MTFCA Forum

In the midst of rebuilding my rear axle. Car is a 26 Tudor, however drive line is ??? Numbers on engine I believe it to be Oct. 1919. Pedals and hogshead are early 20s. Rear axle is small drum early 20s. The dilemma I have is the universal joint is stuck on the driveshaft. I'm replacing everything except the torque tube/ball assembly. I have removed the two bolts and drove the universal pin out, yet I am not able to free the U-joint. Am I missing something here?? I do have the MTFCA Front and Rear Axle Book, and have gone through it a couple times. Open to any and all suggestions.

Probably just needs a bit more persuasion - I've had to insert a pry bar into the grease hole on the ball & get a hold of the u-joint & pry away.

Shrshot wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 27, 2025 4:17 pm

In the midst of rebuilding my rear axle. Car is a 26 Tudor, however drive line is ??? Numbers on engine I believe it to be Oct. 1919. Pedals and hogshead are early 20s. Rear axle is small drum early 20s. The dilemma I have is the universal joint is stuck on the driveshaft. I'm replacing everything except the torque tube/ball assembly. I have removed the two bolts and drove the universal pin out, yet I am not able to free the U-joint. Am I missing something here?? I do have the MTFCA Front and Rear Axle Book, and have gone through it a couple times. Open to any and all suggestions.

What two bolts are you referring to? (oil & grease caps?)
When driving the pin out you may have created a small bur in the pin's hole onto the shaft that is preventing it from sliding off. But you just may need a bit more force tapping it off.

Those "bolts" would be the u-joint pin plugs.

If you put the assembly in a vice, you may find it easier to pry at the pinion gear end. There will be a little play between the gear and the bearing housing as the thrust bearing allows the shaft to travel. That should open up the gap between the pinion bearing spool and the torque tube to give you another point to lever. That should be enough to overcome any burr created when driving out the universal pin.

Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.

RajoRacer wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 27, 2025 5:38 pm

Those "bolts" would be the u-joint pin plugs.

Yes those are the ones.

Check the edges of the bell mouthed ball opening. Sometimes wear will form a lip the constrains the U-Joint knuckles from slipping out the opening. If that joint is stuck on the drive shaft square, lots of penetrating oil, restrain the drive shaft, wiggle and pry out the U-joint.

DanTreace wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 28, 2025 8:45 am

Check the edges of the bell mouthed ball opening. Sometimes wear will form a lip the constrains the U-Joint knuckles from slipping out the opening. If that joint is stuck on the drive shaft square, lots of penetrating oil, restrain the drive shaft, wiggle and pry out the U-joint.

Dan it is stuck on the square shoulders of the driveshaft itself. I am replacing everything except the tube/ball. It's soaking with penetrating oil now. If all else fails, fire up the smoke wrench.

Shrshot wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 29, 2025 1:33 pm

DanTreace wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 28, 2025 8:45 am

Check the edges of the bell mouthed ball opening. Sometimes wear will form a lip the constrains the U-Joint knuckles from slipping out the opening. If that joint is stuck on the drive shaft square, lots of penetrating oil, restrain the drive shaft, wiggle and pry out the U-joint.

Dan it is stuck on the square shoulders of the driveshaft itself. I am replacing everything except the tube/ball. It's soaking with penetrating oil now. If all else fails, fire up the smoke wrench.

Can you attach a slide hammer to the other end of the drive shaft? Since you're apparently going to replace the drive shaft, maybe you can attach/weld something to the other end of it, that would allow you to attach a slide hammer.

Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 30, 2025 8:18 am

Shrshot wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 29, 2025 1:33 pm

DanTreace wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 28, 2025 8:45 am

Check the edges of the bell mouthed ball opening. Sometimes wear will form a lip the constrains the U-Joint knuckles from slipping out the opening. If that joint is stuck on the drive shaft square, lots of penetrating oil, restrain the drive shaft, wiggle and pry out the U-joint.

Dan it is stuck on the square shoulders of the driveshaft itself. I am replacing everything except the tube/ball. It's soaking with penetrating oil now. If all else fails, fire up the smoke wrench.

Can you attach a slide hammer to the other end of the drive shaft? Since you're apparently going to replace the drive shaft, maybe you can attach/weld something to the other end of it, that would allow you to attach a slide hammer.

