Happy New year? Expensive new year! Better thanks to all who preach saftey 1st. I wouldnt had a clue that there could be a problem. Better to find it now!

Now the money shot.

Rust pits in axle,bearing and ring gear. I was expecting some wear but not rust pits. Looks like about everthing needs replaced.I have two other axles. Is it worth tearing them down for ring gear and inner bearings? I do not have a 26 axle. Are parts the same? Havnt got the book out to see.

Looks like it's had water in it for some time, glad you caught it before it had a big failure.

Internals are the same.

That is the same thrust washer,crack goes all the way through.
Thanks Ted

Like Ted said the internal parts are the same.

Your extra axles are worth tearing down. You might get lucky and find some good bearings. Finding a good used ring gear can be rare sometimes.

Fortunately, axle shafts and ring and pinion gears are being reproduced.

I think the water done the major damage. The ring gear looks pretty good where its no rusted.
Thanks Ed.

I don't look forward to that on Rufus my 26 rpu. I wAnt to take one down to Dan Hatch in Birmingham Al to build for me. Trying to locate a useable spare in my area. Tim

In the middle of my first, I will say it cost more than I expected but I am hoping it will be another 92 years before it needs another.

Dallas how did the u-joint look? I'm just curious.

Tim, wish I was closer to Texas also!
James, I havnt got to that yet. More cleaning to do,but I will post pics.

Dallas, looks like you are well on your way. You have to let us know how hard it really is when your done. I hear a lot of the axles are in poor shape like model A s only worse if that's possible. Tim

Yes, Tim, it's possible.


Some people's motto is Ignore that noise and keep driving.

Dallas, if your differential gears and spider are also pitted, that definitely makes it worthwhile looking into those other rear axles. Even in an axle that's in poor shape, those parts are often OK.

Thanks Steve! It was alot of fun getting this one apart! Glad I watched your video,it made things go like clock work getting rear axle out.

Steve's video o removal makes it look easy. Wish I felt to confident about the rebuild and we don't have other model T guys to talk to anywhere within 100+ miles that I have found but I don't see any listed clubs here in GA. Tim

Steve, I hadn't seen that pic before. Whoa!

Tim, I'm right with you in the confidence area... I also lack the room.

Dallas, Yuk! Doggone moisture. I'm glad you tore it apart.
I've had people tell me in the past (point blank!) that upper Midwest weather changes do not make moisture inside housings. Pffft!
If you find you don't have the parts in your tear-downs, I've got some extras if you decide to come up this far. :-)

All the miles I've logged in my Crappy T... When that rear end comes apart, I bet I'll throw up.
The axle on the '18 tin Cup needs to come apart also as I have trust issues about 30 year old rebuilds, even with no miles.

That rear axle looks like it had set up a good while before it was put back to use.

Duey,this RPU came out of Florida. Maybe set in swamp a few years or flooded . Wear is not bad even on the thrust washers. DANG WATER!

Tim,I dont have anybody close. Other than my friends that I can ask any question anytime with a few taps on my phone here on the forum. Makes a guy feel confident. Not smart, confident. Not to mention lucky!

Dallas, We as a club rebuilt the rear for my cut off touring a few years back. I am very mechanically inclined, but I was intimidated fearing I would screw something up. A little guidance, and some reference materials go a long way.

When we did mine, we were able to swap my axle bearings inners to the outers as they were all luckily in good shape. I did buy brand new axles, and my ring and pinion were fair, but we swapped them anyhow to a better original set and changed the pinion to a 11 tooth for a 3.63 ratio. We also used a fun project spool bearing kit, and replaced all sleeves, thrust washers, pins, etc. I think it was about $700 or so for all the parts, and I told my helpers, if you think I need it, I will buy it as I only want to do this once.

As anyone that has done this job can contest, it is a lot of work tearing it down, inspecting and more importantly, cleaning. Going back together isn't hard, but having the book by your side is helpful.

BTW, I really like your pickup.

Thanks Chad
Your right about the cleaning! Removing axle and tear down was about 1/3 of the time spent. I still have the U joint and housings to clean and then I can start removing rust for some paint. That axle grease is really special!

