Technical Home made open driveshaft converson

I made an open driveshaft conversion for my banjo rear in my Model A. it's a 1948 rear. I have a problem with the seal leaking. What I did was get a splined coupling and welded it into a yoke and then made up a housing to hold a seal at the sealing area on the yoke. I think the main thing that is happening is that the splined coupling can rock on the splined pinion shaft a little and so oil leaks out.

I was thinking about removing the seal and remaking the housing to hold a sealed bearing. will a "sealed bearing" really seal the oil? When I check out the bearing companies on the net, the descriptions of "sealed bearings" is that they are sealed to keep out dust and dirt and that they are lubed for life.

so do you all think the sealed bearing would be a thing to try or what? I have seen the threads about buying a kit...too cheap for that. also saw some on making your own. I have seen some that the seal rides on the coupling behind the retaining pin and I guess that would lessen the affect of play in the splines.

 

I just installed new rear wheel bearings that were sealed and also had an "O" ring on the perimeter.

 

Can you drill another pin at 90 degrees to the first pin to keep it from rocking?

 

Either the coupler or the pinion splines are worn out if can rock on the pinion shaft. That typically leads to drivetrain vibrations.

 

Can you show this thing to us?

 

"Rocking on the splines" is the issue that should be fixed first. Is there some type of
material that could be applied to the coupler splines to eliminate the "play" upon installation?
Have you checked with Hot Rod Works? The time and money coming up with your own
solution will probably exceed the $285 HRW kit cost. Plus, it's a proven solution. If your rear "burns up" due to an oil leak, $285 will seem like a good deal.
http://www.hotrodworks.com/
The type of oil seal shown below will not cure "spline rocking".

 

So you used wheel bearings on the pinion shaft? Yes i was thinking of an o ring to seal the shaft to the inner bearing race and a press fit on the outter race. Thanks, let me know how it works.

 

Not much slop but some, the coupler is new, aftermarket so it may be poor machineing. I was looking at the shaft and I can't tell if there is much wear, but I hear what you are saying. It would have to have some play if it just slips on , right?

 

Yes it may be good to go with the "proven solution" but this is one of those things that I just have to give it another try, how else to justify a $1000 lathe and $1500 mill?

and the leak is not too much just a drip on the floor after a run, I check the oil level and add when needed.

 

good idea but I don't think a small pin would hold tight for too long.

 

OK, I understand. It's kind of a personal challenge to fix it yourself.

 

looks just like the one 19fordy posted but it is cut from steel on a lathe from one peice.

 

Just for clarity, a sealed bearing does not mean that the bearing is a seal. A sealed bearing is one that never gets lubed, it has a seal on either side to hold the factory lube in it and keep the dust out.

Unless everything is an interference fit so that the lubricant inside the rear end housing (in this case the banjo) cannot leak past the bearing it will need some sort of a seal.

Now here is the real problem, if the splined shaft is rocking in the housing there are greater problems than just oil leaking out. That is an issue that needs to be addressed. it wither needs to be supported better or made more straight or both.

 

thats what i was getting at, if a "sealed bearing " could at as a seal. so if the answer is no, I will have to do something else.

 

Ever look into a 47 truck rear axle ?

 

I got the pickup truck rear in mine and the seal wasn't sealing. Took it apart and there were no numbers on the seal. And looking up the dimentions got me nowhere. I made an aluminum collar to replace the seal in the retainer cover. cut a groove for an oring inside the alluminum now the oring rides on the driveshaft flange seal surface. two years and no drops yet.

 

pumper, so the o ring stays still and the pinion rotates within it? The o ring is the seal? cool.