Johnny Joint snap ring help

[sierradmax]

Traced a DW to a loose johnny joint. Turns out after I greased them, the upper track bar JJ was never fully seated. Snap ring must not have seated similar to the trouble I'm having.

No matter how I try to orient the joint in the housing, I cannot compress it enough to fully seat the snap ring. I'm always bending the JJ tool post and I can only get 50% of the snap ring seated. A brass punch on the opposite side does nothing. If I remove the joint, the snap ring goes in with ease. Any tips?

 

[HornedToad]

The poly bushing halves inside have to be seated against each other in a specific way like puzzle pieces. My guess is they aren’t and that’s why they won’t allow enough snap ring compression. Open it back up and make sure the bushing halves are rotated correctly to be in full contact with each other.

 

[sierradmax]

The poly bushing halves inside have to be seated against each other in a specific way like puzzle pieces. My guess is they aren’t and that’s why they won’t allow enough snap ring compression. Open it back up and make sure the bushing halves are rotated correctly to be in full contact with each other.

This particular joint is a narrow joint with one single bushing. Not two halves.

 

[Woodrow]

Traced a DW to a loose johnny joint. Turns out after I greased them, the upper track bar JJ was never fully seated. Snap ring must not have seated similar to the trouble I'm having.

No matter how I try to orient the joint in the housing, I cannot compress it enough to fully seat the snap ring. I'm always bending the JJ tool post and I can only get 50% of the snap ring seated. A brass punch on the opposite side does nothing. If I remove the joint, the snap ring goes in with ease. Any tips?

View attachment 285685

To resurrect this thread, I’m having this exact issue with a rear track bar johnny joint. Its a narrow, one piece bushing and I’m using the 2” Currie tool. It seats easily without the bushing, but it won’t compress enough to seat with the bushing. Anyone have tips? At this point, I’ve probably damaged the snap ring enough that I need a new one

 

[Woodrow]

To resurrect this thread, I’m having this exact issue with a rear track bar johnny joint. Its a narrow, one piece bushing and I’m using the 2” Currie tool. It seats easily without the bushing, but it won’t compress enough to seat with the bushing. Anyone have tips? At this point, I’ve probably damaged the snap ring enough that I need a new one

Figured it out. I’ll respond to my future self for when I’ve forgotten this:

1) Rock Jock has a video;

2) Use Johnny Joint tool to compress bushing before removing snap ring with internal snap ring pliers. This prevents messing up the snap ring which is otherwise pretty tight.
3) Sharp sides of washers and snap ring face out.
4) After re-inserting snap ring, use external snap ring pliers to spread snap ring into groove while releasing tool compression on bushing to hold in place.

 

[lees02ws6]

I have had, over the years, a miserable time with 2" johnny joints. Reassembly without bending the washer (centering up the applied force), while also getting enough compression on the one piece bushing to get the snap ring in is something of an art.

Both the 2" and 3" johnny joint tools work, the 3" you need a piece of pipe and a washer to narrow down so you have space to get the snap ring in.


3" tool

2" tool

They are a pain, and interested to hear other experiences with them.

Carnage: