Problems with my ball (torque tube ball, that is)

Take a look at the inside of this torque tube ball. FFrom my 54 chevy 3 speed. How the hell did it get so beat up? Outside of the u joint looks like it's been hitting it. Some evidence on u joint of contact also. What fixes this?

Scott

 

Damn! Been around old Chevies for a while now - never saw that before.

Got pics of U-joint?

The only thing I can think of is that somebody did not use the 'lock-ears' (maybe broken off from too much re-use) on the U-joint bolts and they backed-out.

 

I can put a pic of ujoint if you need but it shows signs of hitting but it's not terribly beat up. There were no clips on the u joint bolts but there were lock washers under them and the bolts were tight as hell. I've driven this car around town and a little bit and it has a whine but I think that if this were happening now it would be a lot louder! Wonder if this was damage from a past u joint incident and it was fixed but the ball never replaced? what's the longish bushing i see for sale on old chevy sights for? says it stops drive shaft whip. Does it go inside the torque tube? that's not what would be causing this right?

 

a ford nine inch and open drive line?

 

Is there a bearing inside the torque tube on Chevies?

 

Does the chevy have an inner bell over the joint, like a ford? If so, is that piece missing. In a ford, the torque tube bell gets nowhere near the joint.

Mart.

 

At some point in it's lifetime, the bolt-together U-joint/lock tab ***embly came apart, and things did a rumble-tumble. As long as the OUTER surface of the ball is OK, use it; it's only cosmetic on the inside. Butch/56sedandelivery.