Dallas,

That was a really good idea to take that one out and tear it down. The time and money will be a well spent investment for peace of mind and nothing bad happen that could hurt someone and really tear up the car.

I have done many rear end rebuilds and probably they could have been done better but the critical components were replaced to be safe. I built them tight but if I could turn the u-joint with a wrench good to go, if I could run a piece of paper through the ring an pinion without cutting it good to go...but I was taught by old Model T guys who aren't alive anymore. Never had any fail or make noise and I still trust them.

Jobs like that used to be more fun than they are now. I don't throw heavy things around as easy and it is harder to stay bent over for long, really not hard to stay bent over, just harder to straighten back up!. I have been working on a Ford Jubilee tractor as the latest project and my attitude now is that it can take a little longer and that is fine but everything I do I am only doing that job once. Someone else can do it next time. The guy who had it before me owned it for 30 years and if I own it 30 years I will be 86 and probably not be driving it.

Good luck and "when in doubt, throw it out". It isn't worth it to have to go back in when you don't have time and do it all over again.

Tim Moore

Hey Dallas,

Keep us updated on the rebuild! I need to tear mine apart this year, just waiting to move it to the new storage before starting.

Pictures are great, keep them coming!

Andrew

Is this typical to have two sizes of wire?

One is copper , one is steel

Driveshaft bearing and race is the same. Rust pits.

Copper is for electricity, not for safety wire.

Tim Moore

Tim,I was pulling on the fine copper with my fingers to get cutters in and it broke. I believe you

Water, water, everywhere!

Egad, that bearing is a miserable piece of junk. I wouldn't think twice about replacing it with a new FP bearing.

http://www.funprojects.com/products/2587e1.aspx

I suppose sitting inside on concrete with temp changes could do that. My garage floor sweats bad in the spring . They didnt put vapor barrier under concrete.my 41 chevy coupe set in there for ten years and rusted the rims from condensation.

You dodged a bullet Dallas. At least you found it's condition at home without a road failure or possibly worse.

Charlie, Im very lucky indeed. I found it before something bad happened or it destroyed other parts and I got to spend an entire day working on a T. Pretty good day in my book!

Dallas,

It wasn't condensation that did that. That axle has been under water. Best to check your front wheel bearings as well!

The nice thing about owning a T is parts are easy to find. I agree you have a project ahead of you, but you caught it in time. Hopefully the other rear axle you have will yield some useable parts.

Dallas I would at least take the other rear ends apart to see what you have. You may get lucky and get better differential cases, with possibly a set of very nice spyders. You can also pick the best pair of axle gears, as you will need them for the new axles. Then you may be able to end up with a good set of original hyatt bearings by saving the inner bearings. Axles are almost impossible to find in good shape anymore. You could get lucky on axles but not likely. So at least you will need a fun projects adjustable bearing kit (highly recommended) a pair of new axles (get the 1/16 longer version) A ring and pinion set. A set of four bearing sleeves, gaskets and seals. And whatever may be needed for the drive shaft/u-joint assembly. If you only find a good pair of hyatt bearings, use them on the outside and you can get by with the repro hyatt bearings with no oil grooves for the inner bearings. You were wise to check it out. Only bad things could have happened with that rear end ... have fun and be safe Donnie Brown .....

Yes, you can get by with new repos for the inner bearings, but I would rather use original Hyatts there too. I've been told that the new ones don't really live down to their bad reputation, but as long as originals are available and often cost less, I think that's the way to go.


This new bearing measures a perfectly correct .500".


But it has only seven rollers, while the original Hyatt bearing (right) has eight.


It also lacks the original lubricant-spreading grooves.

Actually, if there's no worse looking spots on this bearing, and if the roller diameters are still acceptable, I would use it for one of the inner ones. The inner bearings aren't as stressed as the outers.



You'll probably find when tear apart your spare axles, that the inner bearings are most likely in good shape, or at least better than the outers.

I am of the opinion that the grooves were not to spread lube, but to allow for a small amount of flexure. The rollers are actually wound in a spiral from flat steel. Essentially, a spring.

I thought that original Hyatt rollers were wound from flat stock like a spring, hence the grooves.

