man_knee

Hi all- I just rebuilt the torque tube on my 84 US auto using OEM bearings (I don't drive it near as much or hard enough to warrant super bearings), following Dwayne's write-up to a T. When preparing to insert the driveshaft, I applied water-based lube to the inner bearing sleeve and back 2/3 of the shaft, used an old bearing at the front of the torque tube for alignment and slid that sucker in. Met resistance at 1st bearing, but it went and eventually slid all the way through. Thinking all was well, I removed the old bearing to realize that the drive shaft did not actually slide through the 1st bearing, it dragged it all the way down the tube. At some point, it did pass through, but the bearings were all out of whack now so I've removed them again and place to get them back in position tomorrow.

Question: Dwayne's write-up instructs to use water-based lube as it will eventually evaporate, which is fine.. but I don't want to do this a 3rd time, so would anything be wrong with using a silicone spray instead of the lube?

Thanks!

Constantine

Dwayne's tutorial explains the rebuild method we developed for the Super Bearings, not re-using old bearing holders and inserts.

Your old bearing holders are worn out and need to be replaced if they easily slid by trying to press in the drive shaft through them.

The method to put the drive shaft through original old bearing inserts is to tap it through with a plastic hammer or something like that, no way you will push it through them by hand. If you can, the inserts are too loose to correctly hold the drive shaft in the bearings. This will give you NVH problems with your drive line operation and will cause damage to the drive shaft over time.

No advice other than buying newer bearing holders since yours will walk again gauranteed.

man_knee

Thanks for the reply. My apologies, I should have specified that I have the OEM replacement assemblies from 928intl, so brand new and considerably beefier than the originals. This is why I was extremely surprised that they shifted down the tube and fear that they'll do it again unless I use something a little bit more slippery.

Constantine

Okay, that's interesting.

Contact the seller and ask them what they suggest.

I'll bow out.

jon928se

It's fairly straightforward. You'll need some 3" or 4" dia PVC drain pipe. I forget which but size it to fit onto the flange of the carrier just inside the external rubber part. You also cut a disc of plywood to be a snug fit in the TT with a shaft size hole in the centre to go between the PVC pipe and carrier to ensure that the PVC pipe doesn't press on the rubber parts.

The orientation of the carriers on the shaft doesn't matter, but the plastic sleeve which goes inside the bearing has a flange on one side only this has to be orientated so that the action of sliding the carrier and bearing down inside the TT and onto the shaft at the same time doesn't dislodge the sleeve.

Put one carrier in the tube and drive it into position using the PVC pipe

Then insert the shaft into the carrier from the same side as the flange on the plastic sleeve.

Then insert the second carrier with the flange on the sleeve facing into the tube. Support both the other end of the shaft and the TT using different height bocks of wood so that they can't move relative to each other then drive the second carrier into place with the PVC tube. Rinse and repeat for the 3rd carrier.

KY makes a good lube for this as it doesn't affect the rubber elements and when it dries it is sticky so it helps retain the carriers in place.

man_knee

Ah PVC to drive it in might be the way I go.. I'm still pretty paranoid the shaft will move the bearings out of position again, so I may try mounting the front bearing on the shaft first, then use the PVC to drive that into the tube with the shaft installed already and get the end into the 1-2mm tolerance window. I can then follow your method to mount the 2nd bearing from the rear again using the PVC, then pull in the vibration damper and make any final adjustments. Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated.