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Does anyone know a trick to replace an e-clip while waiting for the shipment of a replacement?

An e-clip is a kind of circlip

An E-Clip is a kind of shaft mounted retaining ring, which provides a larger than average retaining surface. It looks like this:

E-clip

(A snap ring looks like this:)

Snap ring

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    What it is to be used for? – Lawrence Jul 25 at 8:29
  • @Lawrence it's a general question : how to retain a shaft with a groove? (The hack could fix a motor or the drive train of a bicycle) – JinSnow Jul 25 at 8:41
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    The same hack might not fix all situations. For something simple with little stress/speed, a length of wire twisted around the shaft, in the groove, might do it. The question (with comment) is almost "why do we need e-clips?" – Weather Vane Jul 25 at 17:21
  • @WeatherVane You are right, I tried it. But in the specific case, I'm dealing with right now (the drive train of a bicycle): the groove is quite thin, so I need to use a thin wire, which isn't large enough to block the piece in a robust manner (it works, but it doesn't look really solid). – JinSnow Jul 26 at 12:34
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It depends on the application but I've done this before using mild steel; I cut a U shaped notch into a plate, the internal diameter of the U being a tight fit for the groove in the shaft, then bent one of the fingers of the plate so as to retain it on the shaft. It's not a high stress application; it retains the wheel on a lawn tractor

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I've achieved similar results before using some steel wire wrapped around the shaft and twist locked, and in some cases I've drilled through the shaft and used a washer and split pin arrangement instead of an e clip

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  • great ideas, thank you very much! I did use a thin wire, it works, but it doesn't look robust. I'll try your technic. – JinSnow Jul 26 at 12:25

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