Axial retention is limited by the weaker relevant path through the ring and groove material. Ring shear or deformation and groove-flank yielding or end failure are separate checks. Heat treatment and material condition can change the limiting case without changing geometry, so compare catalog assumptions with the actual shaft.

Under torque or bending, the groove also acts as a stress concentrator beyond its retention function. Local stress around a circumferential groove under torsion depends on its geometry and loading conditions. Do not apply a coefficient from a semicircular specimen directly to a rectangular retaining-ring groove; use analysis or tests appropriate to the actual shape and combined loading.

Surviving one static load does not establish life under repeated impact or sustained vibration. Evaluate load history, residual stress, surface damage and corrosion according to the product environment. Where separation is unacceptable, treat ring disengagement and shaft fatigue as distinct failure modes when setting the verification scope.