49 Buick Torque Ball Seal

[imported_steve hales]

Hello all you nice Buick people, I have purchased my first Buick, a 1949 Super Sedanete I have always had Cadillac and LaSalles, This sure one fine automobile, It is a two owner and has had some restoration done to it , I would say A very good professional job. However The torque ball seal leakes, I have done 54 Chevys before with the enclosed D.L. I cannot get this rear end to roll back.I have disconnected everything that is necessary and that darn rear end is as solid as ever, Moves sideways but not back, It acts like the pinion splines are frozen in the U Joint. That could be the only place that is keeping it from sliding back, I need some help , I appreciate it. Looking forward to discussing this , Thanks

steve

[Matt Harwood]

Hi Steve, and welcome.

How many bolts did you remove from the torque ball flange? There are six, not five, although there are 5 arrayed evenly around the perimeter, with a sixth at the 12 o'clock position. I fought with mine the same way for an hour before discovering that sixth bolt. Once it was removed, the thing practically jumped apart.

I'm assuming that you removed the Panhard, sway bar end links, and brake lines already. You can usually pull the axle backwards using a come along and not have to loosen the springs.

Check these threads (and use the search function):

http://forums.aaca.org/ubbthreads.ph...958#Post484958

http://forums.aaca.org/ubbthreads.ph...738#Post482738

PS: DO NOT REMOVE THE TORQUE TUBE AT THE DIFFERENTIAL. It is not intended to come apart and will be a major project to reassemble should you take it apart.

Hope this helps.

[ZondaC12]

Yep what he said ^^^^ haha. I guess the main thing to make sure of here is, do you have the torque ball retainer (the big collar there with the 6 bolts) completely unbolted and basically off the transmission but just hanging there on the axle?

How is the car set up for work now? On jackstands? I don't know about the angle of the torque tube and how that would affect its coming apart, but I had the car up on jackstands, then used some dollies with plywood on top of them that I happened to have, placed under the wheels (lowered the axle onto them with my floorjack, as a result the rear springs were compressed maybe an inch or two from what they would have been with the axle just hanging there from the springs, and it hung LOW too!!!)

To my surprise the come-along winch pulled that axle right back with ease and the springs flexed like a pro gymnast, they evidently are indeed very soft. Just kept ratcheting it one at a time and moving the dollies if they didnt roll along with the wheels.

The brake hose on the torque tube disconnected? The parking brake cable? Perhaps they are things that would seem obvious but always worth checking, they would definitely oppose the whole thing from moving!

[imported_steve hales]

Thanks for the response's. Here is the deal. I have all of the above disconnected. , Today we worked on separating the torque tube flange from the torque ball flange after driving wedges in and pulling on the rear end with ratcheting straps to keep pressure on it we got the two flanges separated by about 1 inch. I can see the spline . I squirted some WD40 in because it acts like the the torque tube spline is stuck or wedged in the U joint splines. I don't know , I have done old Chevy's and my 47 ford years ago and they were always easy to just pull on the differential housing and it would slide out. It's like the fellow who sold it to me tried to fix it and couldn't so he took the easy way out , he sold it. It runs so nice and is quite and handles and shifts like a new one,I can take a small leak but this is a large leak, I have the torque ball covers unbolted and loose and I can see they are corroded really bad and that is why it leaks so bad.
You can take them to a chrome shop and have them copper plated and that makes them real smooth then you polish them. I just don't understand, If anybody else has run into this problem please let me know. Thanks again for your suggestions and help.

steve

[imported_steve hales]

I got if figured out and solved the problem. It was not easy but I got the rear end to slide back and repaired the torque tube ball, It works perfect and does not leak. If anybody has that problem in the future e mail me and I can give you the solution. Thanks for your help.

steve

[ZondaC12]

Please if it's not too much of a hassle post it HERE!!! I'm curious to know what was wrong, as is everyone else certainly. [img]<>/grin.gif[/img]

Besides, ya just KNOW someone else is gonna run into this...might as well have it right out in the open so they'll find it quick!

[Fred Rawling]

While you have the torque tube seprated from the trans,check the seal on the drive shaft inside the front of the torque tube. If it leaks you will get dynaflow fluid in the rear end and the ring & pinion will wear out.