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Technical => Drivetrain Tech => Topic started by: jcassity on November 25, 2004, 02:09:12 PM

Title: tail shaft bushing SOLVED
Post by: jcassity on November 25, 2004, 02:09:12 PM
where can you get one off the shelf?

i grab my drive shaft where is comes out of the tailshaft of the tranny and there is a lot of play.  Im gonna keep putting this off till one day i see smoke pouring out the rearvew mirror.

the bushings are very cheap but i cant seem to find em on the shelf anywhere. 

for anyone who's like "wtf is this guy talking about"
the tail shaft bushing is what your yoke on the drive shaft spins against while it turns.  when this shim gets worn,, you will have a vibration and noise that sounds like its coming from the center of the car.
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing
Post by: TurboCoupe50 on November 25, 2004, 05:04:34 PM
Can't you just have Advance just order one????
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing
Post by: jcassity on November 25, 2004, 09:55:10 PM
mine over here in wva says they cant get em.

ill probably just make one out of copper pipe and cut the lubrication slit by hand.

tranny shop says they can order it but i cant figure out why so many tranny shops consider it a long lead item.  seems pretty easy to get to and should be replaced every so often.
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing
Post by: mjbtbrd on November 25, 2004, 11:43:15 PM
try rock auto.com they are fast cheap and have a good selection  they may have what you need
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing
Post by: jcassity on November 26, 2004, 11:47:32 AM
i found one ,, ill it will be ready for pickup this afternoon.
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing
Post by: Johns331 on November 27, 2004, 01:59:18 PM
There are two different bushings, one for a GM T5 and the other for a Ford T5.  I took my tranny tail shaft to a local transmission shop to have it changed.  They told me it takes a special tool to R and R the bushing.  They only charged me about $20.00 to change it out.
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing
Post by: jcassity on November 27, 2004, 07:23:44 PM
Quote from: Johns331
They told me it takes a special tool to R and R the bushing.  They only charged me about $20.00 to change it out.

 i sure hope not, ive only installed one and it lasted til the original tranny bit the dust.

advance dropped the ball on my order for the tailshaft bushing "KIT" so they call it.  Actually it is called the extension housing bushing but anyways Napa has just the bushing for 4 bux and some change.

i removed one on my old aod which was easy , just pry it out.  the new one was installed just as easy by using a zip tie located slightly off center to compress it.  I just gently tapped it up in the hole and aligned the slot, cut the zip tie and resumed using a wooden tool to finsh seating it.
im pretty sure the same install practice applies here as what would apply if you install a cam bearing.

i would not mind seeing that tool, might be able to make it if i knew what it looked like.
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing SOLVED
Post by: jcassity on November 29, 2004, 05:52:19 PM
that really hit the spot,, new tailshaft bushing installed.
symtoms of a bad bushing:
1 side to side play where drive shaft exits rear of tranny
2 a rrruuuummm  rrruuummm noise coming from center of car and front end parts still dont fix the problem
3 excessive tranny fluid leaking out tail shaft housing even after tailshaft seal is replaced
4 going thru too many tailshaft seals cause they end up coming off


I have no more vibration anywhere in my car.  Its so quiet that im now bothered by the wind i hear across the doors and windshield. :)  Oh well,,i guess thats what the radio volume  is for :ies:

parts replaced to make it all quite again

ball joints
wheel bearings with shim stock on the inner race of inner bearing
tie rod ends (which ended up concluding to a whole rack)
tail shaft bushing (really called extention housing bushing)

if anyones interested in the how to's on this, just reply.

special tools are call for if you want to go that route or it can be an easy diy project that takes about 2 hours for a lesser experienced person.

there are two types of tailshaft bushings i am aware of.  One is split longways and the other is solid.  if you have the solid type , the extention housing has to come off.  if you have the type like i did which is cut longways, you dont have to remove the extention housing.
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing SOLVED
Post by: TurboCoupe50 on November 29, 2004, 07:50:46 PM
I did mine the easy way...... First I bought two bushings, then cut approx 1/4" off one. Next I slid the full and the cut bushing onto a D/S yoke and slid it into the tranny. A few good licks with the hammer and the cut bushing was in place, leaving the original pushed approx 1 1/2" back into the tranny. The other "full" bushing was discarded, as the taper on the yoke caused it to distort badly.

BTW  Been like this for over 2 years now, still just fine.
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing SOLVED
Post by: jcassity on November 29, 2004, 09:28:19 PM
you turkey!!!!!!!
 thats slick :)
why'd you wait till now to share that trade secret?
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing SOLVED
Post by: Bird351 on November 29, 2004, 09:41:27 PM
He wanted you to suffer? :p

This *might* be in my future, since you mentioned all the front end stuff and it not helping you. I'm hoping to clear up my problem sooner.
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing SOLVED
Post by: jcassity on November 30, 2004, 09:06:49 PM
Quote from: Bird351
He wanted you to suffer? :p


naw,, say it aint so tom :mad:
just had a senior moment,, right? :grinno:
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing SOLVED
Post by: Chuck W on November 30, 2004, 10:12:25 PM
I need to do the same thing on the T-5 in the Ranger....

