Meanwhile, working on the 54 Chevy wagon. Got it running, brakes still not right, but I live in a rural area so I took it for a drive.
Good thing my FIL was deaf and could not hear the differential growl. So, I need to pull it and the manual trans for rebuilding, as well as replace the clutch.
And if you have never worked on one these old Chevy beasts, you have not dealt with the Torque Tube - a non-DIY friendly bit of engineering.
The only u-joint is enclosed behind the trans. The Torque Tube replaces the conventional driveshaft… think of it as an axle in a pipe. To disconnect the TT, you have to open the diff and pull the axles.
The diff shop advised me to strap up the TT at the trans and disconnect the u-joint, parking brake assembly, and rear brake line. Once that is done jack up diff, then disconnect the rear shackles, unbolt the diff’s u-bolts and pull the whole damn unit, then bring it to him. Royal PITA. Here’s some photos for those that haven’t seen a TT.
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