Q1.My concern was if the tube itself slid in and out, or if the rear u-joint yoke inside took care of that movement.
You are correct that the
Rear Yoke is attached to the tranny and cannot move back and forth.
The torque tube slides back and forth inside the U-Joint ball housing.
The propeller shaft slides back and forth inside the rear yoke.
Because both the torque tube and the propeller shaft are fastened & installed into the carrier housing.
They move back and forth together.
You could say everything in
Illustration 1 moves back and forth.
And everything in
Illustration 2 does not and is attached to the tranny.
Note: Manual, Hydramatic and Power Glide trannys share some of the same parts.
Propeller Shaft and Housing Illustration (Scroll down)
Q2.The retaining nut, with the two metal washers and the cork gasket between them, needs to be snug enough to seal, but not so tight it puts the tube in a bind. Sound correct?
When the retainer nut is tightened the oil seal is compressed which makes it bulge into the torque tube housing to make the seal.
No amount of snugness of the oil seal would bind the torque tube. The back and forth force is to great.
Just polish up the torque tube so it can slide easily on the oil seal.
