There are snap rings like that for the forward and direct clutches too. I don't think the overdrive snap ring could work it's way forward to the pan. In my opion you're driving on borrowed time, when the rest of the snap ring lets go you'll be dead in the water.

 

The other snap rings are the ones that can't make thier way into the pan........the OD snap ring can go right into the pan via the park rod hole. I've only seen it happen oh.....say........150 time conservatively!

 

OK, I believe you and now that I think about it some more agree with you.
I rebuilt my tranny in July of last year and my OD direct snapring was broken too (pretty much in half) but still in place.

I've only rebuilt one 48RE and two 727's. It sounds like you have a whole lot more experience than me.

 

I work on an entire fleet of mostly Dodge 1 ton B-vans. They get rode hard everyday, and put away wet every night! They hold up quite well , considering! Most of the problems are in the 01,02's and 03's for some reason. The older ones hold up a lot better! I'm kind of guessing that some of the molds or whatever they used to make the OD drums were getting worn or old, yada , yada, yada. That's the only reason I could come up with as to why it was only the newer models of the same trans having issues. Either that, or cheaper metal?

 

id have to agree with vzdude on this, as i got a 48 re and a 42re both with the same snap ring broken. have seen it on occasion over the past 15 yrs with these, they still shift but it really needs to be taken care of