Torque Tube mounting bush - post 1935
- by Dan Cole
- Download this article here
Silent block - Bush removal tool. A handy gadget for those with later cars fitted with this ‘modern’ rubber bonded bush.
When I was experiencing a lot of horrible rumbling from the nether regions of our Ruby a couple of years back I feared that major axle work might be needed. Before jumping in the deep end I thought I’d better have a proper look. Investigation under the car showed that the prop shaft was in good order and the big adjusting nut at the front of the torque tube was not slack. Whilst giving the torque tube a good shake I could hear no rattle yet when I pushed it really firmly there was movement between the bush and its bracket. Looking closely with a bright torch revealed the bush was disintegrating badly and I realised this was the likely source of the under-car din. We had a trip coming up so I was eager to replace the bush (or what remained of it !) promptly.
A new bush was sourced and whilst I eagerly awaited its arrival I pondered how I would go about fitting it with minimal trouble or delay. This was one of the few parts that I had not previously removed from the car and apparently the usual method involves removing the torque tube so the bush can then be pressed out in the vice or a press. I was going to be doing the job after work, in the dark out in the drive-way so I was keen to avoid disturbing the torque tube / axle joint which quite possibly has not been apart since the car left Longbridge.
To do the job in situ I made up a simple puller tool made of 2 lengths of steel bar, turned up in the lathe so that the larger part (essentially a tube) could bear upon the outer housing and the smaller part would press on the outer part of the bush. Force was applied using threaded bar with a nut. To obtain access and use the tool I had to remove the bracket that secures the bush to the chassis but this did not put up much of fight. The tool worked well but the bush was predictably tight in the housing – to the extent that the M10 studding was only just up to the job (sorry – a modern thread was used - 3/8” BSF would have been more appropriate and given a bit more mechanical advantage).
Hopefully the accompanying pictures tell the story better than my blurb. It turned out that the bush was the source of the racket, and the new one transformed the car. All the other noises persisted but those from the transmission were no longer being amplified by the body via the rattling bush. If anyone needs to do the same job and doesn’t have access to the required bits of tube or a lathe to turn them up they are welcome to borrow it – so long as I get it back of course !
