How to clean a torque tube

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: How to clean a torque tube
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Justin Heim on Thursday, November 06, 2014 - 10:13 pm:

This is a question and not a how-to. I'm tearing down my TT rear end. I've spent the last two nights fighting the front drive shaft bushing and finally got it out without demolishing anything. Now I have this tube full of disgusting goop that I would like to get as much out of as possible. Does anyone have any good tricks for this other than jamming rags through it?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Garrison on Thursday, November 06, 2014 - 10:17 pm:

I poured kerosene down it after jamming rags through it and then sprayed it with Gunk engine cleaner and took it to the local car wash. I felt a little guilty about spraying grease, kerosene and gunk all over the car wash but I needed to do something.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By keith g barrier on Thursday, November 06, 2014 - 10:48 pm:

Justin, I use an old fiberglass cb antenna with a rag wired to the end, put one end of the tube in my parts washer and ram the rag back and forth to get out the worst then spray black max degreaser to soak and finish off with the pressure washer. A thankless and nasty job to say the least. KGB


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Scott Owens on Thursday, November 06, 2014 - 10:54 pm:

Justin, I welded a bolt to a long steel rod. bolted on a wire wheel and with my drill the inside is shinny from top to bottom. I have a solvent tank and with a long plastic tube over the solvent hose it washed up very nice. Scott


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Gregush Portland Oregon on Friday, November 07, 2014 - 12:04 am:

Get as much out as you can and take it to a shop and have it hot tanked. Will not get rid of rust but will clean it up.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Garrison on Friday, November 07, 2014 - 12:18 am:

Hey Scott, I like that. It's a Model T bore brush.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve McClelland on Friday, November 07, 2014 - 12:21 am:

If you have a engine shop close by that's the easiest way we've done axle housings... They dip and boil them in their tanks $19.00 bucks and a couple hours later you don't even get your hands dirty carrying them back to the truck...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Friday, November 07, 2014 - 12:58 am:


Toilet brush wired to a mop handle. Cheap, cheap, cheap. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Garrison on Friday, November 07, 2014 - 01:00 am:

Steve, stomping kraut or making butter?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jack Daron - Brownsburg IN on Friday, November 07, 2014 - 01:49 am:

It is a dirty job,but sometimes necessary. On axle housings,I strip out the bearing sleeves,set them on two fire brick and put a wad of crumpled up news paper at the bottom.A little gas and a match,let them burn out. Sometimes have to do it twice. Then,off to the blast shop. They come back clean as new. Rinse them with a little solvent and they are ready to reassemble/paint. I spray electrical varnish inside the pumpkins.I have a 6 foot piece of all thread with a wire brush I use on drive shaft housing.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Seth from NC on Friday, November 07, 2014 - 06:50 am:

I did the same thing as Mr. Jelf - toilet brush. Steve McClelland's approach will be what I do next time I have to rebuild a rear end though - that's brilliant!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Justin Heim on Friday, November 07, 2014 - 07:18 am:

Thanks for the ideas. A kerosene scrubbing and pressure wash sounds like a good plan. I just wish the TT tube wasn't taller than me. None of our local hot tankers can take that long of a piece.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Seth - Ohio on Friday, November 07, 2014 - 07:35 am:

Looking at Steve's picture I would need to stand on a couple of soap boxes in order to do that!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Verne Shirk on Friday, November 07, 2014 - 08:10 am:

Obtain a 44" long steel rod, 1/2" diameter. Drill one end with a 1/4" diameter hole about 1-1/2" deep. That is for a "circular flared" wire brush with a 1/4" shank. Drill a hole in the side of the rod to install an 8-32 cup point set screw to hold the brush. Attach the other end to a drill motor. I have mine turned down to 3/8" on that end for a 3/8" electric drill. Run the assembly in and out of the torque tube to clean the gunk out of it, then wash it out with solvent. I do have a couple of different sizes of ball type wire brushes. One so I can get in the small end of the torque tube. It works for the axle housings too. Ball type wire brushes can be obtained from www.mcmaster.com. Look at their numbers 4884A27 and 4884A51.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Verne Shirk on Friday, November 07, 2014 - 08:13 am:

Justin,
I just re-read your post. You are asking about TT cleaning. My tip was for T axle cleaning. The tool described above would just have to be sized-up.
Verne


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dean Yoder on Friday, November 07, 2014 - 09:50 am:

Pressure washer with turbo tip and hot water all drive train parts get that treatment at my shop. If you really want it clean after spraying it off once spray down with Hot stuff (caustic cleaner) and wash again with pressure. it will be so clean it will rust.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Friday, November 07, 2014 - 09:20 pm:

Several good ideas above. Only tip I would add is that I have attached various sizes of fender washers on the end of steel rod to use as scrapers to pull some of the gunk out.
Drive carefully, and get greasy, W2


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