The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Torque tube bell gasket ?

Don't really know if that's what it's called but the one I put in mine keep tearing and leak. They seem to all be made of cork which is preformed into a bell shape and my wrench said he doesn't know if anyone makes these out of better material. Hopefully someone here will know.

I did a search and found some info but it sounded like guys were talking about a different part and pics posted or linked to didn't show any bell shaped preformed gasket.

I have to have mine replaced every several months. Can't afford to convert to open drive line.

Thanks for any/all replies

Mark

Is this the gasket?
...pic...

Maybe your mechanic didn't shim it properly?

I havn't actually seen it...described to me by my mechanic, but I know he said it's preformed and made of Cork. Looks to me like a big O ring would do the job ?

The cork seal that Gus has posted, is a square cross section
when new. After it's been compressed and in service it takes
on sort of a wedge shaped cross section, maybe that's what
he's talking about.
The flange gaskets, which also act as stacking shims, are
available from any one of the antique truck vendors or any
auto parts should be able to get them also.

dg

I wish I personally knew more but I don't. All I can say is that he said it's preformed into a bell shape. He's not a newbie at working on these old trucks so I don't think he's missing the boat. He just said they are preformed cork and that the cork gets worn by the movement of the truck's suspension flexing etc. I can understand that being the case and the soft cork getting torn or worn thru.

I did search thru some of my catalogs online and didn't find any thing that I thought looked like what he said. I know a guy in Oregon who resto's these...likely he has a source. Dr. J who is part owner of The Filling Station

Here are the gaskets and shims that come in the kit

...pic...

The metal rings in that pic do Not come in the kit

If your ball gasket is getting eaten up from driving then its probably to tight, instructions are in the shop manual for proper play.

OK...got it. It's the cork one. I'll pass this along to him for future reference. Still, I wonder why no one makes that cork gasket out of a more substantial material...

Simply because the cork seal has worked for around 80 years
now, when properly installed.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I get it. I had thought that everyone had problems like I do.

I put some gooey Lucas oil on mine to allow it to slide into position. I think that helped a lot. I was thinking that dry it might stick and partially rip.

Granted this does not move around as much as the joint on a 3104
but it still does flex a bit and it's been sealed up in this
picture for somewhere around 15K miles and almost 10 yeas now:
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/161316871
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

The ball and socket needs to be nearly polished in appearance, and adjusted with shims until you are just able to move it with both hands (torque tube disconnected) before you put the cork seal in.
Carl

As Carl nicely stated, " . . The ball and socket needs to be nearly polished in appearance, and adjusted with shims . ."

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1948_51truck/51ctsm0712.htm

Oh yeah, the torque-tube should also be highly polished in the area where the rubber seal at the rear of the ball/bell slides on the torque-tube.

...yeah....

Nice, again, DADS50

Torque Tube U-Joint Ball Housing Prep & Adjustment
It says to lubricate the Ball cork seal with graphite grease.
Note: Although info applies to 1950-54 Powerglide equipped cars.
The info also applies to GM early model truck & car Torque Tubes,
equipped with ether a manual or auto shift transmission.

The manual shift transmission equipped trucks,
lubricate the u-joint from the output shaft rear main bearing funneling gear lube into the ball housing.