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| | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 6 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 6 | I traded one of my 67 Chevy trucks for a 1950 Chevy 3600 (216, 4spd, 5 window) yesterday and I'm excited! It runs, but smokes like a freight train. The previous owner drove it regularly so I decided to drive it home - a 30 mile trip. Here's my first adventure with this truck:
I get about 6 miles from home and I noticed some very bad vibration, my dad following me flashing his lights at me, and fire dropping onto the road behind me! I shut off the engine, pull off the battery cable and pull over immediately. I looked under the truck and the driveshaft and transmission tail was red hot and on fire! I had a bottle of aquafina, and managed to find some more water in a nearby ditch and cooled everything off before any real fire occured. The grease on the tranny is what was burning. Anyway, we called a buddy with a roll-back for the rest of the trip.
I just thought I'd make my first post and introduce myself. In my searches I've not seen any posts about melted driveshafts so I thought I'd share. It was glowing bright red coming out of the tranny housing and about 6 inches further down the tube! I could see inside the tube where it had separated and the inner tube (maybe the tranny shaft?) was glowing too. I've never seen that before...wish I had my camera with me.
I have not tore into it yet to see what the extent of the damage is and what it will take to fix it. I assume there is/was a u-joint or ball-joint that I cannot see without taking the housing off of the end of the tranny? I just hope the tranny shaft isn't twisted or otherwise ruined. Any advice on what to expect here would be appreciated :-)
My plans are to keep it stock and in roadworthy condition for now. After I finish a couple of other projects, and my son gets a little older this will make a nice restoration project.
I'll post pictures and stuff soon.
Greg | | | 
#9341 02/19/2004 10:37 PM | Joined: Jul 2000 Posts: 962 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jul 2000 Posts: 962 | HOLY &hit! I've never seen a torque tube failure like that. Possible seized Okie bushing? Likely lack of lube in tranny, as thats what lubes the ujoint and front "okie" bushing the enclosed driveshaft rides on. Was the truck hard to shift? You're gonna have to pull the enclosed driveline and the tranny apart. Typically involves separating the system at the U-joint bell (that bell-shaped glowing thing behind tranny), then removing tranny and 3rd member from rear axle. The driveshaft itself can't be serviced without completely dissassembling the rear axle. Welcome to stovebolt, you've begun your "baptism by fire"  welcome to the loony bin Chiphead 
Preaching the Hot Rod Gospel according to the 4-stroke apostles:
Suck, Squish, Fire and Fumes
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#9342 02/20/2004 12:31 AM | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 6 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 6 | | | |
#9343 02/20/2004 12:40 AM | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 1,745 Member | | Member Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 1,745 | Wow, your torque tube became a rotating driveshaft. You will need a lotta pieces. There is a good chance the tranny is fried. You may need a parts truck or think about upgrading the driveline to something newer in this case.
54 3100 with 235
62 flatbed dump C60 with 261
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,839 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 2,839 | In your last pic, if that is a garage which you'll be working on your truck, at least you'll be doing it in comfort.
Hey Woogeroo, look at his first pic showing the spare tire rail slide in place.
Craig My '50 Chevy 3100 5 window, '62-235cu, 3:55 rear My truck ....... Respect The Rust If I'm not working on my truck, '65 m00stang or VW camper, I'm fishing with the wife or smoking Salmon.
| | | | | Joined: May 2001 Posts: 1,904 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2001 Posts: 1,904 | You have a 2-piece driveline in your 3/4T, right? The front half has the torque tube so you shouldn't have to get into the rear end.
I'm really interested in what happened because my '48 3/4T driveline parts are on a table in my garage ready to go back on my truck.
1948 3/4-Ton 5-Window Flatbed Chevrolet 34 Years. Now with a '61 261, 848 head, Rochester Monojet carb, SM420 4-speed, 4.10 rear, dual reservoir MC, Bendix up front, 235/85R16 tires, 12-volt w/alternator, electric wipers and a modern radio in the glove box.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 553 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 553 | Greg, besides the fact of what happened, that is a good lookin' truck you got there. I'm sure it'll still be well worth it when you get back on the road. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 60 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 60 | Sorry to hear that, beautiful truck other than now needing a tail shaft and drive-shaft rebuild... You have any decent junk yards for parts?
You're son will be the classiest kid at school when he starts driving that one!!
Now go punch the guy in the balls. | | | | | Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 139 Member | | Member Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 139 | gaddman, it looks like your carrier bearing failed and lit off. Must have been a sight to see. Never seen anything like that on a small truck. Good luck. Mike | | |
#9349 02/20/2004 12:51 PM | Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 200 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 200 | Gaddman,
Sorry to hear and see the problems with your new/old truck. Don't feel lost. The people on this site know their stuff and are willing to help out when you get in a jam.
I noticed on your pix-I think it was the second last one, the markings on your firewall. There appear to be two of them. One just to the right of the drain tube at the top and another at the lower left. As I understand it, these may be from the factory. As your truck rolled down the line, they told the assemblers what to install. I've heard that some have gone to the extent on their restorations of reproducing those markings when the truck is completed. You already have a picture so you are half way there. Someone may come along here and tell you what they mean. These guys are good.
Good luck with your truck. It will be great when you finish.
