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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 170 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 170 | I've been curious about this for a while. What was the reason car makers used torque tubes? It makes sense to me why Ford used them with transverse springs, or Buick with coil springs. But why use a torqe tube with a leaf spring set-up like Chevy? It couldn't have been cheaper than an open drive shaft? Was it originally seen as smoother? mavbe allowed softer springs? Or less stress on the drive train? Just wondering what was the reason. | | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | | | | | | Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 170 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 170 | Thank you for the links - that helps explain it. It was one of those things I thought there should be a reason, but I was clueless. Thanks! | | | | | Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 2,893 Socket Breaker | | Socket Breaker Joined: Feb 2002 Posts: 2,893 |
Good info. as usual tc... I had read one of them before.
A good reminder.
-W
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | For anyone who has never seen nor heard of a torque-tube enclosed drive-shaft, Dave's question is one of the first for a person looking at at pre-55 1/2 ton (and other) Chevrolet truck. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque_tube"The torque tube driveline is also used in Sprintcars and Midget cars. The C5 and C6 Chevrolet Corvette, Lexus LF-A, Porsche 924, Porsche 928, Porsche 944, Aston Martin DBR9, Aston Martin DBS, Aston Martin DB7, and the Mercedes AMG SLS also use variations on this design, mostly with rear-mounted transaxles." Used on a modern Mercedes Used on mid-50s Ramblers I guess our 1/2 ton torque tubes are live axles with no pan hard link? | | | | | Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 575 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 575 | Why would my 49 1 ton not employ this? | | | | | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,750 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,750 | Why would my 49 1 ton not employ this? I would imagine it's something to do with the overall length. A longer shaft can produce more deflection/oscillation.
1950 Chevy Advance Design 3100 in ScotlandIn the Stovebolt GalleryMore pix on Flickr. I've definately got this truck thing in my blood ... my DNA sequence has torque settings"Of all the small nations of this earth,perhaps only the ancient Greeks surpass the Scots in their contribution to mankind" Winston Churchill.
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 482 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 482 | Changing a clutch: A simple drive shaft is out of the way in 5 minutes. A torque tube? On my Porsche it meant dropping the whole transaxle. I seem to recall working on a '47 Chevy pasenger car back in high school and struggling with the torque tube in order to change a clutch. It may be better technology than an open drive shaft, but but not fun to work around. | | |
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