U-joint Drive shaft bushing question.
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Topic author
U-joint Drive shaft bushing question.
Hi guys. 26 Roadster with rebuilt engine and trans. I have been chasing a vibration above 37 mph for a couple of years now. Yeah I know. It takes some of us longer than others haha. I pulled the rear end out today to look at the u joint and bushing. One question is the u joint slides on the pins. It also pivots nicely but slides on them. All four of them. Is this normal? The second question is how much play is too much for the torque tube bushing. The book says .002 to .003. After pulling the u joint off I rotated the drive shaft 90 degrees put my veneer caliper in, the u joint pin hole, till it touched the shaft. I zeroed it out and pushed the shaft up with a lever and got .017 play. I did this a few times to average it out but got the same value each time. It doesn’t seem excessive to me but what do you folks think? I really thought I was on the right track but everything looks good. Your opinion is appreciated. Thanks.
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Re: U-joint Drive shaft bushing question.
Let's get your terminology right. There is only one pin to hold the u joint in place. Could you be referring to the four rivets that hold the u joint together? Get your Ford Service book out and read it!
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Re: U-joint Drive shaft bushing question.
Sounds like he is referring to the 4 large pins that make up the knuckle part of the u joint. The second question he is measuring the up and down movement of the drive shaft in the bushing through the retaining pin hole (shaft to bushing clearance ) seams clear enough to me. But I don't have enough experience with Ts to answer the question.
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Topic author
Re: U-joint Drive shaft bushing question.
I knew I was going to have a problem explaining this right. I still can’t get pictures to load up. I looked through my T service manual again and I do not see a break down of a u joint. You know what, forget the u-joint. On to the torque tube drive shaft bushing. .017 radial play. Too much? ( Torque tube bushing right behind the u joint. )
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Re: U-joint Drive shaft bushing question.
Here is a picture of a u-joint. Perhaps you can reference the numbers when describing your observations
To load a photo - Reply to the thread you started here and then click on ATTACHMENTS folder on the bottom of the screen. The click on the ADD files button and find the picture you want in the library on your computer. Select it and at the bottom of the file window you need to click on the OPEN button. That will include the name of the file back in the forum but you will not see a picture until you click on PREVIEW. Hope this helps Frank
To load a photo - Reply to the thread you started here and then click on ATTACHMENTS folder on the bottom of the screen. The click on the ADD files button and find the picture you want in the library on your computer. Select it and at the bottom of the file window you need to click on the OPEN button. That will include the name of the file back in the forum but you will not see a picture until you click on PREVIEW. Hope this helps Frank
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- Ujoint.png (92.91 KiB) Viewed 5634 times
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Topic author
Re: U-joint Drive shaft bushing question.
In the above picture, arrows marked number one, is it ok for up and down movement? I have a total of about 1/8 inch.
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Re: U-joint Drive shaft bushing question.
Yes that would be normal. The spider is not locked in the housing so there is some movement. Would be more concerned about movement of part 2, shown in the photo, in the hole it rides in. While some wear is ok, too much is not good.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas!
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1925 Cut down pickup
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Re: U-joint Drive shaft bushing question.
To answer your question, yes, .017 clearance in your drive shaft bushing is way too much. You need a new bushing. Also, inspect your drive shaft in the area the runs in that bushing. If it too is worn, more than a thousandth or two, a new bushing will not be the total answer, since a new bushing may fit snug over the unworn area of the shaft, but will now be sloppy again when the worn spot in the shaft lines up with the new bushing, (although it will still be a ton better than what you've got, assuming the shaft wear is reasonably minimal). Some folks have turned down the shaft diameter a bit to true it up, but then you may need a special bushing with an undersized bore. I wouldn't go much beyond about .005 undersize in such a scheme however.
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Topic author
Re: U-joint Drive shaft bushing question.
