Angelfish Posted August 28, 2022 Share Posted August 28, 2022 (edited) This is my first car with a torque tube, I have the body off, engine and transmission out (there's a shop 4 miles from my house that claims they know how to rebuild Dynaflows, I'll report back on that later). 57,000 original miles and appeared to have been well cared for over its life. Body was stripped and unbolted when I bought it so it made sense to continue. It's just a bare frame with axles and a torque tube, seemed like a good time for a refresh. Seeking advice on what to replace, what to leave alone and general procedure for ensuring proper torque tube function. As I say, I have no experience with them at all. Edited August 29, 2022 by Angelfish (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NailheadBob Posted August 28, 2022 Share Posted August 28, 2022 Please post some photos so we can better evaluate what you need, and "the shop" you are going to use for the Dynaflow have any references that you can call to verify the work they did on Dynaflow? Location? Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelfish Posted August 29, 2022 Author Share Posted August 29, 2022 Hand spinning of drive shaft indicated a steady chatter (for lack of a better word) that I suspect was the differential gears. Chatter is a harsh word for what it was, something between a buzz and a chatter. The rear tires were off and I was turning the shaft by hand, I suspect any play in the differential gears would be magnified. End play of the drive shaft fore and aft was maybe 1/16". Updates on "the shop" will be posted as availability of information allows. The technician was younger than I'd expect for a Dynaflow guy but he knew the differences between years off the top of his head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted August 29, 2022 Share Posted August 29, 2022 With 57k miles, and a clean as that frame looks, I wouldn't do much. Very likely your rear end is just fine. However, it's probably a good idea to replace your gear oil thecrearc end. The only thing I'd do regarding the torque tube or drive shaft is 1) replace the rear u-joint 2) remove shaft and liberally grease the splined area on the rear short shaft 3) grease the bearing at the rear of the torque tube 4) see if there is an access hole with plug for greasing the rear shaft (it would be about 8" from back of rear section of torque tube), and if not add a hole and install grease fitting (there is a procedure for this in service bulletins), and 5) add an access hole with plug for greasing the U-joint. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted August 29, 2022 Share Posted August 29, 2022 That frame appears to be super-clean! Needless to say, install a new torque ball seal during reassembly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelfish Posted August 29, 2022 Author Share Posted August 29, 2022 The car was is very good condition, appears to have never been wrecked and virtually no rust. It spent a good deal of its life in Kansas before I bought it in Colorado as an unfinished project. I'm a little irritated with whoever decided to tear it apart as I really don't think it needed to be. It sat long enough to be home to large numbers of mud daubers and it took me a day to vacuum the leaves out of the defroster vents. That's when I discovered that I had pulled it the entire length of Wyoming with the body just sitting loose on the frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted August 29, 2022 Share Posted August 29, 2022 Here are a couple thousand words worth of pictures from the job on my '60. Had a little squeak at low speed. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelfish Posted October 19, 2022 Author Share Posted October 19, 2022 On 8/28/2022 at 9:49 PM, lancemb said: ... 4) see if there is an access hole with plug for greasing the rear shaft (it would be about 8" from back of rear section of torque tube), and if not add a hole and install grease fitting (there is a procedure for this in service bulletins), and 5) add an access hole with plug for greasing the U-joint. Do you have a link or access to the bulletin? I could not find it on Hometown Buick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominic Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 I am searching for a shop to rebuild my 1957 Buick Special Dyanflow transmission. Who did you get to do yours? Also, what type of paint did you use on your rear end? saxton04@gmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 On 1/17/2024 at 7:48 PM, Dominic said: what type of paint did you use on your rear end? My rearend is painted with Imron. My nephew laid it on. We did the whole underside of the car with fresh undercoat as well. It might be a little overdone but the 2011 job still looks about the same. On the rebuild of the unknown Dynaflow, I would probably reassemble the car and fill it with fluid before deciding. You have a lot of work ahead of you. If the transmission needs a rebuild it is a 3 hour in and 3 hour out job, not a lot compared to what you have there. Try to take a complete car to the shop and let them do the R&R. If they don't get it right it is at their place. A "Take Out" rebuild is like bringing home a cold fish fry. Professionals taught me that. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 On 8/29/2022 at 9:49 AM, Angelfish said: I'm a little irritated with whoever decided to tear it apart as I really don't think it needed to be. I just noticed the continuation of this post today. I hadn't read the comment quoted here. Just look at it this way, the previous owner did all the inexpensive work for you. That happens a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelfish Posted January 21 Author Share Posted January 21 On 1/17/2024 at 5:48 PM, Dominic said: I am searching for a shop to rebuild my 1957 Buick Special Dyanflow transmission. Who did you get to do yours? Also, what type of paint did you use on your rear end? saxton04@gmail.com Local shop in Billings, MT. I still haven't driven the car so I can't tell you if it works, but it sure looked nice when I picked it up. Cost me $4500. https://aatran.com/ I did discover that you cannot fill a Dynaflow to full fluid capacity without running it. You have to full 1/2 - 3/4 worth of fluid and then run it in neutral for a few minutes before you can fill it the rest of the way. And then if if sits long enough it will dump fluid out the bottom. Keep a pan under it for winter storage. Rear end was just POR15 chassis black applied with a brush. A lot of time with wire brushes and wire wheels in the drill. I did an old truck the same way and it looks good 10 years later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelfish Posted January 21 Author Share Posted January 21 12 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said: I just noticed the continuation of this post today. I hadn't read the comment quoted here. Just look at it this way, the previous owner did all the inexpensive work for you. That happens a lot. Well, if they hadn't taken it apart, I never would have ended up with it. So I can't complain too much. Although I could have done without the rattle can paint on the frame, axles, suspension, brake lines and transmission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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