The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline drive shaft bushing and seal assembly for 1954 3100

part #me128 jimmy carter pg 92. would any body recommend installing this assembly while we have the shaft out of the tube. should we install it with the shaft in or out of the tube and how would you remove the old part and install the new part. are any special tools needed or can you do it with basic tools.

thank you in advanced

Item ME127 is the removal tool. ME128 is the "Okie" repair bushing. The removal tool takes the old stock bushing and seal out of the torque tube with the shaft in place. Installing the repair bushing with the shaft in place is done all the time. The repair bushing comes in 2 sizes, small(early)ME125 and larger(late) ME128. Be sure you have the right one.

What is the difference between the two and how can you tell the difference. Also is there a tool to install the new bushing or do you have to be creative.

I hate to break this news to you but on your other THREAD ,
1954 3100 torque tube? How to reinstall shaft into torque tube?
You were having trouble with the front pinion bearing locking sleeve. I see you have that figured out.

Here is the bad news:
If you are installing a new Okie bushing sleeve assembly look at this,
PHOTO ALBUM
Note: There are 2 pages to the PHOTO ALBUM.

Since you have the Torque tube out of the truck.
Before you reinstall the pinion and attached propeller shaft into the Torque tube housing.
It would be easier to remove the propeller shaft oil seal, rear bushing and u-joint rear yoke bushing.
Just find a long pipe that fits inside the Torque tube, then from the pinion end of the Torque tube,
slide the long pipe down the inside of the Torque tube housing and drive out the propeller shaft oil seal,
rear bushing and u-joint rear yoke bushing.
Once the pipe makes contact with the oil seal, start driving it out, the oil seal will push out the
rear bushing and the u-joint rear yoke bushing along with it.

The thing is someone might have installed a Okie bushing sleeve assembly at onetime.
So you will have to drive that out first before installing the new Okie bushing sleeve assembly.
You could have the original front, rear bushings and oil seal.
What ever is in the torque tube, that long pipe will be able to drive it out.

The photo album shows the original rear propeller shaft bushing & oil seal is still in place. Photo
That is because that's all that needed to be fixed.
You leave in the old rear bushing & oil seal and slide in the Okie bushing sleeve assembly.
Since you have the propeller shaft out of the torque tube it is better to remove the rear bushing & oil seal it will run cooler.
Also the Okie's rear bushing and oil seal will have a new spot on the propeller shaft to ride on.

Okie Bushing History
The Okie bushing was created by the long gone National Machine Works Inc in Oklahoma, hence the name Okie.
It shortened the time and effort to repair the torque tube bushings and oil seal.
If you did it the way GM did it, you would remove the entire torque tube from the rear axle housing.
Remove ring & pinion gears
Pull out the propeller shaft from the torque tube.
Use special tools to remove and replace the bushings and oil seal.
Then reassemble everything. Pain in the Butt.
With the Okie bushing you just pull out the front bushing.
Then from the front of the torque tube you push in the Okie bushing sleeve, which has the Front bushing,
Rear bushing & Oil seal inside the sleeve.
You leave in the old rear bushing & oil seal.
Less Work.

Chevs Of The 40s 3.55:1 Ring-And-Pinion Swap Scroll down for photo album.
Okie installation

Is there a step by step install of the okie bushing post on stovebolt so we ca follow without messing up.

Thank you jorb for giving us a heads up before we put everything together.

Tech Tips:

1. Look for torque-tube front bushing.

2. Assembly - Step 6: Bushing install

jrsdart,

What is the reason why are you working on the ring and pinion gears on your truck?
Did something break.

Jim Carter Drive Shaft Bushing/Seal Assembly Okie Bushing 1951-1954 1/2 Ton part # me128

When GM did it they installed the bushings and oil seal first.
I would install the Okie assembly into the torque tube housing first.
Then with the torque tube housing standing in the vertical position on the 2x4 wood block with the hole in it.
Slowly drop the propeller shaft down the torque tube housing.

If the splines on the propeller shaft are raised knock them down with a file.
Otherwise you will cut the Okie's oil seal when the splines slide through it.

This is the reason why not to install the Okie bushing after the propeller shaft has been installed.
With the torque tube position horizontal and no rear bushing installed and trying to install the Okie bushing.
There would be no support for one end of the propeller shaft.
Stressing out the pinion/propeller shaft coupling pin.
Also possibly cutting the Okie's oil seal with the propeller shaft splines, when sliding it into the torque tube housing.

Read THIS
Numbers: 2,3,4,5 pertain to your situation.

One other thing to check before driving out the bushings & oil seal.
The 1954 original bushings & oil seal were press fit. (No dowels)
If there was Okie assembly installed previously, they might
of installed dowel pins to prevent the Okie assembly from spinning inside the torque tube.
Check torque tube for dowel pins, if present you will have to drill them out, before driving out the bushings & oil seal.

Before installing propeller shaft, use emery cloth on the propeller shaft to clean-up the area
where the Okie's rear bushing will be making contact with propeller shaft.
To Check bushing clearance and fit:
Slowly slide the Okie bushing assembly onto the propeller shaft.
Then slide rear u-joint yoke onto propeller shaft splines.

Pre-lubercate all new parts before assembly.

We are doing this because it sounds to us like a pinion bearing sound so we are experimenting with it to locate the noise.

Thank you with the detailed instructions and what to look for.