Balanced snap ring

1. A snap ring having a circular shape, the circular shape having a circumference, the snap ring comprising:

a body section;

at least one protrusion extending axially from the body section, the protrusion formed partially around the circumference

wherein the protrusion is designed and configured such that the actual center of gravity of the snap ring is approximately the same as the desired center of gravity of the snap ring.

2. The snap ring of claim 1 wherein the snap ring has an open section and the snap ring has first open end and a second open end adjacent the open section.

3. The snap ring of claim 2 wherein the protrusion extends from the body starting at the first open end and circumferentially around the snap ring less than half the distance of the circumference.

4. The snap ring of claim 3 wherein a second protrusion extends from the body starting at the second open end and circumferentially around the snap ring less than half the distance of the circumference.

5. The snap ring of claim 1 further comprising a second protrusion extending axially from the body in the opposite direction as the at least one protrusion.

6. The snap ring of claim 1 wherein the at least one protrusion and the body form an L-shaped cross section.

7. The snap ring of claim 1 wherein snap ring has an inner diameter and the protrusion extends axially from the inner diameter.

8. A method of balancing a snap ring comprising:

providing a snap ring having a body and at least one protrusion extending axially from body;

determining the actual center of gravity of the snap ring;

comparing the actual center of gravity to a desired center of gravity;

calculating the amount and location of the protrusion that must be removed from the snap ring so that the actual center of gravity is the desired center of gravity;

removing at least part of the protrusion in the axial direction so that the actual center of gravity is the desired center of gravity.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of removing at least part of the protrusion in the axial direction comprises grinding.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of determining the actual center of gravity comprises creating a solid model of the snap ring and using a computer to calculate the center of gravity.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of comparing the actual center of gravity to the desired center of gravity is done using computer aided engineering programs.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the snap rings comprises a second protrusion extending in the opposite axial direction and the step of removing at least a portion of the protrusion comprises grinding both protrusions.

13. A transmission comprising;

a housing having an inner diameter, and a circumferential groove in the inner diameter;

a component in the housing; and

a snap ring having a circular shape, the circular shape having a circumference, the snap ring having a body section and at least one protrusion extending axially from the body section, the protrusion formed partially around the circumference

wherein the protrusion is designed and configured such that the actual center of gravity of the snap ring is approximately the same as the desired center of gravity of the snap ring.

14. The transmission of claim 13 wherein the snap ring has an open section and the snap ring has first open end and a second open end adjacent the open section.

15. The transmission of claim 14 wherein the protrusion extends from the body starting at the first open end and circumferentially around the snap ring less than half the distance of the circumference.

16. The transmission of claim 15 wherein a second protrusion extends from the body starting at the second open end and circumferentially around the snap ring less than half the distance of the circumference.

17. The transmission of claim 13 further comprising a second protrusion extending axially from the body in the opposite direction as the at least one protrusion.

18. The transmission of claim 13 wherein snap ring has an inner diameter and the protrusion extends axially from the inner diameter.