Reply to "1/2 Shaft"

The shiny ring will be visible 'cause the snap-ring or e-ring normally has a wider end, sometimes with a hole in it, and when the cap rotates, the ring will be as wide as the widest part of the snap-ring. As you found out, just because no ring shows does not mean things are peachy-keen in your u-joints. But if the IS a shiny ring showing, you definitely got problems. Having someone partly engage the clutch while you watch each u-joint in turn for too much motion is also a good way to check for wear.