VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 1929 LQ prop shaft seal

I'm searching for a seal to replace the orginal cork packing washer located behind the Prop Shaft's front bushing. (I've already located a NOS bushing!) Based on what I've read in other threads, there is a spring loaded, nitrile seal (National 350909) that is available for the cars, but the LQ (1.5 ton truck) has a different size shaft and housing (i.e., shaft tube). I've reached out to three different suppliers with no luck. I'm hoping another LQ restorer has a seal part number to share. Thanks!

ok so this is the bushing in the mushroom ?? green in attached picture item 348132 ??

or elsewhere

also what you are looking for is called a lip seal. they are readily available from many suppliers, however you need to KNOW what size you want, like a bearing. if you call asking for a lip seal for a 1929 99.9% are lost and do not have a clue what you are looking for. now if you can give them a size (which is based on ID OD depth) then they can help you.

you can go to SKF, Timken, etc..

we use them all the time in the pump world, various profiles, materials, load & speed ratings, chemical exposure, etc...


https://www.skf.com/binaries/pub12/...-Shaft-Seals-catalogue_tcm_12-524179.pdf

https://www.timken.com/pdf/7707_National%20Indust%20Seals%20Catalog.pdf

https://www.parker.com/literature/Engineered%20Polymer%20Systems/5340_2008.pdf

Hi BearsFan,
Thx for the quick reply.

Sorry for not being clear, but no, not the green part in your x-section. Referring to your x-sect, I’m speaking of the bushing and seal that are pressed into the ”˜blue’ tube, and through which runs the ”˜yellow’ prop shaft. Based on my understanding (which is always in question), cars and trucks are similar in regards to this bushing and seal arrangement. Your x-sect shows the bushing (the white mass within the blue tube in the vicinity of the green seal), but does not show the seal I am interested in.

According to other forum threads, when this seal leaks it can allow U-Jt oil to run down the tube into the diff, out the axles and into the brake drums. Oily brake drums is where this current project began. I’m dealing with the axle seals as well as the one in question here.

Honestly, I think your 99.9% is low. Not only do I not expect such suppliers to have a clue about ”˜29 truck parts, but I’ve stopped disclosing the automotive application. Twice (once for the steering gear box thrust bearings and now for this seal) I’ve had suppliers tell me that due to liability issues they will not sell parts for use in automobiles.

You are 100% correct in my needing to know the ID of the tube (bore) and OD of the shaft (among many other seal characteristics). However, I am following TFS replacement instructions for the bushing and seal whereby the prop shaft (yellow) remains installed in its enclosure tube (blue), which makes it impossible for me to take accurate measurements. I recalled reading in a forum thread that Parts Masters in years subsequent to ”˜29 often included parts dimensions, even those for ”˜29 parts, but so far I’ve had no luck finding the tube ID and shaft OD (and their tolerances). Help would be appreciated in this matter!

However, in lieu of having the bore and shaft dims, I figured I could use the NOS bushing dims instead (1.733” OD and 1.195” ID, as measured), at least for a starting point. Any comments/suggestions on this approach?

And for the seal depth, I measured the cork seal that I removed (0.19"). There should be some flexibility in this dim, but if it gets too thick, then the bushing will be pushed onto the splines.

Pls see the attached sketch that I created for sending to suppliers. SKF said the closest they had was 1.720 x 1.188 x .270. LocateBallBearings (who found the steering thrust bearing I needed) found nothing to recommend. Another declined due to the automotive application, which I disclosed in a phone conversation while trying to figure out how to send them my sketch.

While waiting to hear from these suppliers I continued to do research into seals. The Timken National Industrial Seals Catalog was very informative and I learned how much I did not know. So I thought I’d reach out to the forum to see if another LQ restorer had already ”˜invented this wheel’.

Thanks again for your help. And sorry for the lengthy reply.

Sketch:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9rykc8tqy41dvc8/drive%20shaft%20seal2.docx?dl=0

Hello Iclapp,
An interesting short video to watch is:
Part 4: 1929-1954 Chevrolet Torque Tube Driveshaft - Installing an Okie Bushing - by 'The Jayhawker'. Now, that doesn't help with finding a correct lip seal to replace your original cork seal, but you might want to consider this thought. I like your idea of using your new bushing dimensions to try and find a matching seal. The hard part is matching both the inner and outer measurements and also the thickness. As far as the seal thickness goes, you might shorten the bushing to compensate. If you find a seal that fits the propeller shaft correctly but is too small for the tube ID, how about building up to the tube ID for the press fit and sealing fit you need? My thought is to build-up the OD of the seal with JB Weld on the work bench. After it has set-up, carefully start sanding the OD to final dimension and fit. The bushings OD should help as a template. When satisfied with the final size, a light application of 'form a gasket' to both sides of the outer edge of your seal should work when squeezed between the stop washer and the bushing. Thinking out of the box, but what can you do?

Hi Harrys31Coach,
Thanks for the suggestions. Interesting video.

Yes, especially when the box is empty...!

larry

I don't know what size your driveshaft machined area is, but in my 1936 car/half-ton it is a non-standard fraction that few seals exist for on the US standard, and none of those that do exist have a small enough outer diameter to go in the torque tube, adapter or not.

If a correctly sized US standard seal does not exist for your truck's dimensions, I suggest you look at Metric seals, as that is what all current replacements for the cork washer in my axle really are. If you are not finding anything workable in an inch size, it may be an option.The size match is not exact in my case, but is very close. Also metric seals are often available rubber coated, so you get a tiny bit more leeway on the OD. If you identify a Metric seal size, it will probably be available in three thicknesses. Some or all of them may be thicker than the cork. Pay close attention to how it all stacks up, so you don't wind up with interference from the bushing being too far forward in the tube.

Thanks, bloo. I had not thought of looking at Metric sizes.

Just in case another LQ restorer might be looking for this seal...
My local Motion Industries, Inc distributor fixed me up with the following TCM brand, single lip, nitrile oil seal:
ODxIDxThickness- 30x44x5tc-bx (1.181x1.732x0.197)

And the NOS bushing eliminated the play in the Prop Shaft!