I have discovered the secret of removing broken snap rings on the MGA
U-joint. Practice the 3 P's: Patience, Persistence, and Pilsner, Also
drive the bearing cap in a bit. Make sure the snap ring is loose enough
to rotate in its recessed chase. Then place one screwdriver blade
perpendicular to the face of the bearing cap to hold one broken edge
immobile (not on the snap ring, but on the bearing cap surface and
against the yoke so it blocks the snap ring edge from moving). Then use
another screwdriver against the other broken edge and using the first
perpendicular screwdriver as a fulcrum, use the second screwdriver's
blade to push the the opposite edge of the broken snap ring until you
feel it flex a bit. Then put aside the big screwdrivers and using a
small bladed electronics's type screw driver, working at a 45 degree
angle at the top of one broken end, try to catch the outside edge (in
the recessed chase) and work the edge out down and out towards the
center of the joint. Curse the manufacturer of the original snap rings,
swig your favorite ale, and repeat. The flexing seemed to make the
edges more "workable" After discovering this technique, it took about
five minutes per snap ring. I realize that John Twist can do the whole
u-joint replacement in that time, but for me this was a victory. Thanks
for everyone's help.
--
Robert Guinness
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