The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline oakie bushing oil seal

Howdy folks.....looks like I need to replace the oil seal on my oakie bushing after about 5K mikes. Maybe the seal was damaged when I installed the bushing over the splines. Not sure. In any case I need to remove the bushing to replace the seal.
I'd like to remove the drive shaft from the torque tube and drive the oakie out from the back. My question is :
Can I remove the diff. carrier without disturbing ring/pinion setting ?

If I can remove the ring carrier then I can pull out the drive shaft, but I don't want to have to set up the differential gears.

Thoughts and comments appreciated.

Yes you can. Drain the oil, Pull the axles and remove the assembly. But, and this is important. You have to remove the pinion to remove the drive shaft. So, removing the torque tube won't disturb the ring and pinion but removing the drive shaft will. Pulling the oakie bushing out can be done, and cleaning up the splines will be possible with the bushing out. Are you getting fluid in the rear? Is the diff overfilled because the Qakie seal is bad? Or do you have some leaky seals at the rear axle? Be sure you know why you need to change the seal first. Measure the oil when you drain it from the diff. If it not different from what is supposed to be in there the seal on the bushing is not your problem. If you have oil on the shoes then it could be just the seals at the axles that need to be addressed.

What assembly are you removing by pulling the axles?? That won't allow the ring and pinion to come out together. I don't see any easy way you can remove the inner drive shaft other than to disassemble the rear axle.??

John

I have seen a number of Okies leak around the outside.
It is best to put some sealer on the OD during assembly.

As long as you keep the same shims in front of the front pinion bearing the only set-up you will need to do during assembly is set the ring gear back lash.

Steve...........I'm pretty sure the seal is leaking because the transmission oil keeps decreasing and the level in the differential keeps increasing.
But why do I have to remove the pinion ? Doesn't the drive shaft come out with the pinion attached ?

I like the idea that oil may be leaking around the OD of the oakie, but I don't think it would leak as much as I'm experiencing. I'm adding about a pint of transmission oil every 600 miles.

The drive shaft is pinned to the pinion, so yes it comes out as an assembly.

Picture
Pinion gear connected to propeller shaft

Torque Tube Chevys
How to Pictures

Components
1954 Chevrolet 1/2 Ton Truck Rear Axle and Torque Tube

Just to clarify: You can pull the torque tube from the rear housing with out disturbing the pinion ring gear fitment.
If you remove the drive shaft the pinion gear and the shims and the bearings come out with it. It will need to be properly centered for good backlash (you might have to fuss with the shims) not the easiest task but not impossible.
The suggestion about oil levels and seals was to help OP decide if the leak was at the bushing or elsewhere.
The simple fix would be to remove the bushing (leaves the torque tube and drive shaft in place) and address what caused the seal on the bushing to fail.
How ever the bushing can be removed after the drive shaft is removed if that is desired ( there may be many reasons to do this) if you do it this way the old bushings will come out and the rear one may be looked at for excessive wear.
Lots of options and the OP did explain why he thought the seal was bad. I think he did a good job getting to the bushing seal for his fix. Just how he changes that seal still has options. Always more than one way to skin the cat as it were.

Can an Okie bushing be removed once installed?? It seems as tight as they drive in, it would be almost necessary to remove the driveshaft from the enclosed tube and drive it back out from the bottom?

John

I have not been able to remove them but from the rear.

That is what I figured as tight as they say the go in. Can you still buy the regular seal and bushings that originally came in the driveshaft?

John

John,

What year/size truck?

51-54 bushing

1/2 ton 1953 John

There is the one bushing, isn't there two bushings and one seal? A bushing the driveshaft runs in and another that the rear of the universal rides in?? And the seal at the bottom.

John

Okie Bushing and Torque Tube Cross-section Views
Chevrolet 1/2 ton 1937-Early 1950 Torque Tube Original 2 Bushings & Seal
Chevrolet 1/2 ton 1937-Early 1950 Torque Tube w/Okie Bushing The original front bushing is removed.
Chevrolet 1/2 ton Late 1950-1954 Torque Tube Original 2 Bushings & Seal
Chevrolet 1/2 ton Late 1950-1954 Torque Tube w/Okie Bushing The original front bushing is removed.

The original set-up goes like this:
Front bushing is for the u-joint rear yoke to ride on.
Rear bushing is for the propeller shaft to ride on.
Oil seal is the furthest down the torque tube and rides on the propeller shaft preventing gear lube going farther down the torque tube.

The only difference between the original 2 Bushings & oil seal and the Okie Bushing, is the Sleeve and the thickness of the bushings and oil seal.

If you install the Okie Bushings & oil seal Sleeve Assembly you can leave the old rear bushing and oil seal in the torque tube.
But I think its better to remove them. But a lot more work.
If you don't use the Okie Bushing Sleeve Assembly you have to find a front bushing, rear bushing (pictured by Tim) and a oil seal.
I have not been able to find a front bushing so far, but have not really looked hard for one.
The Okie Bushing Sleeve Assembly will do the job just like the original.

If you used the rear bushing that Tim showed, you would still have to find a front bushing and oil seal.
Then there are specialized GM tools to properly place the the bushings and oil seal at the correct depth in the torque tube.
Tools #5 and #6 pictures & scroll down for text.

Seems no matter which way you go, you need to remove the driveshaft to pull out the rear bushing and seal.... John