Gave it try today, made a bracket and attached it using the pinion nut. About 7 or 8 slams with the slide hammer and it ended up breaking the driveshaft off right about where the threads end and the taper starts. Can't believe this u-joint just won't budge. Beginning to think I should look for another tube...

I would get a different U-joint. The one you have is compromised if it is that hard to get it off the driveshaft.

Is the U-joint a new repop?
I have not encountered Your situation with original parts.

DHort wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 30, 2025 11:19 pm

I would get a different U-joint. The one you have is compromised if it is that hard to get it off the driveshaft.

I did get new driveshaft, front bushing, U-joint, and spool assembly. The spool was broke, along with the pinion gear being chewed up due to the keyway and hyatt bearing sleeve being tore up. Whoever when through this rear end/driveshaft assembly didn't do it correctly. Ring and pinion gears had no shims anywhere and the pinion depth was not near what it should be. Wore the ring gear to a knife point on the outer edge due to too much backlash. I could write a novel on how not to rebuild a rear differential.

speedytinc wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 30, 2025 11:44 pm

Is the U-joint a new repop?
I have not encountered Your situation with original parts.

I'm not sure but I don't think so. It's junk by my definition anyhow. The side to side endplay is all of 3/32". I can't believe it didn't vibrate like crazy or hit the insides of the torque ball.

Shrshot wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 30, 2025 9:16 pm

Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 30, 2025 8:18 am

Shrshot wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 29, 2025 1:33 pm

Dan it is stuck on the square shoulders of the driveshaft itself. I am replacing everything except the tube/ball. It's soaking with penetrating oil now. If all else fails, fire up the smoke wrench.

Can you attach a slide hammer to the other end of the drive shaft? Since you're apparently going to replace the drive shaft, maybe you can attach/weld something to the other end of it, that would allow you to attach a slide hammer.

Gave it try today, made a bracket and attached it using the pinion nut. About 7 or 8 slams with the slide hammer and it ended up breaking the driveshaft off right about where the threads end and the taper starts. Can't believe this u-joint just won't budge. Beginning to think I should look for another tube...

Wow. Can you devise a way to couple the slide hammer with the u-joint?

Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 31, 2025 11:50 am

Shrshot wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 30, 2025 9:16 pm

Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 30, 2025 8:18 am

Can you attach a slide hammer to the other end of the drive shaft? Since you're apparently going to replace the drive shaft, maybe you can attach/weld something to the other end of it, that would allow you to attach a slide hammer.

Gave it try today, made a bracket and attached it using the pinion nut. About 7 or 8 slams with the slide hammer and it ended up breaking the driveshaft off right about where the threads end and the taper starts. Can't believe this u-joint just won't budge. Beginning to think I should look for another tube...

Wow. Can you devise a way to couple the slide hammer with the u-joint?

I didn't want to damage the edge of ball trying to grab ahold of the U-joint. I did think about welding my puller bracket right to the square end of the U-joint and threading my slide hammer on and give it a go.

Because you broke the drive shaft off at the pinion end with the slide hammer , I have a guess at what may have happened long ago at the U-joint end of the drive shaft. The original type front drive shaft bushing is Babbitt, if it was run long and hard with not enough grease it is possible that some of the Babbitt melted and ran into the U-joint square end, when it cooled the U-joint was in effect soldered to the drive shaft. Try heating the U-joint and the drive shaft tube with a torch and hitting the drive shaft tube a few times with a dead blow hammer, then let things cool naturally. Now see if the U-joint will come loose, if this works be sure to check the U-joint & tube carefully before reusing them. If U-joint is still stuck then find a better U-joint and drive shaft tube for your new drive shaft.

If you have a new driveshaft and a new U-joint, just throw the old one in the trash. Who cares if you cannot get the old U-joint off the now broken driveshaft. Just work with the new parts. You should have no problems with the new parts.

DHort wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 02, 2025 12:59 am

If you have a new driveshaft and a new U-joint, just throw the old one in the trash. Who cares if you cannot get the old U-joint off the now broken driveshaft. Just work with the new parts. You should have no problems with the new parts.

He would like to reuse the torque tube.

Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 02, 2025 6:12 am

DHort wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 02, 2025 12:59 am

If you have a new driveshaft and a new U-joint, just throw the old one in the trash. Who cares if you cannot get the old U-joint off the now broken driveshaft. Just work with the new parts. You should have no problems with the new parts.

He would like to reuse the torque tube.

I was able to locate and purchase a torque tube from a gentleman in Ohio. It should be here near the end of the week.

DHort wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 02, 2025 12:59 am

If you have a new driveshaft and a new U-joint, just throw the old one in the trash. Who cares if you cannot get the old U-joint off the now broken driveshaft. Just work with the new parts. You should have no problems with the new parts.

That's my game plan Dave. I was fortunate enough to locate and purchase a nice torque tube. It should be here later this week.

Shrshot wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 02, 2025 9:15 am

Jerry VanOoteghem wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 02, 2025 6:12 am

DHort wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 02, 2025 12:59 am

If you have a new driveshaft and a new U-joint, just throw the old one in the trash. Who cares if you cannot get the old U-joint off the now broken driveshaft. Just work with the new parts. You should have no problems with the new parts.

He would like to reuse the torque tube.

I was able to locate and purchase a torque tube from a gentleman in Ohio. It should be here near the end of the week.

Awesome!

That sounds great. Just be careful of those rivits inside the torque tube. I sheared some off one time removing the bushing and had to get another torque tube. Dime a dozen around here.

DHort wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 02, 2025 4:07 pm

That sounds great. Just be careful of those rivits inside the torque tube. I sheared some off one time removing the bushing and had to get another torque tube. Dime a dozen around here.

Dave did you use the bushing puller like the one Snyders sells, or is there another method to remove it without damage to the tube.

One of the tinkering tips books show a modified 1/2" pipe cap modified with 4 slots to clear the rivets.
That with a long pipe works very well.

It has been a while. I tried with a driveshaft and broke the rivits off. Then I got a new torque tube and I think I bought a 1/2 steel pipe or rod and punched it out with that. The bushing was either babbit or steel. I should have tried a magnet on it for curiosity sake, but it was mighty hard and I tossed it. Adam Doleshal installed a new bronze bushing for me.

DHort wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 03, 2025 7:25 pm

It has been a while. I tried with a driveshaft and broke the rivits off. Then I got a new torque tube and I think I bought a 1/2 steel pipe or rod and punched it out with that. The bushing was either babbit or steel. I should have tried a magnet on it for curiosity sake, but it was mighty hard and I tossed it. Adam Doleshal installed a new bronze bushing for me.

My new torque tube showed up this afternoon. It looks like a babbitt bushing that's in it. I did get the bushing puller, installer, and face reamer from Snyders. I've done my share of machining and lathe work over the years, but this is kind of unchartered waters for me. I was just curious if this puller will remove a babbitt bushing without causing damage to the tube is why I asked.

Babbit is softer than steel so it should not harm the tube.

You can use a step down socket to remove the bushing just use a step down socket that will just fit into the ID of the bushing but has a shoulder slightly larger than the ID of the bushing. Insert a long carriage bolt. Put the carriage bolt through the ratchet side opening of the socket. I use a rubber cork to follow the head of the carriage bolt to semi lock it in the socket. Now you can slide that assembly down the tube. Most times the threaded end of the bolt will come through the hole but if not it’s easy to fish it through the hole. I use a piece of plate steel with a hole drilled in the center. The plate steel needs to cover the bell on the drive shaft. Slide that piece over the threaded end and snug the bolt up until the bushing comes out. I’ve also just used a bolt and really thick washer slightly larger than the ID of the hole. That worked too but was more difficult than the first way above. Later on I found a long carriage bolt that had a larger head than the ID of the bushing, never used it but have it in my T tools box. Best John

The half inch pipe cap trick works for me.I machined down the ID to go int the bush and left a shoulder to drive on the end. No clearance problems on the rivets.

Allan from down under.

Thanks for the suggestions. One of these methods should do the trick, I'll give it a go later today.

Shrshot wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 04, 2025 9:54 am

Thanks for the suggestions. One of these methods should do the trick, I'll give it a go later today.

Update..... The bushing puller I got from Snyder's works flawlessly. Babbitt bushing out in minutes.