The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Tube rear end

Well I hauled my extra torque tube home from the county looked pretty good on the outside ,there is a long story about how I got it but it was outside for many years . Today decided to take it apart to see the condition of the insides started with the back cover .The first bolt I took off came out okay but can hear a hiss wondered why pressure ,found after cover was off out came about a gallon of water no oil at all . Disassembled everything and was rusty brown I don’t think the gears will be good to use but maybe able to save the axles and carrier . I was not able to get the driveshaft out of the tube as it looked like the pinion bearing was rusted to the housing .tried a bfh with a piece of wood but no go spared some penitrating oil around pinion and In the bolt holes were the carrier is held will try again in a few days .I guess it is good practice taking it apart for when I decide to overhaul the one one the truck .Any tricks for getting the driveshaft out of the tube will be appreciated. Kevin

If you have the front pinion bearing retaining screws out of the carrier housing.
The propeller shaft and the attached pinion gear should come out with a couple of wacks to the splined end of the propeller shaft.
illustration

Sometimes the front & rear pinion bearings will fit snugly into the carrier housing and they need to be persuaded to pop out.
The front pinion bearing retaining screws are what really holds everything in place.

Read number 6 under Disassembly.
Disassembly
Remove the three tapered bearing retaining screws......

I have the 3 retainer screws out and I think the bearing is rusted in holding it ,I will spray with penitrating oil again and let it sit for a day the retainer screws look oily so I hope just the one bearing is corroded . Thanks for the help I will cross my fingers it comes out want to see if I can get the front bushings out after this Kevin

Every one is going to make fun of me but here goes; try a little heat not a lot, if no movement while it's still hot apply freon until it frosts. Don't let anyone stand down wind and don't breath it. Usually comes loose. Wear good heavy gloves. Doc.

If you have the ring gear and carrier out, try bolting a piece of heavy angle iron to the lower carrier bearing saddles and use a piece of large-diameter all-thread and a nut as a jackscrew to push against the pinion gear. You can accomplish a lot more with a push tool than you can with a hammer, and the force is more controllable.
Jerry

Good ideas I think I will try the push method first going to be next week until then will give it another spray with penitrating oil thanks jerry and doc

OOPS! I was thinking of installing the pinion, not removing it! Pushing on the pinion gear won't help disassemble it at all!
Jerry

Thanks for the correction.
When I read your reply I was scratching my head on how by pushing on the pinion gear, was going to help remove it.
Like the pinion bearings were going to move inward a bit as to break them loose.
No harm No foul

Personally I think the pinion bearings are rusted in place, there was water in the case.

A long pipe will push/drive the oil seal and front bushings out.

Pipe size 6' foot x 1 1/4" inch but I would measure the front end of the torque tube to be sure of the correct size of pipe needed.

Aren't some of those front bushings riveted into the torque tube? I was thinking of the old banjo-housing Ford axle when I suggested pushing on the pinion gear. That pinion and bearing assembly disassembles by driving the pinion and double tapered roller bearing out the front of the housing!
Jerry

Good catch,
The 1937 - early 1950 torque tube bushings were doweled in place.
Late 1950 - 1954 torque tube bushings were press fit. (No dowels)
Dowel pins need to be drilled out before removal of bushings.

GM film strip
1952 Rear Axle Overhaul (Passenger Cars & 1/2-ton Trucks
Dowel pins
slides 22, 28, 29

Tapered screws removal
slide 9

It would be beneficial to know the year of the torque tube.

xfiles

I don’t see any rivets on the tubes it must be from a late model ,gave it a few taps and it did not budge sprayed some more lube may have to try some heat don’t know about the Freon,will keep working away at it thanks and yea I was thinking of the push method to just break the rust free .

I’m reading all of the posts and can’t figure out why the bushings would stop you from removing the driveshaft. If the driveshaft is rusted to the bearings, the first thing to do is to get the driveshaft to turn.

So my first question to Kevinski is does the driveshaft turn? If it does not, then what penetrant are you using? Kroil is the best followed by PB Blaster.

Here’s a few things you can try:
(1) First try turning the driveshaft with a big pipe wrench (if you don’t plan on using it) or rigging up some handle to use on the u-bolt. Work it back and forth. Additional blows with that BFH will help.
(2) Can you tilt the torque tube up and flood around the shaft? That may direct more penetrant toward the bushings.
(3) Try heating the area area around the bushings then flooding the penetrant. That helps draw the penetrant in. Don’t get it too hot that the penetrant catches on fire.
(4) Patience. Penetrants may work initially or it may take weeks. Keep at it and I’m sure you will be successful.

The driveshaft does not turn ,using rust penetrant from Krown good idea about spraying some down the tube on a angle will try that also.I have time to let sit and I will try to free driveshaft to turn and use bfh occasionally thanks for the input Kevin

Whether or not the shaft turns isn't terribly important- - - - -the bearing race will drive out of the housing either way once the lock screws are removed. Flood the lock screw holes with penetrating oil with the front of the tube below the differential housing so the penetrant can puddle around the bearing race, then heat the housing just ahead of the lock screw holes to expand it. After several days' worth or soaking use the BFH on the U joint end of the driveshaft and repeat as necessary. Something will move, eventually.
Jerry

Update the driveshaft is out of the tube lots of lube and big hammer it was mostly seized up on the tube bushing which also makes the drive shaft were the bushing goes pretty corroded ,don’t know if driveshaft is any good with the pitting maybe there is a sleeve? I can take the pinion gear off and save the driveshaft and tube if there is I also may be able to save the carrier just in case I decide to go to the 355 gears