VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 Okie bushing

I posted earlier about a vibration in the driveline. I am in the process of installing an Okie bushing and replacing the universial joint. The bushing is in and I am now intalling the u-joint.it seem to me that the fit between the u-joint and the bushing is extremely tight. I am having a really hard time just getting the universial joint to move enough to connect.

Are they all this tight?

Thanks, Pete

Read this tech article from THE FILLING STATION , it may offer you assistance.

https://www.fillingstation.com/articles/torquetubebushingreplace.htm

It should not be that tight. There should be a few thousands clearence between the U joint and bushing.
Will the old U joint slide in?
Will the new U joint fit into the old bushing?

I used the same u-joint and just rebuilt it. It slid ok in the old bushing but it was worn. I finished putting it together and took the car for a drive. It seemed ok.

Problem now is that it did not cure all of the vibration. It is not as bad as it was but it is still there. Might be a few days before I get back to it.

Now I am worried that I should not have driven the care with the yoke so tight in the bushing.
I have driven the car about 8 miles since I got it back together. Today I jacked up one rear wheel and rotated it to see if it turned freely. It did seem to be pretty free.

Should I take it apart to check everything out before I drive it any more? I did fill the unit with transmission fluid through the speedometer coupling so I, at least know that there is lubrication there.

Thanks, Pete

Pete, as VCCA members we give solutions and if we don't have a solution in front of us, we take the time to search out correct information.

The "tech tip" from the FILLING STATION provided good information.

Below is the section worth reading again, pertaining to the ADJUSTMENT of the u- joint ball housing........ and the fill process.

There is a special procedure to adjust the U-joint ball housing. Using a new gasket set for the U-joint housing, take all of the 4-bolt gaskets (shims) and bolt the retaining collar and ball housing onto the back of the transmission. For this adjustment, do not use the gasket in the back of the collar. With a rubber mallet, strike the back of the ball housing to see if it moves easily. If it moves without much effort, take one of the shims out and tighten the collar. Test again until the housing can just barely be moved. If it is too tight, it will cause the U-joint to bind, causing damage to the U-joint or driveshaft bushings. If it is too loose, it will cause leaking.

Once the ball housing has been adjusted, install a new tapered gasket at the back of the retaining collar. Lubricate the working surface of the gasket with grease. Grease the outer surface of the torque tube where the ball housing will install. Install new gasket at the back of the ball housing and coat it with grease. Slide the collar over the ball housing and both pieces onto the tube. Hang the shims over the ball housing. Install the U-joint and bolt up the ball housing, collar and shims to the back of the transmission.

CAUTION: When the ball housing and U-joint are installed, it is vital that gear oil is filled before operation. Check and fill the transmission with gear oil. The ball housing has its own fill plug at the top of the back of the transmission housing. If there is no plug on top, some transmissions have to be filled through the speedometer drive gear hole. About ½ pint of gear oil will be required to lubricate the U-joint.

If you have followed the tech tip and the above, in bold type, you should be good to go !

Thanks for all the help and advice. I did read the tech tip and researched other articles on installing the Okie bushing and the U-joint. I tried to follow the directions very carefully. The installation went very well and the only thing that I was worried about was the tight fit of the U-joint into the bushing.

I try to research a project before I start but I have found that experience sometimes trumps articles and tech tips. Just trying to tap into some of the amazing experience on this forum. I thought that someone might have had the same problem.

Pete

After all of this I still had a vibration. I tore it down an could not get the u-joint yoke to slide in the bushing. Dropped the rear end to get to it better. When I got it down and removed the yoke the bushing came with it. On further examination we found that the yoke was out of round and swollen at the fit. Since the bronze bushing has turned in the bushing fit I am guessing that the bushing is shot.

Now I am going to have to pull the torque tube and replace the bushing and seal. Since I am going to have to disassemble the torque tub should I go back with the original type bushing and seal or use the Okie bushing? I am thinking that if I use the original type it will give me opitions in the future.

The yoke also seemed to be spread allowing a little movement in the Tee of the u-joint.