Driveshaft C clips

I am just asking how important these C clips are that go into the differentials on the end of the Driveshafts?

So the back right drive shaft came out of the Diff and the C clip stayed in there. I put the shaft back in (the longer shaft of the 2) and it does not seem to clip in very hard. Relatively easy to pull back out.  

The back left with the clip on it, I cannot get it back in. I spent hours at it. I tried every way possible, I just can’t compress the clip enough to get narrower than the splines of the differential so it will slide in.

Does the whole suspension assembly not keep the shaft securely in place? Can I fit the shaft without this clip? Or do I need to spend another few hrs and make sure I get it in.

I reckon once the shaft is secured at the wheel hub it's got nowhere to go, so C clip is just a temporary holder as your doing this.
I might be wrong tho as driveshafts aren't my strong point.

Cosmic73 wrote:I reckon once the shaft is secured at the wheel hub it's got nowhere to go, so C clip is just a temporary holder as your doing this.
I might be wrong tho as driveshafts aren't my strong point.

That is what I was thinking too, I mean the amount of power needed to pull out the shaft with the clip in place is not much at all, hence it something did unfortunately go terribly wrong, clip or not, that shaft is coming out.

Also when you tighten the hub nut it pulls the shaft out and hub inwards. When fully tightened the shaft is still good and tight in the diff so I personally can't see the clip as being essential, but  then again why did Nissan design it, if it's not needed really. As you say maybe it is only a temporary holder while you do work on the car.

you need clip or shaft can work out enough to sit off the seal lip .
just keep working at it ... only normally a pain if new clips or old clip bent up .

Had this issue on the front, didn't bother putting the clip back in and the transfer box kept leaking, so had to put the c clip back on when j did the front bearings, I had the trouble couldn't compress it enough so go the gas out and heated the clip up and made it smaller took about a minute to sort out, heat is your friend!

You MUST have the Circlips installed, or your axles will continually pull out under suspension droop and cause a leak at the seal.

Sometimes it is hard to get them in, but keep working at it. When I have a hard time with them, I thread an axle nut onto the end of the shaft, hold it straight and have someone smack the end with a big plastic dead blow hammer. Sometimes that's what it takes. Otherwise, try a new C-clip, if they get out of round at all it can cause what you're describing. good luck.

Ive always had trouble with which ever side has one on the front shaft.

Looks like I will have to keep at it.
The reason i gave up last time was the clip sprung off the shaft and I have no idea where I thought landed. That was the final straw so I gave up.
I need to find it now again first and then probably heat it up like bebb said above

I should not jinx myself but never had a problem and done shit loads so Clips must be out of shape