The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop FRONT TORQUE TUBE BUSHING/BEARING/SEAL.

Hey guys and gals. The bolt has been for the last 2 years at a body guy's shop. I went and got it lasy week (still apart and in partial prime) and took it to another guy's shop. WHAT AN ORDEAL!!! Anyway, the cab and chassis are now painted and I need to install the engine transmission assy. I need to replace the torque tube bushing/bearing seal assy. The one that is in the truck seems to be installed backwards. The seal is at the top and the seal lip is facing the wrong way to keep the transmission oil from escaping. Are there any articals on replacing the bushing/bearing/ seal assy.?

What do you mean, "The wrong way."
Joe

The seal is visable and you cant see the spring in the seal. The spring side should be the wet side or the oily side. The taper of the seal go's the wrong direction.
Should'nt the seal be on the bottom (inside the tube) so that the bushing gets lubed?
Hey I am guessing here?!?!?!
Also I was loosing oil fron the transmission with no visable leaks.

If you are talking about a replacement okie bushing that has been installed in place of the original front bushing you are correct. The seal end goes into the torque tube first. With your set up I don't think the U-joint yoke will go into the torque tube.

Yes the okie bushing.
Geese I knew it had a weird name. I can see the seal and I am not suppose to is that correct?
It is in the wrong way. That is why the transmission looses fluid and no leaks are detected.

There is only one way to install it and that is through the front of the torque tube. If you not happy with it, or think it is installed incorrectly, install a new one. To install a new one all you have to do is make the sure the old one is not "pinned" and use the new one to push the old one down the tube as you tap the new one in. Then reassemble u-joint retainer and bell.
Joe

"There is only one way to install it"
Thanks Joe,But what end of the okie go's in the tube first? The bushing end or the seal end?
How many times can you stack the okie?
I think it has been replaced once already and may be in upside down.
I think Forty9 is right. the seal end gos in the hole first.

According to the instructions I have, it is actually suggested that you remove the old seal-bushing with a "puller", but that it is acceptable to insert the new seal-bushing in front of, or on top of, the old seal-bushing. If you want to use a "puller", it would have to be a slide hammer. You can buy a slide hammer for less than $50.00 at places like Harbor Freight Tools, or you can rent them from your FLAPS. Removal of the old seal to see how it is inserted, which end the seal is at, would insure a correct installment. A picture shows the old seal-bushing to be pushed down the tube by a new one. It states that on a 1937-1950 model vehicle, the seal-bushing is pinned and the pin needs to be removed to allow the old seal-bushing to move down the propeller shaft. The seal end of the unit would have to go into the tube first so the U-joint can ride on the machined end of the new seal-bushing, in other words the seal would have to be at the back of the installation. The seal-bushing is to be driven in with a block of wood or soft mallet so as not to damage the end of the unit which the u-joint would insert into. The seal-bushing is not supposed to turn during operation. The propeller shaft is supposed to turn inside of the seal-bushing and if the seal is not tight enough for it not to turn, a pin should be installed. The seal-bushing I have has a seal end and a bushing end. The seal end is the end that goes in first and the machined end which is the end the u-joint rides in or on.
When I say it is obvious which end goes in first, on the seal end of the unit, the seal is laying back into the unit, indicating by the direction of the way the seal is leaning back shows me it must go in first in addition to the fact that on the diagram, it shows the u-joint riding on the non sealed end of the unit.
I hope all this helps.
Joe

Joe, that was the info I was looking for. Dead on mater-o-fact good info. With that I can now assume that the last guy put the okie bushing in upside down. I am going to try and remove the bushing and install my new one. Thanks for all the help guys. That is why i come here for info. James

When I did mine I had to drill the pin holding the old bushing in place and then pull it out. I tried various methods but ended up tapping two small holes in the old bushing and threading small screws into it and then using a puller. The original oil seal remained in the tube and was pushed farther in with the Okie assembly.
One thing you have to be very careful with is ensuring the metal chips from the drilling are cleaned out. I used a small magnet and compressed air. You don't want any metal debris in there when the Okie assembly goes in.
You should also lubricate the seal to help ensure that it won't leak.
For me it was a time consuming job and I don't want to do it again. Its been 3 years and about 5500 miles since I did it and I often crawl under the truck to check my transmission fluid level to make certain its not leaking past the seal. If it happens again I will go to an open drive line.

