its seat and the bearing cup had moved away from th uj. This has been drifted back in and the circlip replaced.

This is my question though. Circlips have a flat side with good corners and a slightly rounded side. Is there a specific way in which they are supposed to be installed or was it my fault in not getting it properly seated before driving off. I have installed all the circlips with the rounded side facing out of the uj. Should I turn them all round?

Thanks,
 
Sharp side out gets them to grip in their grooves. Ideally, you should turn them around, but I'd just leave them and keep an eje on them. If they stay put over the next few hundred miles, you'll be fine.
 
Snagger said:
Sharp side out gets them to grip in their grooves. Ideally, you should turn them around, but I'd just leave them and keep an eje on them. If they stay put over the next few hundred miles, you'll be fine.
Click to expand...

Cheers Snagger will keep an eye on them for now and may consider turning them around when I change the front uj's which I think I should do in the near future.
 
I always used to check that the circlips were fully in the groove by using a hammer and pin punch to knock them fully in. Never had one come out and i fitted what must be hundreds of the things in propshafts & half shafts.:)
 
FWIW, circlips are made by "pressing" flat plate, a consequence of which is that the holes which are used to open or close them have slightly tapered bores. It is considered good practice to fit these clips so that the narrowest part of the hole faces "out", which means that your circlip piers have a better grip when trying to ease them out of their manky, rust encrusted grooves.
 
Sandy M. said:
FWIW, circlips are made by "pressing" flat plate, a consequence of which is that the holes which are used to open or close them have slightly tapered bores. It is considered good practice to fit these clips so that the narrowest part of the hole faces "out", which means that your circlip piers have a better grip when trying to ease them out of their manky, rust encrusted grooves.
Click to expand...
Same as on the outer edges, as I mentioned.
 
Sandy M. said:
FWIW, circlips are made by "pressing" flat plate, a consequence of which is that the holes which are used to open or close them have slightly tapered bores. It is considered good practice to fit these clips so that the narrowest part of the hole faces "out", which means that your circlip piers have a better grip when trying to ease them out of their manky, rust encrusted grooves.
Click to expand...


Well you learn something every day. I never knew that before.
 
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