VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 39 trans install-- a few questions from a novice

Fairly amateur backyard mechanic here looking for a little advice.

I replaced my clutch last weekend and am ready to reinstall the trans and new U-joint gaskets. The gasket set I bought has 4 shims to go between the ball joint housing and the transmission and I think I understand how to shim it correctly. It also has a large tapered cork gasket to seal the ball to the housing but there is a smaller (2" ID) cork seal that I don't quite know where to stick. In the shop manual it appears to seal the ball to the torque tube behind what they're calling the "adjusting sleeve", but I can't figure out how to get in there or how tight to tighten the sleeve. There is an additional gasket made from the same type paper as the shims that is ever so slightly larger and thicker than the shims and 1 bolt hole is rotated a few degrees off from the holes in the shim set; what is this one for?

I was also curious about lubrication in the torque tube. I understand that the transmission lubricates the U-joint itself, but it seemed like a lot of oil drained from the torque tube when I separated everything. When I reinstall the trans and fill the U-joint and trans, do I need to refill the torque tube with hypoid lube or something?

I read somewhere about "washing" the trans out with a lightweight oil before refilling with the 90wt, can someone expound on this?

One last thing; is there a gasket between the trans case and the bell housing?

Thank you for your knowledge!!

If you'll look closely at the "ball" unit you'll see a "cap" that screws on the unit. Use channel-locks to screw the cap off the ball unit and slip them both off the tube. Inside the cap you'll find the 2" seal along with 2 thin metal washers. Tighten it enough to squeeze the seal against tube.

The last set I got had gaskets for both standard, 4 holes, and Powerglide, 6 holes. I assume that is the difference in the shims you have.

I think you are referring to refilling the ball with trans lube for the u-joint. The manual indicates refilling by removing either the speedometer gear or the pipe plug at upper right on the trans housing.

I never "washed" a trans with light oil. Just drained and refilled.

No gasket for trans/bell housing.

I think there is a bolt ( hole ) for the battery ground that allows ( 1/4 ? cup ) gear grease to flow into ball area . frank

Thanks for the advice guys, I just finished bolting everything in and it went pretty well! Man was it a bear to get the u-joint shimmed properly... I don't know if I was missing something about the process, but bolting the trunions together was very difficult, the plate that sits in the trans would not cooperate and it was challenging to hold it in alignment while threading the nuts because it's mostly eclipsed by the trans case.

I'm gonna go fill it all up and put away the tools, but I'm proud to say: Job well done. Thanks for your help!
-Blake