So the new USA remanufacutred axle came in, and there is still some in/out play on the differential end after the old c clip is installed. The amount of play is about half the width of the c clip. I have looked closely at the old axle and there are no spacers or shims. It appears I will need to add a shim, but I cannot find where these can be bought. Alternately I could use a thicker c clip (or add another thin washer beside the c fillip to fill the rest of the groove) since the groove on the new axle could accommodate one slightly wider. Not sure if clips are even made in different thicknesses.

FC:

Are the axles that you removed (i.e., the original ones) of the annular design (bolt together type) at the inboard joints? If so, reinstall the original inboard stub axles; they presumably will provide the correct end play of "0". Then bolt the new annular joints to them.

The old axles are not annular, so I'm afraid that method wouldn't work in this case.

Pity.
In post #15 Messr. Larock claims to have a bunch of the required spacers in various thicknesses; you might consider contacting him.

If you are handy with a hacksaw and file you might consider making your own wider "C" clip or shims.

The manual has that there should be no in and out play of the axle in the differential and you should barely be able to move the C-Clip.

Not sure how he managed it but one member said he used feeler gauges mesure the in and out play and picked a spacer useing that measuerment.

However, he found no spacers that size. He picked a spacer that was slightly thicker and took it to a Maching Shop and had it surface ground to the thickness he specified.
That sounds complicated but they throw the Spacing Ring on a magnetic chuck whick is a flat table that has an electro magnet built into it and turn the electricity on and that hold the ring in place.
The grinder is adusted and makes as many passes as needed till the ring is ground down to size.
Any, way it is a fast job for a machinist that knows what they are doing.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

I purchased a box of snap rings from harbor freight and found one that was the proper diameter for the axle. Fortunately, the width was enough to fill the rest of the gap. It was a tighter fit than I would have liked, but now there is no end play. The axle seems to rotate normally without any extra friction. Does anyone see potential issues with adding the snap ring beside the c clip to eliminate the in/out play? If not, I'm looking forward to getting the car out back together soon!

It would seem that the snap ring that is being used as a shim is snapped onto the splines. Yes?
1) If so, it might wear the splines and become loose.
2) By moving the stub axle inboard it might touch the seal, and,
3) the inner end of the shaft might touch the differential gear pin.

You are correct that the snap ring shares the groove with the c clip- they are side by side to fill the groove. I will check to see that the end of the axle does not touch the diff gear pin. I'll slip something in between to check for clearance. Since the components surrounding the snap rings (axle and gears) all move with the snap ring, it does not seem that any extra friction/wear would be caused. However, I realize I am not an expert and could be wrong about this.

I should mention that the tight fit I described was not the c clip against the gear (AKA pulling the axle inward with extra force), but just the c clip plus the snap ring fitting into the groove at the end of the axle. This is why I believe no extra force or friction is being caused in this case.

IIRC, there is a rear subframe that you can lower that will help you out. I'm thinking way back tho.

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CC: NSA

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82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

The spacers are supposed to ride against the carrier... making the axle a solid unit. If you put them inside the carrier it should still be stable, but the axle stub will be inside the diff more than the other side and could wear on the spider pin...

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