Toyvo;
I did this to my 1949 longbed. Took some pictures of the operation and posted them in the engine rebuild or tranny rebuild albums at the link below.

I read your discription of replacing frt torque tube seal and bushing. I have a 53 AD and am draining trans fluid into rear. Have Ball and u joint out with splined end sticking out of tube. I see bushing, but I don't know how to proceed with a new one. There is little to no room between splined end and bushing. Am I missing something here. I would like your expertese on this. Also what I should I buy to make it easy. I am almost finished with this truck, but ran into this situation. I can't tell you how much I would appreciate a reply. sepp22@peoplepc.net thank you....

Ok, guys I have the cab and chassis back at my shop now. I am now attempting to get the okie out the hole. My first problem is that the last dimwit that did this put 2 - 1/2 inch welds on the end of the okie and drive shaft tube. Using my cut off wheel I managed to grind the welds away and with a drift and small hammer was able to move the okie down the tube about 1/6 of an inch. I am glad he didn't weld the okie in place using the original pin hole, that would have been loads of fun. I am going to try using a slide hammer with dent pulling screws in the end of the okie. I will head to lowes to pick up some extra long sheetmetal screws tomorrow. Wish me luck!

See last page of this:

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/553547677PuhxeT?vhost=good-times

sepp22-
Did you get it figured out?
Joe

I'll let you know tonight. I have to go buy some long sheetmetal screws for my slide hammer.

All in all, your best bet is to pull the old one and install a new one. That takes you back to square one, and you'll know that it is totally right.
Joe

Well last night was a wash. I did get the screws and drill the holes but the screws were to large and when installed would bite into the torque tube and lock the okie in place. I redrilled to a smaler size and will get smaller screws tonight.
One of the tech.'s at the shop suggested drilling a 1/8 to 3/16 hole in the side of the okie where the pin use to be. Then insert a bolt and use the bolt as a pin to drive against. When it moves to the top edge of the hole then drill another hole in the okie and do it again untill the okie is out the hole egough to drill in the exposed end and then tap or pull it out. I may follow this lead and use some heat on the tube to swell it. More tomorrow.

Well I just got the okie out the hole. As it turns out the seal was in the right way but the seal is still in the hole. The seal is old and brittle i can get to within 3 inches of the end of the tube but no further. Working with a hook I fashioned from a coat hanger i have been picking out pieces of the brittle seal and have got out the circular spring that supports the seal lip. There is still an okie in the hole (from the last repair) and there is no room for the new okie and the old seal and the old okie. The seal has to come out or the old okie has to be driven in more. I will attempt to drive the okie in further tomorrow after I find a sutable pipe to beat on. Maybe it will bust the seal up and i can get it out. I have determined that you can only stack the okies 1 time if you try to drive the 3rd okie in then the first okie will come out the bottom side and rattle around in the tube untill it finds its way into the pinion bearing. SOOOO! Note to everyone; You can only stack the okies 1 time. More to come. James

ya, there is no easy route. Pull the old okie, and drive in new seal, and bushing. I am just glad this forum exists. Thanks to all contributers..Sepp....

I just got through removing the okie and here is what I did.
First you need to know that the engine and transmission are already out the truck and the floor has been removed.
1. If the staking pin is still in the torque tube drill it out.
2. Using the hole left after removing the staking pin, drill a 3/16" hole as close to the bottom edge of the staking pin hole as you can go. Drill it deep enough to just go through the okie bushing and not into the drive shaft.
3. Insert a 3/16" punch in the hole.
4. Using a hand held torch heat the torque tube till it is toastie hot an area the length of the okie.
5. With a hammer drive the punch forward (not down, hit it on the side of the punch) untill you reach the top edge of the staking pin hole.
6. Drill a new hole the same way and drive it out the same way untill you can drill a hole in the end of the okie and drive it out of the tube.
7. You may not need to but I did, fish out the seal using a coat hanger with a hook on the end. In fact I used 2 coat hangers. Note; check and make sure both brass bushings are still in the okie. The lower one can come out and stay in the tube. I got lucky and was able to use the above procedure to also remove the bottom bushing. The bushing came out with the okie until it reached the splined area where it stoped and the okie continued to come out leaving the lower bushing stuck at the spline.
Thanks to all that gave advise and shared thier knowlege I hope this helps the next guy.