U joint cap clips, help needed

[Caseyrhe 650]

Need some help on how to get these little boogers out. They aren’t froze up, spin in the grove. Have tried using a pick to try and pry out at either end while blocking other end from spinning, with no luck. 

[jmlay 80]

Rather than work from the ends you might try trying to get a pick or small screw driver between  the clip and lip of the driveshaft and pry to the enter, up in your picture. With any luck it will force the two ends together and the clip will pop out. Also applying inward pressure on the cap may give you a bit more wiggle room, socket an vice or c clamp. 

[aslanefe 333]

Can you drill holes at the ends and use a circlip plier?

[Caseyrhe 650]

Tried using the pick/small screw driver, no luck....broke the tip on one of my picks. No room to drill holes either. 

[aslanefe 333]

How about drilling a hole or cutting a slot on the shaft that goes half way in to the end of the groove? This way you can move the end of the clip a little past the groove and pry that end with a screw driver from the outer edge of the clip.

[aslanefe 333]

Move the clip away from the marked area, cut a groove like this with a dremel etc at the marked area . Move one end of the clip just past the groove you cut then push it through the groove.

[jmlay 80]

 May be time to break out the dremel. I would not grind on the driveshaft only on the clip and or cup.

Those retainers are meant for joints that have the grove on the inside portion of the cap, near the center of the cross.

[unilec 57]

Try clamping one side and then use a 90deg scriber to ease one side out far enough to place a small screw driver in between the clip and the housing.

 https://sydneytools.com.au/product/endeavour-tools-da1255-90-degree-engineers-scriber

 

[Caseyrhe 650]

will try the 90 degree pick tonight.

maybe try heating the c lip and pry it out as well. U joint needs to be replaced anyway

[jmlay 80]

There is always the chisel & its friend the BFH to split the cap. :-)

[EastYorkStang 63]

What about the other side ? If that is out push this through and use needle nose pliers to remove

[Caseyrhe 650]

Nope, other side is the same way.

[danno 128]

Maybe a small C clamp in one side to keep it from spinning, and then get a sharp point under the end without the clamp on it.  I have done it several times, but do not remember how I did it.  Maybe there is a show on youtube that describes a hidden method? 

[Caseyrhe 650]

Success!!

Heated the c clip with a little heat and pried end out, grabbed with needle nose pliers and bam!!

 

[Midlife 814]

Yay!

[69RavenConv 286]

Only knuckleheads (like us) who work on 50 year old cars can understand the satisfaction that comes with a victory like this. 

[Ridge Runner 1,112]

Gently hit the center of the cap with a drift punch or ...yes ,an old extension ,it will loosen the cap from the snap ring enough to make the ring loosen ,a dremmel with a cutting wheel should cut the ring enough to be able to bend it or break it ,and those are the wrong snap rings, they are actually 65 66 style 

[EastYorkStang 63]

Great news

[JayEstes 172]

you guys are geniuses.  Good thread.

[1969_Mach1 333]

Glad you got those removed.  In the end, those were the wrong clips for that application.  For that application, I've always seem internal snap rings with an eye (small hole) at each end for use of snap ring pliers.