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Okie Bushing and Torque Tube Cross-section Views
Been working on this for awhile.
Views should help with the mystery of the Okie Bushing.

Chevrolet 1/2 ton 1937-Early 1950 Torque Tube
Chevrolet 1/2 ton 1937-Early 1950 Torque Tube w/Okie Bushing
Chevrolet 1/2 ton Late 1950-1954 Torque Tube
Chevrolet 1/2 ton Late 1950-1954 Torque Tube w/Okie Bushing

Thanks

Nice pictures and info. Did you make your own puller??

John

No, The front torque tube bushing puller tool is plated with some kind of material, to harden the steel.
I tried to cut into the fingers with a hack saw.
It didn't even make a scratch.
But I'm sure people have made their own.

I believe that if you have the 1937-Early 1950 torque tube, with the bushings held in place by dowels.
You really do not need the bushing puller tool.
All you have to do is drill out the front bushing dowel and using some kind of hook, pull on the bushing it should come out.
I think I've seen someone drill a small hole into the side of the bushing, then put a screw in the hole and pull on the screw to get the bushing out.

Do to the slight variations of the inside dimensions of the torque tubes.
You may have to dowel the Okie Bushing outer sleeve if it is not sufficiently tight, to keep it from turning inside the torque tube.

If you have the Late 1950-1954 Torque Tube with the press fit bushings.
The easiest way to get the front bushing out is to use the the bushing puller tool.

One thing to keep in mind.
Do to normal wear the rear yoke raises the propeller shaft outer splines.
The burrs on the outer splines have to be knocked down with a thin file.
Otherwise the burrs will score the rear Okie bushing, when it is being slid into the Torque Tube.

Thanks,

Well that is a hint that I haven't read before. That seems to be very important. I have seen posts where the bushing runs hot for a while. I wonder if the spline problem was the cause.

There are three possible reasons why the bushing gets HOT
1.Scored bushing
2.Bushing lacked prelube.
After Okie bushing is installed, gear lube should be squirted down the torque tube, before sliding the rear yoke onto the propeller shaft splines.
It takes awhile for the transmission to funnel gear lube into the u-joint ball housing, then to the rear yoke and propeller shaft bushings.
3.Failure to replenish gear lube in u-joint ball housing.

Also the original oil seals were leather, and less prone to damage.
The oil seals used today are neoprene and can be cut easily from the raised spline burrs.
Now you have a brand new oil seal leaking gear lube into the rear end.
When the rear end fills up with gear lube, it flows out into the brakes.
Then you can't stop.

You should submit this info to a Tech Tip, so it is available for future reference. As a thread it will keep moving down the list and get lost......

John

And when you can't stop you run thru the front window of the
coffee shop and the guy that's pinned under the truck has to
sue you and the team of lawyers has to make their Mercedes
payment and get their 50% and the judge takes away your truck
and drivers license and you can't get to work and your wife
divorces you and get's the house cuz you can't support her
anymore and you end up on the street living in a box and
eating out of dumpsters.
So.....make sure you file down those splines so you don't rip
up the seal!!!!

DG

Henny Penny the Sky is falling.
Good rant DG

Let her take the house but let me keep my bunnies!!

To many Direct TV commercials I guess!

dg

This would be a good one to sticky. A lot of forums have stickies, so good threads can't be buried. Maybe a AD how to Forum full of stickies?