Need Help
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,504
Likes: 0
From: Byron Center MI
Need Help
I need to buy some c-clips for the shaft in the differential that the spider gears are on. I'm being told this is an early design carrier and they are discontinued. I'm hoping someone has a 3 series carier laying around that they would be willing to give up or point me in a direction of where I can find them. Picture below show the grooves in the shaft where the c-clips go. TIA Tim
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 189
Likes: 2
From: Hinckley Ohio
You might try Tom's differentials. I bought a set from him for my dana 44. They come in various thickness as the end play in the stub shaft is critical and must be checked when installing the c-clips.
www.tomsdifferentiald.com Give him a call, he is very helpful.
85C4sX2
www.tomsdifferentiald.com Give him a call, he is very helpful.
85C4sX2
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 189
Likes: 2
From: Hinckley Ohio
After reading your request again, I believe that I read it wrong the first time. I have never seen c-clips on the cross shaft for the spider gears, but looking at your picture, it looks like that is what you are asking for. I would think that you can find an external snap ring that would fit the grooves in the shaft and that would work fine.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,504
Likes: 0
From: Byron Center MI
Racer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 293
Likes: 0
You don't need snap rings in that location if you have the roll pin to retain the pinion shaft. I believe that was the subject of the recall for the diffs for the 1984s. That is why they were discontinued. If you have the roll pin, forget the snap rings.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,050
Likes: 147
From: Phoenix AZ
2021 C4 of the Year - Modified Finalist
c clips
ok,
in my 57 chevy pickup, the rear looks like your pic.
The bolt holds the round bar that positions the square bar, and the axles are held in by the c clips that are held in by the square bar positioning the axles out far enough to keep the c clips from falling out.
got it?
any differential shop that does Chevies will have the c clips, just have to take your axle with you so they can make sure the c clips fit the grooves under the axle buttons.
Chris
BTW
your pic shows that the square bar is missing? and the bolt s not installed?
in my 57 chevy pickup, the rear looks like your pic.
The bolt holds the round bar that positions the square bar, and the axles are held in by the c clips that are held in by the square bar positioning the axles out far enough to keep the c clips from falling out.
got it?
any differential shop that does Chevies will have the c clips, just have to take your axle with you so they can make sure the c clips fit the grooves under the axle buttons.
Chris
BTW
your pic shows that the square bar is missing? and the bolt s not installed?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,504
Likes: 0
From: Byron Center MI
No roll pin. The carriers that have the roll pin style will have a relief in the carrier where the roll pin is pressed in. I'm thinking that if I get a c-clip that is close to the thickness of the groove in the shaft I will be ok.
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Cruising
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
if you can get a feeler gage in there measure the grove width and then the shaft dia. Mcmaster Carr www.mcmaster.com most likely has a snap ring that will work
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,504
Likes: 0
From: Byron Center MI
ok,
in my 57 chevy pickup, the rear looks like your pic.
The bolt holds the round bar that positions the square bar, and the axles are held in by the c clips that are held in by the square bar positioning the axles out far enough to keep the c clips from falling out.
got it?
any differential shop that does Chevies will have the c clips, just have to take your axle with you so they can make sure the c clips fit the grooves under the axle buttons.
Chris
BTW
your pic shows that the square bar is missing? and the bolt s not installed?
in my 57 chevy pickup, the rear looks like your pic.
The bolt holds the round bar that positions the square bar, and the axles are held in by the c clips that are held in by the square bar positioning the axles out far enough to keep the c clips from falling out.
got it?
any differential shop that does Chevies will have the c clips, just have to take your axle with you so they can make sure the c clips fit the grooves under the axle buttons.
Chris
BTW
your pic shows that the square bar is missing? and the bolt s not installed?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,504
Likes: 0
From: Byron Center MI
if you can get a feeler gage in there measure the grove width and then the shaft dia. Mcmaster Carr www.mcmaster.com most likely has a snap ring that will work
Racer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 293
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by 89vert
No roll pin. The carriers that have the roll pin style will have a relief in the carrier where the roll pin is pressed in. I'm thinking that if I get a c-clip that is close to the thickness of the groove in the shaft I will be ok.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,504
Likes: 0
From: Byron Center MI
Something doesn't sound right. Is this the original 1989 diff? Did you have those snap rings when you took it apart? Are they lost or did you never have them? Neither my 1989 Corvette parts book nor my 1993 Dana axle parts book, show the spider pinion shaft snap rings. The only reference to those snap rings that I have found are in an old 1984 FSM. You don't need the snap rings for the spider pinion gears. You only need them to retain the pinion shaft, if there is no other means. I am rather certain that was the reason for the early C4 diff recall campaign.
Funny part is that if you go to a GM dealer there part fisch shows this used as late as '90.
If I understand you correctly, you are saying I don't need the clips for the spider shaft?
I know I need them for the stub axles.
Let me know what you think. Thanks Tim
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 17,640
Likes: 1
From: Lenoir City TN
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
The 3.07 I just sold from an 86 had snap rings, trust me I had to buy a pair of heavy duty pliers to get the thing off, talk about a PIA, after removal it allowed the yokes on the sides to slide out. Take a look at:
http://www.truarc.com/
second from the right is what it had.
Bob
whoops, just re-read your post, there are no clips on the shaft I was thinking the yokes for the half shaft:
http://www.truarc.com/
second from the right is what it had.
Bob
whoops, just re-read your post, there are no clips on the shaft I was thinking the yokes for the half shaft:
Last edited by Bob CTS; Feb 22, 2007 at 08:06 PM.
Racer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 293
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by rspreng86
The 3.07 I just sold from an 86 had snap rings, trust me I had to buy a pair of heavy duty pliers to get the thing off, talk about a PIA, after removal it allowed the yokes on the sides to slide out.
Bob
Bob
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 17,640
Likes: 1
From: Lenoir City TN
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
You two are talking about two different things. You, rspreng86, are talking about the snap rings on the end of the side yoke shafts that all the C4 diffs use and 89vert is talking about two small snap rings, just inboard of the spider pinion gears on the spider pinion cross shaft, that were only used in the earliest cars and was the subject of a recall.
Racer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 293
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by 89vert
I bought this from a forum member. It did not come with the clips for the spider shaft. I don't know what year it is out of. I had 2:59 in it stock.
If I understand you correctly, you are saying I don't need the clips for the spider shaft? Thanks Tim
If I understand you correctly, you are saying I don't need the clips for the spider shaft? Thanks Tim
Racer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 293
Likes: 0
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,504
Likes: 0
From: Byron Center MI
I am saying that you don't need them to hold or control the spider pinion gears. Their only purpose was to keep the pin from sliding through the gears and out of the case. Since they weren't there when you took it apart, there must have been something else, usually the roll pin I mentioned earlier, to retain the spider pinion pin. If you have another method to retain the spider pinion pin, then you don't need the snap rings.