Yes, they were. Why? To let them flex? To spread lubricant? Maybe both.

I've read all about the "construction" or "fabrication" of Hyatt roller bearings beginning their life as flat stock - O.K. - I'm on board with that fact.

O.K., now can anyone provide an engineering or logical explanation for the spirals to be wound in pairs so they are traveling in opposite direction, if not to distribute lubrication the full length of the rollers ?

If the spirals didn't have some function in moving around grease I'm sure they wouldn't have bothered to alternate right hand & left hand wound rollers. Otherwise, they'd have made a sort of pump out of it.

I think the spreading grease was a side benefit of the spring wound roller, and yes, they reversed them to prevent pumping all the grease to one end.
It would have been much cheaper to make solid rollers, so I believe the spring nature was considered an important part of the design.
Too bad that rear axle was subjected to rust, the Babbitt thrust washers still show the mold extraction pin marks on their side, so it was probably a low-mileage axle. Note even with little use, the washers were starting to fail! However, the safety wire job shows that someone not Ford trained was in that rear axle at some time.

Dallas,

Since you have the rear end taken apart, don't forget to replace the grease seals located behind the outer roller bearing sleeve. You'll have to pull the outer sleeves, but I suspect you're going to replace them as a matter of course anyway. I use the grease seals made with the modern material and have had excellent results.

R/Mark

Be aware that if you use the modern neoprene inner grease seals, you may have to grind a bit from the inside edge of the bearing sleeves to make sure that the outer edge of the sleeves don't stick out beyond the outside edge of the axle housing tube.

I have spent the day chasing parts for rear axle and other parts I need fot TT project.I did find what I think is a good bearing and race for driveshaft. Possibly two axles shafts. Have to measure all to be sure. I have the grease seals that Mark mentioned with the modern outer seals I installed earlier this year. New races are a must I think. I think I will have enough Hyatt bearings from all parts I have . Still dont have a usable ring and pinion.I think U-joint is good.I did find a good passenger fender for my 26 Tt project and headlight mounts. The two clamps for fender to fender irons. Still need a hood and drivers fender. I think I located a set of headlights.

I need one more day to tear down rear axles and clean parts before I can make a parts list for rear axle rebuild.

I may have to change the name for RPU from Elizibeth to swamp donkey

I opened up mine as well this weekend. I haven't got it all cleaned up and measured yet but, so far, everything looks reasonably good. Not sure what lubricant went in there whenever it was rebuilt. Not a drop of anything came out when I cracked it open. Everything was covered in grease, but there was this blob of hardened grease sitting in the bottom that wasn't doing anything any good. I need to tackle the messy cleaning job next.

I might be mistaken, but it looks like the locating pin for the thrust washer is sheared.

Perhaps I should have worded it differently. No doubt the groves will spread lube. I just don't think that spreading lube was the reason the bearings were wound from flat steel. I believe they were wound from flat steel so they could flex. Winding them in opposite directions probably did two things. In addition to keeping it from becoming a "lube pump", it probably helped reduce any thrust that might be generated by them being all being wound in the same direction. I'll bet there are many who read "Lube Grooves" and don't even realize they are wound from flat steel and instead think that they are nothing more than grooves cut into the face of a solid round roller.

Why do they need to flex? If the bearing and axle are PERFECTLY parallel to one another they have line contact. The load is distributed along a line where the two cylinders (bearing roller and axle) are tangent to one another. But what if they are not PERFECTLY parallel? Lets say they are off by one degree. Now you have a long narrow bearing roller supported at each end with a point load in between. Say this roller is made of very hard (brittle) steel that would rather break than bend. This could be a bad situation. If the roller were allowed to flex somewhat, then the situation is not nearly so bad.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyatt_Roller_Bearing_Company

Take apart the other rearends. The inner bearings may be ok.Just check the sleeves and change them if bad.
Ring gears and such may be ok to.It will save you a bit of money and if the stuff is really bad,you can chunk it and free up the storage.
It must have sat in water or got flooded.
Along time ago to be able to do that damage.

Thanks for the explanation, Hal & Thanks for the good read about Hyatt, Mack !

