Hey guy's have been reading your forum for awhile now. I have enjoyed the reading.[/align]I have a question. I raised the rearend on my 79 corvette and heard a snapping noise.[/align]After checking I found the yoke on the right side had a broken snap ring on that side.[/align]I spoke to a local rearend shop and the guy told me not to worry about that snap ring.[/align]Is there any danger driving it with a broken snap ring?[/align]Thanks[/align]

 

Welcome to the forum 79, did you hear the noise before or after you worked on it? What yoke and which snapring, there are rings that secure the U-joint caps, those will probably not move due to the years of rust holding them in. The snapring that holds the yoke in the differential side gear is a whole different ball game, it is a significant part of the link type suspension and without it that yoke is free to move in and out at will with suspension travel.

 

Thanks for the invite 78, It is a side yoke on the passanger side of the rearend. The yoke does move when you pull the top of the tire out. I removed the axle shaft and replaced the ujoints. Thats when I saw the yoke out about 3/8" os an inch. I could push and pull it out. Not sure why the guy at the rearend shop told me not to worry about it. He is a ole school GM guy. He has been in business for better than 30 years here. This is why I amhere is get some input. I have 28 years working on 18 wheelers. If the factory put a snapring there, It is there for a good reason.
Thanks again

 

"If the factory put a snapring there, It is there for a good reason."[sm=exactly.gif]
I've been kickin' around cars for 40 years, not for business, but for fun.
It ain't supposed ta be broke, FIX IT!

 

I'm guessing w/o that snap-ring, when you go around a right turn, the side forces on the right trailing arm are pretty intense and eventually something very unpleasant will happen. []
Definitely replace the snap-ring.

 

Thanks a bunch guy's. I knew that all along. I guess I just needed some assurance.[/align]That will alter my plans now. Was planning a trip to Florida at the end of next month.[/align]Not sure if I will have time to get it done before then. Unless I send to a shop....But I amuse to fixing things myself and dislike paying someone else to work on my toys.[/align]In the mean time I will keep reading up on Starships project. This is better than any Soap Opera ever made. LOL.[/align]

 

Hi 79cvette, you say you hear a snapping noise, could it just be a dried up u joint
and yes each bearing on the u-joint has 1 snapring. It is a pretty easy job to pull the half shaft. PG

 

Glad you're tuning in. I'm havin' some issues, but I'm tryin' to pass along any info that might help others.
Like you, I'd hate payin' somebody else to do work on my "Baby". I wanna know every step, be it forward or backward.

 

PG, No I was removing the shaft to replace the unjoints, when I jacked up the passenger side I heard a snap. Then I took the top of the tire and pushed it in and out. After removing the shaft I verified that it was the snap ring that broke. So I guess I will just have to suck it up andfix it now. I wish it was just the ujoint snap rings. That was what made me jack it up in the first place. I heard a lil ticking sound when first taking off, After inspection I found some rust on one of the caps. So I replaced all four of them and a yoke on the shaft. The last Bubba that replace it hit the yoke when installing the cap. So I now have four new joints and one new yoke, With a internal snap ring broke....I love it.
Thanks for the input.

 

C3 Starship, I hear you and feel your pain brother. I think your doing a great job. I saw your pic's you posted. Made me feel 20 years younger. Keep up the good work. I just wish I had the time to under take a project like that. But being a Fleet manger I don't have to much time to do things like that anymore. Please let us know when you make it fire up. I will open a Bud Light and toast you and the Mrs.C3.