Ask the Expert - Snap Ring and Spiral Retaining Ring Installation

Welcome back to the China Wave Spring Ask the Expert Blog, where our engineers answer commonly asked retaining ring and wave spring questions. This week, our engineers answer questions about snap ring and spiral retaining ring installation.

I’ve had deformation issues in the past when installing snap rings. Is installation stress still a concern for Spirolox Retaining Rings?

Installation stress is a critical design parameter for any ring. As with any metal component, if the ring is stretched beyond the yield point of the material, it will plastically deform.

Deformation occurs when the installation stress exceeds the minimum tensile strength of the material. This varies whether the ring is an internal or external ring. For internal rings, 100% of the minimum tensile strength is allowed, while for external rings, only 80% of the minimum tensile is recommended.

Find the minimum tensile strength of your material. Read more on why we measure the tensile strength of our alloys.

Can Spirolox Retaining Rings replace a snap ring?

Spirolox retaining rings could potentially be a good replacement for a snap ring if installation stress is a concern. Spirolox retaining rings may be easier to install in comparison to snap rings because they
are “spiraled on”, and not stretched over the entire shaft diameter with snap ring pliers. Because of the difference in installation methods, no unnecessary strain is put on the ring.

However, if the Spirolox retaining ring is stretched larger than what it was designed for, deformation may still occur. Our engineers are willing to work with you to determine if this could be an issue in your
application. In cases where one of our standard rings does not fit your application requirements, our engineers can tailor a custom ring with No-Tooling-CostsTM.

What are typical expansion limits for the installation of a two-turn spiral retaining ring over a tapered plug?

There are no “typical” expansion limits because there are variables that affect the installation stress, as you can see in the formula below.

Ring material, wire cross-section, and ring diameter all impact the installation stress. Our Retaining Ring Calculator can calculate the theoretical installation stress for you.

If the installation stress exceeds the minimum tensile strength, the ring may take a set and not properly cling to the groove. Please contact China Wave Spring Engineering to further discuss installation stresses.