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1966 Driveshaft U-joint Service

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FSJunkie View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FSJunkie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: 1966 Driveshaft U-joint Service
    Posted: Aug/02/2018 at 5:09pm
The double cardan CV joint in my mom's 1965 Ambassador wore out at 140,000 miles and had to be replaced at extreme cost. I'd like to avoid that on my 1966 AMC Marlin, which is still running it's original double cardan CV joint at 95,000 miles. 

I'd like to drop the torque tube and remove the driveshaft so I can clean and regrease the CV and carrier bearings. I am familiar with how to disassemble the sealed bearings to clean and repack them with grease. I am mostly familiar with the procedure to remove the torque tube, but I have a question that the technical service manual did not answer. 

Four bolts hold the torque tube to the transmission where the large rubber trunnion bushing is located. If I remove those four bolts, will the torque tube separate cleanly from the transmission or will it rip and destroy the trunnion bushing? I'm really trying to avoid replacing the trunnion bushing since mine is currently working fine and new ones are unholy expensive. It's a 50 year-old piece of rubber and may be in such horrible shape that it must be replaced anyway, but I'd like to avoid replacing it unless I have no choice. 

1955 Packard
1966 Marlin
1972 Wagoneer
1973 Ambassador
1977 Hornet
1982 Concord D/L
1984 Eagle Limited
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purple72Gremlin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote purple72Gremlin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/02/2018 at 5:28pm
Just me. If you are going to pull it apart....Id plan on spending the money....bet the grease in the ujoint will be hard after 50 years...and I suspect the bushing will fall apart.
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gtoman_us View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gtoman_us Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/03/2018 at 12:06pm
The rubber grunion " might" separate cleanly from the transmission flange, if the rubber had not stuck to it. My experience is with only 2 TT setups that I removed. My wagon's was distorted so if I reused it I was concerned on how the rear end would track.

A parts car I took apart 4 years ago, and once the 4 flange bolts were out it just popped away easy when I pulled the 3rd member back. The rubber trunnions was hardened really stiff. I still have it..why for what ever reason.

I picked my replacement from Blazers.

We would appreciate it you would document the repacking of the C joint. There is a couple of parts that the illustration parts manual does not show.
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Used to collect trophies, now I collect gas receipts and put on miles

1964 Rambler Ambassador Cross Country Wagon
1965 GTO
1931 Model A original survivor
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/04/2018 at 11:41pm
Personally I'd leave the thing alone. The part that fails is the centering pin and spring between the two u-joints, NOT the joints themselves. They are sealed away from dust and dirt and will last without greasing. That centering spring will eventually fail, and there are no repair kits. The new replacements from Galvins are either a newer type joint or single u-joint, I don't know which, haven't talked to them.

The rubber should cleanly separate from the trans. I've never had one stick. It is vulcanized to the torque tube end. The yoke on the trans end may stick on the output shaft though. I've had to get under the car and kick with both feet (car on jack stands) to get it loose. I always use a floor jack in from the back of the car, jack up and take both wheels off, roll rear axle back on the floor jack. Don't have to have the car up so high in the back that way. Take the panhard bar, shocks, park brake and rubber brake line loose. Jack it up until tires clear the ground, jack stand the body, take tires off, let axle down until springs come out. Then take the four bolts out ot the trans/TT connection and push axle back.
Frank Swygert
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