TurboCoupe50....am I missing something..or did you do this with the tranny still in the car and left the old bushing inside the trans?
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing SOLVED
Post by: flipnbird on December 01, 2004, 11:39:12 AM
Hey guys and gals, like the new site,,, anyway my tranny has this same vibration,where can i find one of these bushings?? looked up napa and advance on the net, neither shows this bushing, should i look under a stang or something else?? thanks
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing SOLVED
Post by: jcassity on December 01, 2004, 07:41:35 PM
hey chuck, im not tom but i got what he meant so here goes
you leave the old bushing in.,, buy two new ones. 
remove the drive shaft
cut about 1/4'' off your intended new bushing
slid your whole new one on the yoke
next , slide your cut one on the yoke
slide the yoke up onto the outputshaft and work it like a slap hammer back and forth
that ends up pushing out old bushing up inside the extention housing making enough room for the trimmed up new bushing.
remove drive shaft and the first bushing you put on the yoke and toss it.
your old bushing is sitll barely haning on inside and even if it does come off,, its just gonna spinn round and round till hell freezes over.

leave the tranny in

yeah, i had to read that a couple times also to let it sink in and picture what he meant.


Flippinbird
you can get the "extention housing" kit at advance for 11bux but they have to go to the books.
napa sells just the bushing for like 4 bux.
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing SOLVED
Post by: TurboCoupe50 on December 01, 2004, 11:25:34 PM
Quote from: Chuck W
I need to do the same thing on the T-5 in the Ranger....

TurboCoupe50....am I missing something..or did you do this with the tranny still in the car and left the old bushing inside the trans?


Yup its basically what Scott said in the previous post. except I used a spare yoke and a hammer to drive the new bushing in place. Also I clamped the two new bushings together with a hose clamp so they would not distort(had one clamped at the far end of the full bushing as well).

Important, you do not want to drive the bushing all the way back till it spins on the outputshaft. Why???? You'll be wondering what is eating up your speedo gears if you do(had this exact problem years ago on a C4 tranny in a Falcon).


Scott I basically forgot about doing it, since it was a couple of years ago. Sorry......
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing SOLVED
Post by: Chuck W on December 02, 2004, 08:31:10 AM
Ok, cool.  That's actually easier than I thought.  I did find the procedure in one of my factory manuals though, and they don't remove the housing either.  I'll have to give that a go then.  The ed thing is leaking and there is more play than I think there should be.  I have a couple T-5's I need to do that to.

Thanks
Title: Re: tail shaft bushing SOLVED
Post by: jcassity on December 02, 2004, 07:33:34 PM
see drawings below to compare what the heck it is im talking about.

rear view extenion housing........
there are three slots you see after your old seal comes off.
the points called A are holes that pass all the way thru up inside the extention housing
The point called B dead ends.

Sloted type bushing
can be removed easily by locating the slot on your old one
pry down on it all the way down the slot with a thin tool
loosen it up by tapping on the new exposed edge
it will free spin and allow you to pull with needle nose
i understand that this bushing can be installed backwards if you dont pay attention.
i drew a wide area towards the inner edge of this bushings lubrication channel for a reason. 
this wider V'd out channel inserts facing the front of the car
it acts as a front door for inbound tranny fluid.

Solid type bushing
if you cant find the slot on the edgeways of the old bushing by viewing up the rear of the tailshaft, you probably have the solid type.  if so,, i made a tool for this a few years ago but only had to use it once. see pic
this bushing will have a hole which always and for ever facing the gorund.  why? i dont know  cause the area called B in the tailshaft view dead end, maybe after the seal is on, its like a holding tank for tranny fluid.

the tool
made from grade 8, 1/4  20 threaded rod cut into three parts and ginded,bent and tack welded up as per the pic below.  It takes advantage of the two points called "A" that allow this tool to be inserted and hooked behind the old bushing.  Once the tool is in there and you can tell your hooked behind the old bushing with each pr0ng of the tool,, you work the slap hammer tilll it comes out.


or............
removel of tailshaft assy

remove drive shaft
remove old rear seal
remove catalytic
remove the two bolts mating the tranny to the tranny mount
remove driver side tranny cross memeber bolt and allow it to swing down
unplug speedo sensor
remove 6 tranny tailshaft bolts and free up tailshaft
bang out old bushing
place new bushing in hole and start it by hand
lay tshirt over bushing and flip tailshaft housing upside down
raise tailshaft a few inches and allow its own weight to fall onto a hard surface(using the tshirt as protection)
repeat this a few times but you have to finish seating it with the back side of a very large socket/hammer(use a cloth or something to protect it once again)

*tip for installing drive shaft
slip the yoke inside tranny
put car in "N"
rotate driveshaft until you can line up holes on the rear end for the 4  12mm 16pt bolts.
use some sort of glue or silicone on the drive shaft bolts (hint-loc-tite)
install everything back in reverse order.