I stand corrected about the gap. It sure looked like an intact oakie bushing in the picture I marked up, but the one Dan reposted shows the real story. The fact that someone installed an oakie bushing backwards is pretty amazing. If they'd have just fit the u-joint yoke in the front end, they would have discovered their error. Then they compounded it by driving the original bushing in after the yoke wouldn't fit.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Here is my original bushing I removed from my 1950 3100. I am having a hard time seeing (only small cell phone) the bushing ,ect on your picture. The Okie is 5 3/4" long fyi. I think Dan is onto something. Also if his swag is true the wrong end is TOO wide to go in. The smooth end is the bushing end the ridged end is the bushing seal end. See picture.
Glad you got the front bushing out. Getting that remaining Oakie out is definitely going to be a hurdle.
Maybe a possible solution ties in with Kevin's earlier recommendation "Since there's that big hole in there, you could weld a piece of metal to the bushing to allow you to hammer it out."?
If you don't have access to a welder, perhaps cutting/grinding an angled notch in the exposed ribs of the Oakie (in the area where the ground away torque tube section is) it would give you a ridge to use a drift pin against and hammer it out? You may need to use a small diameter grinding wheel to create the notch.
Just some thinking out loud to see if it may help.
~ Dan 1951 Chevy 3 window 3100 Follow this story in the DITY Gallery "My Grandpa Carl's Truck and How it Became Mine" 1966 Chevelle (Wife's Hot Rod) | 2013 Chevy Silverado (Current daily driver) US Army MSG Retired (1977-1998) | Com Fac Maint Lead Tech Retired (1998-2021)
I also suggested drilling a hole in the bushing sleeve in lieu of grinding a notch that could be used with a drift to drive the bushing out.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Well, after many different methods tried, I gave up. I couldn't get it to budge and destroyed a couple of apparatuses in the process. I am sure part of the problem lies in the fact that because the Okie is in there backwards, the larger diameter is on the end that is further back.
So, I reinstalled the front bushing, replaced all of the gaskets, put the bolts back in the u-joint with new clip things and put everything back together the way it was. This will allow me to at least move the truck around as needed for the time being.
It seems that besides trying to procure a new torque tube, the only other option is to dismantle the rear end and push the old Okie out in the direction towards the rear. That would be of course a lot of work on a torque tube that has been damaged.
I appreciate all of you help and comments along the way.
Sorry to hear it turned out like it did. At least you were able to get things back together enough to keep the truck moveable.
When you're up to the next stage of replacing the torque tube, put an ad in the Truck Parts Wanted forum and we'll try and help you find one.
PS - More often than not you can pick up an entire rear axle and torque tube assembly as when folks make changes to their drivetrain, they usually yank the entire thing and offer them up for sale.
~ Dan 1951 Chevy 3 window 3100 Follow this story in the DITY Gallery "My Grandpa Carl's Truck and How it Became Mine" 1966 Chevelle (Wife's Hot Rod) | 2013 Chevy Silverado (Current daily driver) US Army MSG Retired (1977-1998) | Com Fac Maint Lead Tech Retired (1998-2021)
