Advice on replacing the ball on a torque tube.

[Reno Speedster]

I am working on shortening my torque tube and the ball on the one I have is pretty beat up. However, I have an NOS replacement ball (see below). I want to install it while I am doing the shortening. The rivets on the original look like they were pretty randomly installed. I can remove the rivets and the old ball, but I would appreciate any experienced advice on how to install the new ball on the torque tube.

[Kerry]

Morgan, I've only ever replaced 1, for the life of me couldn't figure out on how to fit the rivets and machine the inside to still press the bush in, it was a tight fit on the tube, so I welded the sucker on.

[Allan]

If the rivets appear randomly spaced, the holes will be difficult to line up for the replacement. Instead, weld up the holes in the tube, and install your new ball with all new holes.
When fitting a two piece ball end, I made a tool to buck the rivets. It was an old piece of driveshaft with four tapered flats ground onto one end. The rivets were installed, one at a time, with the heads on the inside of the tube. That leaves the outside of the rivet to be bucked. The rivet is head in place when the driveshaft piece wedged it tight against the tube on the inside. The subsequent rivets are done the same way, and the reason for the tapered flats on the driveshaft piece will become obvious.

Hope this helps,
Allan from down under.

[Reno Speedster]

Thanks for the advice. Drilling new holes would seem to be the most practical way to do it, though welding would be easier. I will pull off the old one and see how things go. How did you guys get the new ball on? The shaft is too long for my press, even after I cut it down. Did you drive it on with a fitted driver and hammer? I guess you could pull it on with a threaded rod.

[speedytinc]

Look @ that rivet pattern. They are spaced 90 degree. Look for the front bushing removal tool made from a pipe cap. If replaced randomly, the next guy will have a hard time removing that bushing 96 years from now.

[Allan]

From memory, the fit of the ball casting on the machined end of the tube was not a tight, press type fit. I pushed mine on with some Loctite and let it set before I riveted it. Yours may be different.

Allan from down under.

[RGould1910]

Like Allen, I've replaced a few two piece drive shafts end castings having to rivet them to the tube. I would only add that I used truss head rivets and was able to buck them by first installing all four rivets then pounding the tapered end of a driveshaft up thru the rivet heads and beyond until the unmachined part of the driveshaft is under the heads. The heads will deform some and conform to to the inner surface of the tube. The driveshaft will be a tight fit and provide a good bucking bar for cutting off and peening the outer stubs of the rivets.
This method works well for two piece driveshafts but may not work with a later ball because the rivets are installed further down the tube where the id is bigger, perhaps requiring a thicker bucking bar.

[Reno Speedster]

Thanks for the advice. I have the old ball off and the tube is almost 10/1000 larger than the hole on the new one. I can turn it down to a good slip fit. I like the idea of getting it aligned and on with locktite, then doing the rivets. I will make sure to do it at 90 degrees to make my sons life easier at some point.