I also opened up my rear end this weekend and found one bronze and one babbitt thrust washer (!). Also it appears the ring gear has been scrapping the right axle housing. So I'm following this thread closely. Maybe with the help and advise from the people on the forum, we can get these all back together.

your steel washer pin guides are sheered off. You can buy the removel drill bit and bottom tap. after installed, the pins have to be flush with washers. Washers have to set flat and not rock back and forth, if they do and you try to bolt the two housings together,pending how thick your thrust washers are. The housings might not go together. Also besure to measure the depth of the pin hole, some of the pins you buy half to be ground on to fit the bottom of the hole. hope this heips

Rick
Thanks because I have to repace my pins also

The Hyatt rollers are hollow, and allow heavy oil to fill and of course are alternated to have the oil move both ways. These hollow rollers are made of ribbon material, without axles on either end. They roll too on the divots of the cage.

Don`t worry about the rust in the spool just buy a spool bearing assembly.Pending on your pocket book buy all new parts or you will be shiming all the way out to your hubs.

I have never did a rear end rebuild but if i ever do the first thing i would do is to build a fixture like Steve Jelf made! Next i would bolt it to the lifting pad on the jack as per Steve! Bud.

I`ve rebuilt five rearends in the last two years. I`e gotten pins that needed an angle ground on the edge of the bottom of the pin, so the pin would go on down. you might even half to file on the thrust washers. Hope all this helps.

In the MTFCA axle book Glen Chaffin gives you step by step what to do. Use the book, get a FP pinion bearing, and go.

Couple things.

1. Take an old ring gear, weld two straps on the back of it so you can bolt it to the bench. Take it out on your chop saw and whack a slot in it about an inch and a half wide. Bolt it to you bench with the teeth up sticking out over the bench. Easiest way to hold the assembly for working on it, tightening bolts, etc.

2. Make 4 stands from plywood that will set on the bench, tall enough to hold the ring gear off the bench. Cut a notch in each one the same depth for the axles to set in. Now you can lay the assembly out on the bench horizontally with it all in line.

3. Assemble the center carrier with the gears on the axles but not the pinion gears in it. Lay it on your new stands. Slide the axles in so the ends touch. Hold the carrier over to one side and measure the distance from the back of the gear to the inside of the carrier. That is the thickness of washer to put in between the ends of the axles when you assemble it.

4. To make room in the housing for the seals inside the sleeves you need to grind the ends of the sleeve down. Two radiator hose clamps around the sleeves -- one in about 1/16 th of an inch from the end, tighten them up and grind the end down to the hose clamp. Makes it easy to grind the same amount all the way around and have the correct clearance for the seals. Use a flap disk on your side grinder and it's a 5 minute job at most.
Be sure to touch up the inside edge of the sleeve as well as the outside after you take the clamps off.

Is there any info available on making a sleeve puller?? I see the vendors sell them but it seems like it could be fabricated at home

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/506218/540854.html?1431500631

http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103531

Bruce, for no more than they cost......Ain't worth my time.

Finished tearing down another rear axle for parts. Axles,bearings, ring and pinion all junk. Now I know what I need , I can get it ordered.

Other thing to do while waiting on parts

Oof. No goodies in that rear axle...
Woohoo! You got a rad back from the knuckleheads and I know where those nickels are going!

FYI Dallas, and others tearing their rear down. What parts are considered junk for use in a road driven vehicle may actually be good enough to use in a slow limited use vehicle like a doodlebug. They still aren't worth hardly anything, but at least they may get further use elsewhere in another T based vehicle or power unit.

Chad, I cant seem to throw anything away. It will be easier to move parts around in smaller pieces lol!!! Thanks for the heads up.

Something to consider is to drill and tap the bottom of one of the housings for a drain plug, that way you can change the gear oil. This something that I have done to all my rear axles.

Great idea John. Thank you .

My advice if money is not an issue.
1. Buy new repro axles. They are a hair longer to make up for the wear I am sure you have in your hubs.
2. But new bronze or roller thrust washers
3. Buy some good hyatt rollers or go modern on all your bearings / races. DO NOT use that smooth crap shown above - those were a miserable failure in the 80's and they are still peddling them off on unsuspecting people to offset the loss in profit.
4. RTV everything with and without a gasket.
5. Use modern seals.
6. Use 90W gear oil once all the RTV cures.

