There has been a design change to the wheel drive shaft retention snap ring on 2024-2025 Silverado EV, Sierra EV, HUMMER EV Pickup, HUMMER EV SUV; and 2025 BrightDrop 600. (Fig. 19) The new snap ring design, which achieves greater retention force between the wheel drive shaft and the drive unit output stub shaft, is not interchangeable with the previous design.
Fig. 19
The round ring, 1st design, (Fig. 20, A) and 3-point ring, 2nd design, (Fig. 20, B) should not be mixed between wheel drive shafts or drive units.
Fig. 20
On vehicles equipped with the ball-spline wheel drive shaft, the presence of a service groove (Fig. 21) on the inboard housing means the drive unit is equipped with the 2nd-design 3-Point snap ring.
Fig. 21
Vehicles with a conventional CV joint style half shaft could also utilize the 2nd-design 3-point snap ring. These shafts do not require a service groove or any special tools for removal or installation. When removing the snap ring, inspect the shape of the ring to determine if it’s a 1st-design round ring or a 2nd-design 3-point ring.
With the wheel drive shaft removed, the round-style snap ring will fit loosely in the drive unit shaft groove. The 3-point style snap ring will fit very tightly in the drive unit shaft groove.
If the wheel drive shaft is removed or replaced during service, be sure to determine which snap ring is present. The round (silver) snap ring is considered the 1st design and the oval (black) 3-point snap ring is considered the 2nd design. With the snap ring removed, lay the snap ring on a flat surface to help identify the shape of the ring. Refer to the Electronic Parts Catalog for Design 1 and Design 2 designations.
TIP: The snap ring must always be replaced when removing or replacing the wheel drive shaft.
Refer to Bulletin #24-NA-133 more information.
– Thanks to Dave Rainey, Chris Semanisin, Mark Shearer and Kayla Battaglia
