The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Okie bushings

It seems that the supply of Okie bushings has run dry. How hard would it be for an experienced hand at the lathe to make one or two? I am not that person, but I know a few who believe they are. If this is realistic, can anyone on this site provide drawings/ dimensions?

Karl

The turning is the easy part...what's critical is the feature that insures there is an oil film on the surface at all times. NOS bushings are dimpled similar to internal transmission bushings, quite hard and not an easy thing to duplicate. I have not inspected an okie bushing close up but assume this feature is done by helical grooves of some sort which if done poorly would likely cause failure.

Just discovered that I need an oakie bushing and that they are no longer made .Would anyone happen to know of a source? Any help appreciated. Thanks.
Tom


Update: after more research i was told that patricks trucks out of arizona is having these made. wont be avail for 2 weeks but will post once i have 1 and test it out.

Hence this thread.

Stovebolter Jorb did a great job documenting his Okie busing install and you can clearly see the internal lubrication grooves here. In contrast the ID of a factory type bushing looks like this. This is why I hunted down NOS bushings even though I'm surrounded by machine tools every day and would venture to guess you could put twice as many miles on the factory style bushings over an Okie replacement. They're out there if you look for them...an old transmission shop near me had NOS bushings in his parts stash.

Curt. Put my Okie in about 10 years ago. Ten thousand miles later my transmission fluid is empty and my differential is overflowing. What does that say?

I don't imagine those bushings are lying around Sweden in any great numbers. There are a lot of torque tubes still in use, how long can it be before someone new resumes production of the Okies?
The pictures are great, I would surely study them in depth if I had a fresh bushing in my hand!
Karl

Called Eckler's today. Nice girl said they already had them on order. Expected arrival anywhere from end of August until the first week of September. Which ain't very far off.

For what it's worth.

Mike

Don't believe Patrick's I have been waiting since October 1, 2015 for bushings from him. He's been telling me 2 - 3 weeks everytime I call for status

**Ditto on thrs50 statement. Have been told 10 day's for shipment several times and have already paid the $699.00 for complete kit. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Sedgewick,

I would think that means the seal in the Oakie is worn out. That is a bummer.

Bummer indeed. I pulled out the old bushing back then but am wondering if I need to pull the Okie assembly now. Torque tubes are supposedly bullet-proof but not necessarily so on the seals and bushings.
Maybe it is time to consider open drive.

I think getting the Oakie out is quite the job. I would imagine with it all apart one would have to weaken the Oakie first by sawing a groove in it.

I have called 'Patricks' in AZ and got the same week 10day story. I called about everyone on line and they are all waiting for 'Vintage' (1-800-426-5911)in Denver Colorado to manufacture some okie bushings. Upon calling Vintage they indicated that the bushings are being machined and should be done and ready for distribution the week of Sept. 26th 2016. Hopefully this is the case.

After some "down time" due to conditions at home I crawled under the truck armed with locking pliers and a pip wrench as was suggested by a SB member and tightened the collar slightly. Checked and topped fluids and drove about 20 miles. Let the truck sit for a day and crawled back under. Floor and collar bone dry! My leakage was obviously coming from the loose collar. It was too simple.

The Filling Station seems to have okie bushings now. Maybe a shipment has landed in the states. Better git 'em while they're hot.
Karl

I finally got a new Okie bushing from Classic parts of America. Now my trans shop tells me I need a part that was destroyed when my old original bushings failed. He does not know what it is called but he describes it as having two bolts and it holds the torque tube to the transmission. Can anyone tell me what the name of it is or a part #. He tells me that it is so chewed up he cannot tell what it is. Maybe I need someone else to work on my truck (1953 1/2 ton 3100) I am located in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I want to get my truck back on the road. Any help would be appreciated.

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1948_51truck/51ctsm0451.htm

This should show the part.

Joe

I do not see any illustrations in that Shop Manual that show the 4 small bolts (not 2 bolts) that hold the retainer/collar/ring (and u-joint cover/bell/ball/housing) to the transmission. The lower 2 bolts also attach the transmission rear mount to the frame cross member (on 1953 and earlier).

Do you have the retainer and the u-joint cover/bell/ball/housing and the seal-collar (at/around the torque-tube)?

Do you have the transmission mount?

If possible, please post links to photos of what you have.

He describes it as having two bolts and it holds the torque tube to the transmission.
He tells me that it is so chewed up he cannot tell what it is.

The only bolts that could get chewed up, that are in that area, are the the universal joint bolts.
Also the bolts may have not had any locking clips.
Sometimes when the front bushing goes bad or when the U-Joint ball/bell housing gets sloppy at the torque tube connection.
The torque tube starts to drop downward and the U-Joint starts to hit the inside of the U-Joint ball/bell housing.
U-Joint Illustration and Assorted Parts

Here is a GM film Strip (Starts on picture 35), about repairing the ball housing and the end of the torque tube.
Because of down force wearing them out.
This when the U-Joint starts to hit the inside of the U-Joint ball/bell housing.

Nice illustration jorb.

But, we are not "on the same page" as kldob - 2 bolts holding something to something.

"The only bolts that could get chewed up, that are in that area, are the the universal joint bolts.
Also the bolts may have not had any locking clips."

"He does not know what it is called but he describes it as having two bolts and it holds the torque tube to the transmission."

That would be 4 bolts

Obviously we are not on the "same page" as you and your trans shop, kldob.

If you can post links to some photos, many people here will certainly be able to help you. Otherwise, we seem to be on the wrong page.

Bump

To recreate those dimples appears to be hard.

Though why can't the reproduction bushings have grooves machined into the bearing surface to allow lubrication.

The grooves cut possibly be cut straight or spiral.

Or how about a left-handed and right-handed spirals creating that cross hatch pattern similar to the dimples. Jeffrey

figured some of my missing parts out. One of the parts that I need is the front yoke (trans. side) it has the cuts for the spedo. I also need complete U joint assembly. I have the bolt that holds the front yoke in place. The schematic from Joe Apple was very helpful it labels the yoke part as 5.555. When I say I need U joint, I need the complete U joint assembly including retainer straps and bolts. It all got chewed up when it came apart. Also okie bushings are available now from Ekler's, and Classic auto. Classic is cheaper.

kldob,

Do you have a 3 or 4 speed tranny?

The U joint assembly is everything in THIS illustration.
The main parts of the U-Joint assembly are the front yoke, rear yoke and trunnion.
You can buy a U-Joint assembly or some of the items separately.

There are different yokes for 3 & 4 speed trannys.
48-54, 1/2 ton, 4 speed tran. front yoke part, # 3686323
40-54, 1/2 ton, 4 speed tran. rear yoke part, # 3681934

48-54, 1/2 ton, 3 speed tran. front yoke, part # 591644
40-54, 1/2 ton, 3 speed tran. rear yoke, part # 3665768

48-54 1/2 ton, 3 speed tran. U-Joint assembly, # 591642 - Chevs of the 40's
48-54 1/2 ton, 4 speed tran. U-Joint assembly, # 3689266

40-54, 1/2 ton, 3 & 4 speed tran. Trunnion part, # 609944
Includes - 1 trunnion, 4 bearings, 2 snap rings, 4 hex bolts, 2 lock plates.

Call http://nwtparts.com/ Ask for John.
They should have everything you need.
Let me know if you find the parts.
If you cannot find, I will look at other places.