In addition to what Tim said, see my post of January 1 at 9:27 PM.

Steve , I remember. I used it as a guide to get the job done. Didnt seem like a job but more like a fun day in the garage.
Thanks Steve for posting these things. I have also watched the video of removing rear axle. Big help!

A little update. Received most parts for rebuild. Fun projects pinion bearing is the only thing not here. Should be here this week. Housings hot tanked and steam cleaned by a friend. The wife had knee surgery Friday so no work in garage this weekend. Need to remove thrust pins and bearing race fron driveshaft . Still need to build fixture for assembly phase. Big thanks to Andy Loso for tech help and parts. Also thanks to all who helps with ideas for fixtures to hold axle while rebuilding. Will post more pics when process begins.

I don't remember if I showed this recently. I don't think so.


Made from scraps on hand.


The price was a perfect $0.

Thats perfect Steve. I have a barn full of fixtures and didnt even know it. Glad your back. The price fits into my budget also. We missed you. Any other advice I need ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta2NCzXcZnA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDcmsir6bPU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfxWPsF4KhQ&t=28s

One thing - on the third video, Steve put the lock washers on the radius rods under the front castle nuts. They actually go under the plain nuts on the back side of the driveshaft front flange.

According to the service manual (paragraph 621, figure 351):

"Place a radius rod lock washer over threaded end of radius rods and position it against lock nut which has been run down to end of threads on rods (See "A" Fig. 351)".

Mark, my 26 has a collar on radius rods and a nut on the threaded end. Is this to be run down against collar? Other posts I have read about measuring to keep axle in line. Is that pre 26 with two nuts?

Yes, the pre-26 uses the two nuts. I looked in the "improved car" section of the service manual and it doesn't show a picture of the front part of the rear axle. I did a quick search of the forum using Google and didn't find a good picture of the "improved car" installation.

Someone with an improved car can correct me or elaborate, but I think that the collar on the improved car radius rods butts up directly against the back of the driveshaft front flange, then a castle nut is torqued down on the front and a cotter pin inserted.

Can someone with an improved car take a picture of their radius rod installation and post it here? Thanks.

The improved cars don't have cotter pins in the ends of the radius rods where they attach to the torque tube ball. They use lock washers instead.

Stephen

Thanks, Stephen. Do you have a picture of that area that you can post?

Thanks for info guys.

How often should gear oil be changed?

Unless you drive on dirt roads all of the time, probably not as often as the factory service manual recommends:

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/411944/494728.html?1416756531

My standard rear axle has 600W in it from Lang's. My opinion - I probably won't change it for 5 years, which the way I drive will probably be around 5000 miles.

This is the pic of that area on my rebuilt rear that will be headed in the truck this year.

No Cotter pin holes that I see, and no lock washers as of when I rebuilt it. That doesn't mean someone left off the washers at some point---maybe I should put them on.

I would sure use them. Losing a nut there could be a problem.

Thanks Chad, mine had no lock washers when I removed it. There will be when Im finished.

Very interesting, I have a 1926-27 rear axle for a speedster project that has the collar type ends on the rear axle side of the radius rods, but the U-joint sides are drilled for a castle nut and carter pin. I don't think that they were drilled by someone at a later date. I also have a loose 1926 style radius rod that takes the earlier two nut type ends. Proof that Fords just kind of evolved as production went along.

Thankyou for the photo, Chad. There is certainly enough thread remaining to add a lockwasher under the nut.

Early 1926 radius rods have two nuts and are installed same as 1925 and earlier. Starting from the rear, there is a lock nut, then a lock washer, then the ball casting, then a castle nut and finally a cotter key. Then sometime in 1926 model year they changed to the one nut style. There will be the radius rod shoulder up against the ball casting with no lock washer. Then after the ball casting is a castle nut and then a cotter key. Then the third version is radius rod up against ball casting with no lock washer. Then after the casting is a lock washer and then a common nut (not a castle nut). This style mounting is used with a undrilled for cotter key radius rod. The common feature of all three styles is the fork end, will be the "large or long fork" style to match up to the large drum backing plates. And they say "all 26 27s are alike" have fun and be safe Donnie Brown ....

Insalling thrust pins in dif housing. Drove in easy compared to axle housing pins. Can I punch around pin like axle housings?

Andy Loso answered my last question. Had to get creatvie to get a loose thrust pin out. Couldnt drill it because ot turned. Someone tried to punch around it but in the wrong place. So plan B was put in effect.

Hurray for plan B!

I have all pins replaced and punched the loose ones.

The most trouble was the upper driveshaft bushing. The 15/16 socket trick did not work. 3/4inch socket would not clear rivets. Had to make a tool with 5/8 all thread and a collar from junk drawer. Ground flats to clear rivets and drove it out with rod .

A slid hammer dent puller workd great to remove pins

As I have kept up with this discussion topic, I remind myself how happy I am that my rear end and drive shaft rebuilds are behind me.

Me too Jim, but I did have fun, even though all I could really use were the housings.

A little update. Driveshaft is finished. I checked gear lash in four places and have 2 thousands difference . 15 to 17 thousands gear lash. Going to install 10 thousands shim. Need to set last thrust washer and I can saftey wire ring gear and button it up. I can put it together and take it apart with eyes closed. Im glad I chose to do it myself with everyones help here. Great extersize in patience. Will try to remember to take photos today. I get involved and forget.

Dallas, great job on getting it together. If you can do it yourself, the experience you gain is priceless. And in my opinion, if you want to own such a car, you need to know how to work on it.

Cant wait to see you out riding and more pics of that great little pickup.

Thanks Chad, I cant wait myself. Its taken a long time. Waited on a buddy to true up some parts on the mill. Its coming together well. I wonder how much drag I had with rusty bearings and gears. The driveshaft pin was missing on tear down so the shft was just floating around where ever it felt like. Should have less noise and a little more power.

While we are at this stage of the rebuild in this thread ( I'm doing one too ) I only find one axle thrust bearing pin in one side. is this common?

Craig, yes on the differential. On axle housing there are two.

Correct, but I have a axle housing with only one. I removed one and I'm unable to locate the other. Does this happen? and should I try to drill a hole for another or just leave it? Getting the right size hole in the right location may be difficult by hand. 9/32 looks to be too large while 17/64 looks to small & I don't have a 7mm or a J to try.

Craig, this is my 1st rebuild. Mine hade one sheared off but I could see it or where it was. Maybe post a question. They will answer in no time.

Thanks Ed Fuller

Thanks Steve Jelf

Glad I tore down another axle. The bolts in mine were to short and a little smaller in diameter than original.

Ready to install

Thanks to all that answered questions and solutions to problems. Thanks to Andy Loso for parts and advice on rebuild. I would not want to tackle this without the people on the forum help. As bad as this rear axle was it could have come apart any time. Not knowing jack about what it was supposed to sound like or feel like,urging from forum members post preaching rebuild is the only reason I did it.
Drive safe and often

Dallas, looks great! I bet it feels even better. :-)
May I ask, did you use the Fun Projects pinion kit? If so, the front/upper drive shaft bushing doesn't need to be "fitted" to the rear of the U-joint for drive shaft end play since the Fun Projects kit takes care of that at the spool.
Did you have any issues with the clearance between the U-joint and the front face of the new bushing?

Duane, yes the fun projects pinion worked great. I did have to make adjustments at the front driveshaft bushing. Its good to have friends with all the milling equipment I needed . Pin was about .050 from going in. Got it set with a little drag and wa la done. Feels good to be done with it as much fun as it was. I did enjoy everthing except the put it together and take it apart about 10 times to set clearance on last thrust washer. I missed the fact of clockwise twist and counterclockwise on the saftey wire untill I did the 1st set of bolts. Then it was obviouse why that detail mattered.

Aha. Thank you sir! I was thinking on perhaps shortening the face back some as that issue isn't addressed as far as I've noticed.
I was gonna say that the safety wire job looked great! Interesting about the clockwise/anti-clockwise bit... I'll try it out soon.
Dallas, thank YOU for posting this thread. It's been the impetus for me and others that need to do this.

