Drive shaft bushing question

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Drive shaft bushing question
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By ken bechtel on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 - 06:35 pm:

I just installed a modern pinion bearing on my drive shaft and i am ready to install the front bushing. Has anyone milled a few thousands off the face before installing it? just thought i would ask because i don`t have a bushing facing tool and now would be the best time i thought. thanks Ken


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Cassara Long Island, NY on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 - 06:39 pm:

It's my understanding that you do not have to mill the front bushing when installing the modern rear bearing kit (fun projects). The pinion is now adjusted at the pinion bearing. Others will check in .........


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By ken bechtel on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 - 07:17 pm:

Hi John! I know that i will be adjusting the pinion at the rear bearing now. I was wondering about sliding the universal on to find that the pin won`t go in because the bushing might need milled? thanks Ken


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 - 07:18 pm:

John Regan will tell you it's best to pin the u joint in the right position to avoid risk for binding issues. Then the flange need to be thinned.
You can turn down the outside diameter of the new bushing to a slip fit so you can try out the right flange thickness, then clean & glue the bushing in place with permatex or some epoxi - no need to buy the expensive facing tool then :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry VanOoteghem on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 - 07:29 pm:

Ken,

With the Regan kit you can completely remove the flange, or at least cut it down considerably.

I am not of the opinion that gluing the bushing in is the best move. However, others do this, as suggested above, and apparently have no issues.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John F. Regan on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 - 07:34 pm:

You can cut most of the face away before putting the bushing in since you will not have to face it off to any precision fit against the back of the ujoint as with the original set up. I tell folks to leave a bit of the face on the bushing to help act as a "stop" when driving the bushing in place but remove enough of it so that the back end of the ujoint is totally free from the face of the bushing when the pin goes in. There is zero end play with our pinion bearing setup and that is locked at the pinion end so you don't need to have any special tool to remove the facing on the bushing. I know a few fellows that just used a belt sander to remove most of the face. I probably would just remove any sharp edges once I had removed enough of the face to get it out of the way.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry VanOoteghem on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 - 07:43 pm:

John,

This question comes up every so often. Might it be a good idea to include a shortened bushing in your kit, especially for those who don't have a lathe or other means besides a belt sander to shorten the standard version? I've used those facing tools, they're torture and can take forever.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chester Leighton on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 - 08:37 pm:

I just installed the modern tapered pinion bearing, brand new drive shaft, brand new U joint and brand new brass bushing this past Sunday. I strongly recommend removing some of the face of the new bushing prior to installation. I didn't and found out that the hole in the shaft didn't line up with the hole in the U joint. I had to remove the new bushing and put it in my lathe and take some of the face down. The directions for the tapered bearing indicate that a precision fitting of the bushing isn't necessary because the locking collar in front of the pinion bearing assembly prevents the shaft from moving toward the differential but it doesn't address coming up short at the U joint end. It took 11 hours start to finish including removal and re installation of the whole rear end from the vehicle, picking up the tools in the shop and a 30 minute "victory lap".


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By ken bechtel on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 - 08:51 pm:

Thanks for all the info guys! It really helps.Does anyone think that half of the face removed would be enough? thanks again. Ken


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Stan Howe Helena, Montana on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 - 08:57 pm:

I cut it down to where the oil slots in the face are only ??? 20-30 thousandths. Then I install it in the tube. I slide the U joint on and if it needs to be brought back out a little for a tight fit I use 1 inch arbor washers, .010 thick to bring it out to where it is all tight. It's a lot easier than trying to face that bushing with the phony tool they sell for doing it. I like to pin the U joint as well as use the clamp on the Reagan style pinion.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Chaffin on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 - 12:48 am:

I don't trust the locking sleeve to maintain it's position, so I always set up the drive shaft end play just like the normal way. This gives you added insurance that the drive shaft will hold it's position even if the locking sleeve comes loose.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By ken bechtel on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 - 06:40 am:

Thanks Glen! You got me thinking again. Ken


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Alan George Long on Friday, May 25, 2012 - 05:38 am:

I'm the same as Glen and have adopted the "Belt and Braces" approach! I have installed one of John Regan's quality pinion bearing kit but have still retained the top bush as standard with the normal close tolerance fit. Its purely a mental issue but i do sleep better knowing that i have two items preventing the driveshaft moving rearward. My top bush wasn't a tight press fit into the tube so i glued it in and installed a anti rotational pin. (belt n braces again !!!)

Alan in Western Australia


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Craig Anderson, central Wisconsin on Friday, May 25, 2012 - 03:06 pm:

When I had the rear end on the '20 coop fixed we found ALL of the problem was at the top bushing.
Put in a new bushing (Lang's), slid on the joint and the pin hole lined up perfectly with no futzing........got lucky I guess.


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