Torque tube noise

[tshancock]

My 36 is making a noise coming from the torque tube. While going down the road you can hear what sounds like a playing card in the spokes of your bike. The faster I go the faster it goes. I put it up in the air and verified that it was coming from the tube. Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.

[Bob C]

Possibly the pin that holds the driveshaft to the pinion broke.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by tshancock

My 36 is making a noise coming from the torque tube. While going down the road you can hear what sounds like a playing card in the spokes of your bike. The faster I go the faster it goes. I put it up in the air and verified that it was coming from the tube. Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.

There is a lock pin for the drive shaft to pinion that can sometimes break the head off of, allowing it to back-out and rub on torque tube, making noise.

Coop/AMERICAN




.

[solidaxle]

Same thing happened to me last year. I installed a pin from the hardware store when the Columbia rear went in. It lasted for a couple of months then the ticking started. Sure enough it broke and worked it's way out. Do yourself a favor a buy one from Van Pelt, C&G or Third generation, do not use a hardware store pin.

[solidaxle]

Coopmans description is correct, However, disregard where the pencil is pointing to.

[tshancock]

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Great. Thanks for the picture

[Brian]

A member on here a while back came up with the most excellent idea of fitting some shrink sleeve over the pin[s] to preclude pin migration outwards in the event it breaks.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Brian

A member on here a while back came up with the most excellent idea of fitting some shrink sleeve over the pin[s] to preclude pin migration outwards in the event it breaks.

That was Mike Dermond ("deuce_roadster") up in Washington State. Mike explained:

"I get industrial heat shrink made for electrical connections, it is about 1/8" thick, strong and impervious to gas, oil and solvents and just fits over the shaft and rivets. Heat with heat gun until glue is bubbling out each end and you are done. The ends cannot come out even if the pin breaks it stays in place and can still prevent the shaft from moving. This is a NOS driveshaft which I put Glyptol on and came as an assembly with new collar installed with the rear pin just started.
Electrical Supply places have this 3M ITCSN-1500-12 BLACK. 12 is 12" and is enough to do 3 rear ends.
This stuff is tough as you will see when you cut it."




Also used by "Will D" on his '38 rear end, BELOW!

[Mart]

I put a hose clamp on mine, plus another hose clamp at 180 degrees to balance the first.

[tshancock]

Great idea

[Sam A.]

I am about to replace the pins in my 40 driveshaft....how do you flare the end of the pin so it will not back out?

[Mart]

Gently tap the end with a ball pein hammer. Work around and mushroom it out. Back up the other side with something solid so you are transferring the load to the ground and not the bearings.

[solidaxle]

So if you prevent the broken pin from backing out via shrink tube or clamps. How would you detect a problem if it does shear?

[Sam A.]

Thank you Mart!

[Mart]

Ok. Here's my take on pins.

If the splines on the pinion shaft are not worn, the splines in the coupler are not worn, the shaft is perfectly aligned and the torque tube is perfectly aligned, the pin will not shear.

A sheared pin is an indicator that there is a problem somewhere, probably in one or more of the areas listed above.

A sheared pin, if retained is not a big problem in itself as the shaft can't really move far and has no inclination to do so ( not 100% sure on that, but it sounds reasonable).

So retaining the pin if it does break at least stops an annoying squeak or ticking noise, and would save an axle teardown to fix it.

I reiterate, though, the pins only break if the splines are worn or there is a misalignment problem. Normally the latter will cause the former.

Alignment issues should not occur in stock applications. There are techniques that can be used to check alignment if modified parts are being used. I covered the alignment procedure in one of my 32 sedan build videos.

Mart.

[deuce_roadster]

Answer to Solidaxle-- There is no problem if a pins shears as it can't come out. If you ever need to remove the driveline after installing the heat shrink, you can use a grinder to remove it and drill out the pins.

[solidaxle]

So if the pin shears wouldn't the shaft be free to move forward? At least until it pushes as far as it can in the universal. What would be holding it back?

[Brian]

I have seen on eBay, replacement 'safety pins for Ford torque tubes that have a built in retainer in the event the pin shears. Some of these kits also have a spring that goes over the front of the driveshaft, between universal and speedo drive gear, the idea being to hold driveshaft back if pin actually does shear. So...being the resourceful Kiwi that I am, I now retain the pin [tubular driveshaft- only one pin] with shrinksleeve, and fit a fuel pump spring betwix universal and speedo drive gear. Does it work? dunno if my pin is still intact or not, but I haven't had any trouble [yet!!]

[Newc]

Loctite makes a product for loose splines. Loose splines are common in large truck driveshafts at the slip-joints. I'll let you know how it works some day. It's a hazmat chemical and must be shipped by truck [epoxy?] Newc

[deuce_roadster]

Solidaxle- no, the pin usually breaks near the middle and will not let the driveshaft move forward or backward. The one end that does work itself out will scrape on the inside of the torque tube. My avatar roadster broke a pin a long time ago and made the noise many have heard and before I fixed it, the driveshaft was as tight on the spline as before the pin broke. I replaced the pin with no problem as it was still being held by the one side that had not moved outward.
Draw a scale picture of the sleeve and the driveshaft. You will see that while the piece of broken pin moves out, it still has part of it in the solid driveshaft and the part that is still intact also has the part of the pin holding the shaft from moving.