One word of advice Duane, get a good facing tool for the front bushing. Would have been able to do it all in my shop if I had that tool. I have been told that the new ones are not very good.

I always set the clearance at the Drive Shaft Bushing just like with an original Drive Shaft Spool Assembly. I never trust the Lock ring of the Replacement Spool assembly. They do come loose and then you have no ring and pinion clearance. The added insurance of setting the bushing to U-Joint clearance is worth the few minutes it takes to do it. Then you don't have to worry.

Glen,

Yes, totally agree!

Now I see and understand. :-)
Dallas and Glen, thank you!
Jerry I do too, now.

FWIW here is the easy way to set the pinion/bushing clearance. Face about .100 off the bushing before you install it. Buy some .010 thick 1 inch stainless arbor washers, the kind without the notch to slide over a key. Install the pinion, all the bearings and etc and put a couple bolts in to hold it lined up. Then bend up a little strap iron piece with a couple holes that you can thread bolts through that will hold the pinion/drive shaft assembly tight against the drive shaft. (Or just set in on the floor, pinion down) Put arbor washers on the drive shaft u joint end until the u joint fits tight against the bushing with the pin hole lined up. Put the pin in and you're done. No facing etc. Works for me, your mileage may vary.

One more little thing. NEVER use a roll pin, it will come out and being hard, can cut the tube of the driveshaft. Use the soft pin and peen it in place.

I also had to grind the corner of allen bolt on pinion lock ring for clearance. I put a spot weld on it to keep it from coming loose.

This just gets embarrassingly more interesting and simple to me! Dallas, you poor bugger, you've had to endure me directly on the telephone before. Yikes!
Thanks again!
Stan, that's just naughty simple and I'll be doing a version of just that I think. I don't know you well enough to call you Uncle like some of these fellas... :-)
Shoot, this afternoon I had grabbed a REALLY simple tool used for cutting heads for valve seat inserts and thought "I could make this work. I just need a bigger bit of 1/4" high speed steel so I can grind it and make a cutter for the front bushing." I can put that back.
Dallas, that's just naughty smart and I'll prob'ly be a copy-cat there too.
I just have to remind myself (it popped in just now) what Dave Gingery said to me and my buddy Keith so many years ago at his table at the NAMES show in Wyandotte, MI.
"If it works, that's the right way to do it."

Ignacio, are you seeing this? Good stuff and good cheat codes... :-)

What a great thread. I'll be rebuilding mi e this year and will re-read this thread when I do.

Stan, have I got this right? With every thing in place and standing, pinion end down on the floor, the stainless washers are slipped over the end of the tailshaft, as many as needed, before the hole in the U joint and the tailshaft are aligned. That means the thrust face at the back of the U joint is against the stainless washer. Are they tough enough to serve in this role, or have I got things mixed up a bit?

I have done something similar in the past, but the fitting is a little different. Once I had the clearance set, I knocked out the bush out again and fitted the washers between the bead of the bush and the tailshaft tube. Your way is much easier.

Allan from down under.

By the time u wear out those washers u will be too old to care.

Thanks Stan, I realise most of the thrust pushes the shaft back up the tube and the load on the washers would be minimal.

Allan from down under.

@Duey I am seeing this but have John Tannehill coming over to help with final assembly as soon as thrust pin hell is over.

I used the epoxi trick with the upper drive shaft tube bushing - ground it on the outside for a slip fit in the tube, then after testing with the U-joint it could be taken out again for facing and retesting until final mounting with epoxi with the driveshaft guiding it to sit straight. No extra washers needed, just a clean tube

I would, and have, assembled the torque tube without the bushing. I then make a spacer, which mimics the thrust flange, to slip over the driveshaft. I test fit the u-joint and adjust the thickness of my spacer as needed. Once I know the proper thrust flange thickness, I machine the bushing flange to the same thickness and install.

I have used Stan's idea once, but used one thick arbor washer that I sized as needed. I personally would not use a stack of.010 washers. That's just my choice.