Great info. Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you. I took the tube off and made exact measurements and the bushing ID is 1.013 and the drive shaft OD is .996. If my counting is right I am indeed at .017. Just a little more than the .002 to .003 the book calls for. . Dave at Chaffins said they have undersized bushings. Now the next task will be getting that darn thing out. I did a search on the and it doesn’t sound fun. Thanks again all.Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑Sun May 12, 2019 7:17 pmTo answer your question, yes, .017 clearance in your drive shaft bushing is way too much. You need a new bushing. Also, inspect your drive shaft in the area the runs in that bushing. If it too is worn, more than a thousandth or two, a new bushing will not be the total answer, since a new bushing may fit snug over the unworn area of the shaft, but will now be sloppy again when the worn spot in the shaft lines up with the new bushing, (although it will still be a ton better than what you've got, assuming the shaft wear is reasonably minimal). Some folks have turned down the shaft diameter a bit to true it up, but then you may need a special bushing with an undersized bore. I wouldn't go much beyond about .005 undersize in such a scheme however.
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Re: U-joint Drive shaft bushing question.
Some folks thread a pipe tap into the old babbitt bushing, then install a pipe plug. A long steel rod is then used to drive out the bushing. Just be SURE, that the long rod is of adequately small diameter to pass by the internal heads of the rivets that attach the ball end to the torque tube. Some have not done so and have sheared off those heads. Myself, I just ram an old wooden broomstick down the tube. The rivet heads will carve away the wood with no trouble and the bushing is driven out. Yup, that's really crude, but it seems to work for me.
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Topic author
Re: U-joint Drive shaft bushing question.
Excellent. I’ll give it a try. Thanks.Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑Sun May 12, 2019 8:55 pmSome folks thread a pipe tap into the old babbitt bushing, then install a pipe plug. A long steel rod is then used to drive out the bushing. Just be SURE, that the long rod is of adequately small diameter to pass by the internal heads of the rivets that attach the ball end to the torque tube. Some have not done so and have sheared off those heads. Myself, I just ram an old wooden broomstick down the tube. The rivet heads will carve away the wood with no trouble and the bushing is driven out. Yup, that's really crude, but it seems to work for me.
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Re: U-joint Drive shaft bushing question.
Have used just a simple bushing driver, from a set of Harbor Freight hand drivers, the threaded cap happens to fit on the end of a used steering shaft or use any nut that fits, the driver can be 15/16" id. or 1" id x 1 1/8" od. Just select the right size driver to be sure the rivet heads inside the torque tube aren't disturbed. Some have used 1/2" drive 15/16" sockets there, and the od on some of those can cause harm. So don't use any driver or pipe or whatever over 1 1/8" max. Smaller is better.
Use a 5lb. mallet and drive that old Babbitt bushing out, most times after one strike of the mallet the smaller 15/16" id driver is now wedged in the old Babbitt, so then turn the torque tube upright, with the steering shaft sticking out the base and slam it on the floor, that uses the weight of the torque tube like a slide hammer, and out comes the old stuck bushing.
Works everytime.
Use a 5lb. mallet and drive that old Babbitt bushing out, most times after one strike of the mallet the smaller 15/16" id driver is now wedged in the old Babbitt, so then turn the torque tube upright, with the steering shaft sticking out the base and slam it on the floor, that uses the weight of the torque tube like a slide hammer, and out comes the old stuck bushing.
Works everytime.
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Don’t find fault, find a remedy; anybody can complain. Henry Ford
Don’t find fault, find a remedy; anybody can complain. Henry Ford
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Re: U-joint Drive shaft bushing question.
I have made my own bushings when needed and have gone more then .005 to clean up. A few grooves will not hurt. That still leave plenty of flat for the U-joint. If you have the driveshaft cleaned up, remember to go all the way to the end so the new custom bushing slides on. How the other end looks comes into play, if there are cracks at the keyway, the sleeve is loose, or bad threads etc, it would be time for a new driveshaft anyway. Even the Fun Project replacement bearing setup needs that area in good shape.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas!
1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup
1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup
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Topic author
Re: U-joint Drive shaft bushing question.
Update; dropped in a 22 mm long socket down the tube and a 3/4 x 4’ wood dowel (all I had handy) made sure to clear the rivets, three hits with a three lb. and popped right out. Ordered up new parts, cleaned up waiting patiently for ups .