Snap on retaining ring with enhanced tab thickness

A method of installing a retaining ring onto a fastener, said method comprising:

• a fastener including an elongated shaft having an exterior surface defining at least two longitudinally-oriented slots terminated short of the end of said shaft, at least two axially-oriented slots extending to the end of said shaft and circumferentially spaced from said longitudinally-oriented slots, and at least two circumferentially-oriented cross-over slots interconnecting said longitudinally-oriented and said axially-oriented slots, said end of said fastener having an angle of about 70° and a depth of about 0.035-0.040 inches from said end;
• a retaining ring having substantially t-shaped internal tabs, said tabs being about twice as thick as the exterior of said ring,
• wherein said tabs are wider than said crossover slots substantially reducing the possibility of said tabs from entering said crossover slots;
• and
• locating one of said tabs into one of said longitudinally-oriented slots and snapping another of said tabs into another of said longitudinally-oriented slots.

A fastener assembly comprising:

• an elongated shaft having an exterior surface defining at least two longitudinally-oriented slots terminated short of the end of said shaft, and at least two axially-oriented splines extending to the end of said shaft and circumferentially spaced from said longitudinally-oriented slots, said end of said fastener having a taper at an angle of about 70° and a depth of about 0.035-0.040 inches from said end;
• a retaining ring having a plurality of substantially t-shaped internal tabs, said tabs being about twice as thick as the exterior of said ring and adapted to snap onto the elongated shaft, with the tabs projecting into said longitudinally-oriented slots;
• and
• at least two circumferentially-oriented cross-over slots interconnecting said longitudinally-oriented and said axially-oriented slots,
• wherein said tabs are wider than said crossover slots substantially reducing the possibility of said tabs from entering said crossover slots.