Torque tube bearing sleeve
 

Is there a special tool to remove the drive shaft bearing sleeve at the end of the torque tube. I see a little hole to grab but I don't know what can hook and pull on it without damaging it.

Re: Torque tube bearing sleeve
 

You dont need one of those expensive "special" tools. A 1 1/16" socket and an old (or if you are careful your good) driveshaft. Stand the Torque Tube on its bearing end. Slide the socket down the Torque Tube - from the big end maaking sure it does not wedge itself sideways. Hold the Drive shaft by the tapered end about 2 ft above the socket and let it drop . Couple of tries and the sleeve will come out along with the worn out Seal. Be sure and put the Nut on the tapered/Threaded end to protect the threads.

Re: Torque tube bearing sleeve
 

Since I remove the sleeve and seal on each rear axle assembly I rebuild I made up a tool. I purchased an axle seal insertion tool from Bratton's a number of years ago, part number 6270, Now $7.50. I had a friend turn down the outer flange on a lathe to a nominal 1.33" and screwed it onto a 5' length of 1\2" water pipe.

The process is to stand the torque tube on its nose on some newspaper. Insert the tool from the flange end and fish it around until the end of the tool goes into the seal. About four hammer blows from a heafty hammer and the seal, sleeve, and the whole cruddy mess exits onto the newspaper.

Be sure to install a new seal first before you take on the task of installing the sleeve. If the sleeve is an original and in good condition I would re-use it. Many of the reproductions on the market are pure junk. The ones Bratton's sell are close to the original and I have used them in the past.

There is a trick to install the sleeve.

First make sure the seal has been installed. For this you will need an unmodified seal insertion tool screwed onto about an 8" length of 1\2" water pipe. Clean the area thoroughly where the sleeve will reside. Be sure to clean out the hole where the dimple in the sleeve sits. Put the sleeve in a vice and squeeze it somewhat closed and wrap a piece of safety wire around the top just above the dimple. Put a chalk mark on the top edge of the sleeve just above the dimple. Stand the torque tube on its flange and put another chalk mark on the edge just above the hole for the dimple. Set the sleeve down into the torque tube with the dimple up and line up the two chalk marks. It is important that the two chalk marks be placed accurately. I use the flat side of a 36mm socket on a short extension and gently tap the sleeve into place. As it goes in it will push the safety wire off at the top. If the chalk marks were accurate the sleeve dimple should snap into the hole. Inspect the sleeve and make sure it is firmly seated. Put a Phillips screwdriver in through the speedo opening into the dimple and tap it with a hammer to make sure it is seated. You should see a space where the split opened and the circumference of the sleeve should be tight up against the inner circumference of the torque tube. If the sleeve is not accurately installed you won't be able to get the bearing and drive shaft to install.

Tom Endy

Re: Torque tube bearing sleeve
 

Here's where I found out that my old sleeve (original or otherwise) was NOT in good condition. It snapped in half when I squeezed it in the vice. Fortunately I had another original (as well as a new repro) on hand, otherwise I'd been delayed a bit till I could get another one.

BTW -- Download Tom Endy's instructions for rebuilding the rear end. It was an invaluable reference when I was doing my torque tube work.

Re: Torque tube bearing sleeve
 

... Put the sleeve in a vice and squeeze it somewhat closed..."Here's where I found out that my old sleeve (original or otherwise) was NOT in good condition. It snapped in half when I squeezed it in the vice. Fortunately I had another original (as well as a new repro) on hand, otherwise I'd been delayed a bit till I could get another one".

The operative word is "somewhat".

Tom Endy

Re: Torque tube bearing sleeve
 

Thanks for the tip. It worked great. One more question though. Which side of the new seal faces forward? I see that the rubber is tapered. I would guess that the taper on the rubber opens towards the rear?

Re: Torque tube bearing sleeve
 

An eternal question: If it "worked great", hopefully you have already installed the seal first before you installed the sleeve. The seal is actually a grease seal, not an oil seal. It is supposed to hold all the grease pumped into the U-joint cavity around the U-joint and the front roller bearing from sliding down the drive shaft. It is not there to keep oil from the differential from migrating forward. All the "how to" books say the angle on the rubber seal should face the lubricant. Which lubricant? The original seals were made by Chicago Rawhide and had a leather flap. I have never been able to deermine which way they faced. I would think the seal would have been installed so that as it went in it would not have a tendancy to fold back on itself. I don't think it matters much which way the rubber seals on the market today install. Either way they will do the job of holding the grease in check. I know how I install them, but that may be open to criticism.

Tom Endy

Re: Torque tube bearing sleeve
 

I would find it very hard to critize someone's methods that have had as much success as you have, and have helped so many of us in this hobby with those methods.

Thank you, Tom Endy! ;)