Mark
1951 Chevy 3100
Some days you get the bear. Some days the bear gets you.
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 142 Member | | Member Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 142 | What a nice truck to start with , freshen up the mechanicals and drive it ! | | | | | Joined: Feb 2000 Posts: 987 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2000 Posts: 987 | gaddman welcome to the stovebolt page. Nice looking truck! Sorry to hear of your adventurous frist drive. But that happens sometimes. Just remember We are here to help, after all that is what this board is all about.
Good Luck
Brian Moore
1949 3100 5 window Deluxe
"Today is better than yesterday, but not as good as tomorrow"
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 6 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 6 | Thanks for the encouragement! It was shifting fine as fars as I could tell. It is not totally locked up, but it is not spinning freely that's for sure. I plan to tear it down tonight...in that nice garage :-) I want to get the shaft out (hopefully I can take just the front half). Then I can see what the damage is.
I do have a question for y'all that know. Does the tube between the carrier bearing and the okie bushing housing (where mine separated) have to be there? Best case scenario would be if I can just take that part off (or weld it back together with my mig?) and replace all the bushings/u-joints and tranny fluid, and hope that the driveshaft/yoke/tranny shaft are not bent and require a machine shop. I'm not sure what the effect of it being so hot will be to the metal. I wonder if it will be too weak to re-use?
Are the bushings and u-joints available new? What about that Okie housing? That would probably something to ask for in the "swap" section of the board, huh?
Anyway, I'll know more when I tear into it.
Thanks,
Greg | | | | | Joined: Jun 2000 Posts: 2,773 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jun 2000 Posts: 2,773 | To take things apart, you will need to disconnect the u-joint at the differential. The rear section of the shaft can then be removed, it comes apart at the splined joint. Then unbolt the bell collar at the tranny, and unbolt the carrier bearing. The front shaft and housing should slide off, if it isn't welded together.
I would assume the rear bearing in the tranny needs replacement, possibly more in the tranny. Because of the heat, I would recommend replacing the forward driveshaft. If it were me, I would locate a tranny and forward shaft from a 55 to 66 truck. The tranny will be the same except set up for an open shaft. It shouldn't take to much to install the open shaft, length might be of some, but you can safely use about an inch of play in the slip joint. If it's more than that, go to a driveshaft shop for some work.
If you want to keep the truck original, you will need to check your tranny for damage, and get a salvaged ball collar, shaft housing, and driveshaft. The u-joints can be bought at a local parts store, the carrier bearing and rubber bushing from one of the on-line parts vendors.
Fred
52 3600
69 C-10
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 60 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 60 | My friend (55 **** club sedan) had the same problem.
Vibration (no fire luckily) but he had his drive shaft rebuilt ~$200 and needed a new output shaft that he found in a junk yard resonably.
Getting it apart will be hard since it probably welded itself together but keep us posted on what you find after dis-assemble. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 6 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 6 | Well, I got it all apart, from the carrier bearing to the tranny. It appears that one of the 4 bolts that attaches the driveshaft to the tranny inside the bell shaped housing came out. The end of the drive shaft is bent and the yoke is busticated. The tube and the bell shaped housing are now 2 separate pieces. But I believe the transmission is OK. It was indeed not out of oil (thank goodness), and the bearing that is lubed from the inside appears to be ok. The yoke on the end of the tranny seems to be ok and spinning true. There was a very small amount of debris that got behind the yoke, but not up into the bearing. I took the inspection plate off and the inside of the tranny is nice and clean and debris free.
So now I am in search of the front half of the drive shaft, along with the shaft housing that bolts to the tranny with the ball collar. My ball collar is ok, unless you think the heat damaged it.
On the u-joints...the one at the rear end and at the carrier bearing seem to be the same and easy enough. But the one in the shaft housing at the tranny looks a little different. Does it run dry? Does it ride against the inside of the shaft housing? Mine has, but I don't think it was supposed to :-) Is it called something other than a u-joint? I'll need all 4 of the bolts that hold it in as well. The 3 I had left were all broke off. I'll post more pics of it all later tonight.
I just want to make sure I know what to ask for on the parts board, and with the vendors.
Thanks for all the help!
Greg | | | | | Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,377 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,377 | Where in southern indiana are you as I am in dayton ohio and a local junkyard has a few of the 47-54 chevy and GMC trucks in it and there is a junkyard north of richmond indiana that has a few of them too.  | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 6 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 6 | I'm 30 miles north of Louisville, Ky, and about 100 miles south of Indy. So far I've found everything but the front shaft at a vendor site. I also see the way the front ujoint is supposed to look from another members pic at: http://community.webshots.com/photo/111968325/111973863JUYEbB Definately gonna use locktite and locking plates on those 4 bolts! | | | | | Joined: Jun 2000 Posts: 2,773 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jun 2000 Posts: 2,773 | You're right about what you need to replace. For the shaft and housing try placing an ad it the swap meet section. U-joints can be purchased locally. Parts from any 3/4 or 1 ton should work.
Fred
52 3600
69 C-10
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 622 Member | | Member Joined: Jan 2002 Posts: 622 | I have had trouble in my 62 3/4 ton with the trans output shaft bushing. Definately check that.
delete my account and pictures
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