4x4 hubs come apart - why?

[cghoerichs]

My 2002 F-250 4x4 has Warn manual hubs. On the passenger front the Warn hub keeps coming apart. The snap ring in the back of the hub (not the front snap ring) pops out for some reason and the hub doesn't work. It is easy to fix, I just pull the hub out and push it back together and put the snap ring back and it's good to go. I've switched the hub from the drivers side to the passenger side and the same thing happens so I know its not a bad Warn hub. Could bearings do this? If so what bearings would I look at. The 4x4 spindle and u-joint on the passenger side doesn't seem to have anymore play than the drivers side. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[cghoerichs]

This issue was resolved by bending the interior snap ring slightly outward and reinstalling the snap ring. Might have been a little too free to move in the retaining groove.