philipj Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 (edited) Hello again, Can anyone recommend the best seal kit for the torque tube ball that includes all paper gaskets and cork seal? Yes, I would prefer cork over new rubber... Thank you. Edited February 3, 2021 by philipj (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 Question, Why do you want the cork over the rubber? I can vouch for the fact that the rubber seal kit offered by Bobs (and others) works perfectly when properly installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil morse Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 Just to back up what Don says, I rebuilt the torque ball on my car about a year ago using the kit from Bob's (with a new rubber seal) and it hasn't leaked a drop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipj Posted February 3, 2021 Author Share Posted February 3, 2021 I was under the impression that cork was better than rubber if handled properly... I just have a problem with the rubber made overseas that turns to mush, especially here in the heat... What I found from Bob's Automobilia was TBK343-L and TBS 368. That is one expensive piece of rubber plus the one gasket if you ask me... The installation process is another matter that I have to gloss over. If you have any tips, I sure welcome them. I do not want to do this twice, since it is not an easy task to detach the driveline from under the car... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 I have used Bobs torque ball kit in my '38 Roadmaster maybe 20 years ago and it has been fine. I used one in my '38 Special about 5 years ago. No problems. Getting it shimmed correctly is everything. With the pain in the rear job it is to stop torque ball leaks, I feel it is worth every cent it might cost. Neil Morse has posted the proceedure he used on his trans here somewhere. You could search for that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipj Posted February 4, 2021 Author Share Posted February 4, 2021 Hello Don, I just received a note from Bob Carruba... He set me straight in terms of what kit to purchase for a 1938 series 60, and what the kit contains... You only need TBK343-L... I was mistaken and jumped the gun on my previous post....:( The leaks are indeed a real pain! This is something I have to remedy asap, even though the amount of oil is small... I will do a search for Neil Morse and see if I can follow his instructions... Thank you for the lead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil morse Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 Hi Phillip, here's what Don is referring to. (Click on the arrow in the right-hand corner to get to the right place.) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipj Posted October 1, 2021 Author Share Posted October 1, 2021 (edited) I have decided to hire someone to do the job since I am not equipped to do it myself, yet I have a question... My car leaks a considerable amount of fluid just after having the car at idle for a while... Granted I am on a slight slope in the driveway right now, but I wonder if there might be something else needed other than the new seal and paper gaskets? Could the bushing inside the torque ball be an issue? Does anyone have the GM # for it? I would like to have it just in case, since I do not want to revisit this job...Far too expensive! Edited October 1, 2021 by philipj (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted October 1, 2021 Share Posted October 1, 2021 If the bushing was bad, it certainly could let more oil migrate into the ball area making sealing more difficult. However the most imprtant issue is the condition of the ball surfaces where the rubber seal rides. They have to be in good condition and not galled, Again, the shimming is important too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipj Posted October 1, 2021 Author Share Posted October 1, 2021 (edited) Hello Don, I just found an old torque tube article and it mentions the very same thing, so the answer is yes. It will cause that and other issues, such as vibration and excess of fluid in the rear end... But back to the bushing question (which I am sure it will be beyond specs if original) and as it would be expected, there is no replacement out there for the original part, GM#1301607. The closest I can find is TBB485 offered by a couple of vendors but listed to fit 40-48 models... The remaining questions are: 1- What are the original dimensions of the factory bushing? 2- Does anyone know if TBB485 can be machined down to the required tolerances for the 1938/60 models? Photos show TBB485 and GM# 1312410 (1940) models... Edited October 1, 2021 by philipj (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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