Cutting the torque tube

[bobj49f2]

I've been fighting with the torque tube in my '37 trying to get it out of the transmission. I have the rear axle unbolted from the rear springs and the bolts removed from the connections at the front of the tube but nothing wants to move. The inside of the tranny looks like it's been sitting at the bottom of the ocean for 20 years and is rusted solid. I am assuming the splined shaft going into the back of the tranny is rusted in but I'm not sure how the forward end of the torque tube is constructed. I am assuming the four bolts are there to keep it together and there is a splined shaft inserted into the tranny but I haven't been able to find a diagram or drawing of the end of the tube. I know the shop manual probable has a diagram or drawing but I don't have a shop manual yet. I know, I need a manual to work on the car but right now I don't have one.

The tranny is junk and I'm not afraid to cut it apart with a torch, I just don't want to cut up something that I might need in the future when I get a good tranny.

Anyone have a drawing or diagram showing how the torque tube end looks like?

This is the closest I could find to what I'm looking for. I removed all the bolt (white arrows). I assume the spline shaft slides in, and is suppose to slide out, easily (red arrow)

[Guest Harry HT]

Hi,

Nothing more than this. No lock pin or nothing as there is an other end. Just pull it out. Some "slide hammer" or how you may call it can be helpful this time.

Regards,

-Harry-

[Mark Shaw]

Try jacking against a crossmember to push the rear end away from the tranny while hammering on the joint.

[bobj49f2]

Harry, thank you very much for posting the picture, that helps a lot.

I have a forklift truck chained to the rear axle with some tension, not a lot, I don't want to bend anything. I do have a very heavy set of car stands under the car holding it up. I do have a cheap porta-power uit, I'll give that try. I just don't want to damage anything underneath. The tranny is the center of all the problems. I removed the four bolts pictured in Harry's picture, nothing gave. I didn't see them before I made my first post, they were caked pretty thick with crud.

I tried tapping onwith a hammer and even tried to separate the tube with a chisel. Nothing.

[bobj49f2]

Eureka!

I got the torque tube shaft out of the transmission. All it took was cutting the floor to access the U joint case and a little heat, a forklift with a chain and a big hammer. I had to cut open the U joint case to get to the U joint. Applied some pull from the forklift, warmed up the U joint sleeve, gave it a bunch of whacks and it started to move. Repeated this a few time and it finally came out.

The spline looks good, now I have to pull the tranny, toss it in the scap pile and move onto the engine and see if it will spin over by hand.

Thanks a lot everyone.

[Larry Schramm]

Love the blue flame wrench

[bobj49f2]

I reserve it as a last resort but when you use it there's not much that's not going to give.

I did a quick external check of the engine and it still won't turn over by hand but it was getting late. I'll try a little harder tomorrow. I am not getting my hopes up.

[trp3141592]

Hi.

"Never underestimate the power of a gas-axe."

--Tom