Seth Swoboda
Well-known member
You guys know there is a KR Wilson tool that easily removes that torque tube bearing race? I've seen lots of ideas, some good, some I would not attempt but the KRW tool makes it easy.
Torque Tube Seal
- Thread starter CA Victoria
- Start date
petehoovie
Well-known member
Seth Swoboda
Well-known member
Evidently it's not for sale. I've never tried to contact that person.
Mart
Well-known member
I made a tool from a piece of square tubing and a carefully filed blob of weld. You could wait 100 years to buy a tool. Why not just make one?
The seal is a specific seal, not available (as far as I know) as a generic item. It has to be metal clad both sides to give the bearing cage some location. So there should be no reason why it should be too thick. What it might be, is not fully home. If the speedo turtle bolt is fouling the sleeve, the sleeve might not be all the way in, which might suggest the seal is not all the way in. Hard to tell from so far away!
You can see the tool in this video. I show it twice. the second time I show it in better detail.
https://youtu.be/KhwpgbINMo4?si=VnzWG03BvfTkfAD2
Mart.
The seal is a specific seal, not available (as far as I know) as a generic item. It has to be metal clad both sides to give the bearing cage some location. So there should be no reason why it should be too thick. What it might be, is not fully home. If the speedo turtle bolt is fouling the sleeve, the sleeve might not be all the way in, which might suggest the seal is not all the way in. Hard to tell from so far away!
You can see the tool in this video. I show it twice. the second time I show it in better detail.
https://youtu.be/KhwpgbINMo4?si=VnzWG03BvfTkfAD2
Mart.
JM 35 Sedan
Well-known member
I'm curious as to why you would not want to remove the torque tube. I would think if you are planning to install a Columbia Rear it would be to your advantage to also check the universal joint for wear, check the caged roller bearing and outer bearing, and also replace the seal at front of torque tube. Plus I would think it's quicker and easier to remove the complete rear as an assembly, dismantle the complete rear. Repuild the complete rear with the Columbia, and roll the that rear in place, and bolt the complete rear in place.
19Fordy
Well-known member
No. And even if you could, it would be extremely, if not impossible, to reinstall the rear correctly.
petehoovie
Well-known member
Hippolyt Hot Rods
Junior Member
Sorry guys for my stupid thoughts.
You convinced me!
You convinced me!
19Fordy
Well-known member
Here's some photos that may help if Pete doesn't have any readily available.
First 2 photos are of OEM FORD seal and sleeve before removal.
3rd photo is of old seal being pulled out.
4th and 5th photo are of new replacement seal.
6th photo is of homemade sleeve removal tool shown in 7th photo.
NOTE: Before you remove the OEM seal measure the depth from the face of the seal to the edge of the outer round of the round shape that mates with the clamshell.
As I recall, the seal rests against a small metal flange inside the wall of the torque tube. If you place your slide hammer thru the seal opening and pull against the metal flange you will actually be trying to pull the flange out instead of the seal. This will distort the flange and will give you a false measurement from what you took earlier. Your new seal will not be located correctly as it will not be seated all the way in against the now distorted flange. BE CAREFUL AND JUST HOOK THE WASHERS ON YOUR SLIDE HAMMER TO THE INNER RACE AREA OF THE SEAL, NOT THE FLANGE. I think you can see the flange in the last photo.
If I am incorrect about this, please correct my error.
First 2 photos are of OEM FORD seal and sleeve before removal.
3rd photo is of old seal being pulled out.
4th and 5th photo are of new replacement seal.
6th photo is of homemade sleeve removal tool shown in 7th photo.
NOTE: Before you remove the OEM seal measure the depth from the face of the seal to the edge of the outer round of the round shape that mates with the clamshell.
As I recall, the seal rests against a small metal flange inside the wall of the torque tube. If you place your slide hammer thru the seal opening and pull against the metal flange you will actually be trying to pull the flange out instead of the seal. This will distort the flange and will give you a false measurement from what you took earlier. Your new seal will not be located correctly as it will not be seated all the way in against the now distorted flange. BE CAREFUL AND JUST HOOK THE WASHERS ON YOUR SLIDE HAMMER TO THE INNER RACE AREA OF THE SEAL, NOT THE FLANGE. I think you can see the flange in the last photo.
If I am incorrect about this, please correct my error.
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19Fordy, thank you! I took the bearing sleeve and seal out of mine and see something behind where the grease seal sits that kinda looks like it could be one half of a bearing casing. The diameter of the opening on it looks to be about the same as the center of a seal. It doesn't look like it's very thick. This picture is terrible but the area I'm talking about is inside the red circle.
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petehoovie
Well-known member
petehoovie
Well-known member
Mart
Well-known member
I think that is the remains of an incorrectly and incompletely removed seal.
You need to get that mess out of there. But at least I think you have found the root of your problem.
Good news in a way.
Try putting a long piece of bar or tubing down from the other end and knocking it out.
Or getting something hooked behind it from the front. This might test your ingenuity.
You need to get that mess out of there. But at least I think you have found the root of your problem.
Good news in a way.
Try putting a long piece of bar or tubing down from the other end and knocking it out.
Or getting something hooked behind it from the front. This might test your ingenuity.