torque tube
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Joined: Dec 2010
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2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
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depends what's wrong with it... you could expect to pay at least $800-1000 in labor plus whatever the parts cost that need to be replaced
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 243
Likes: 0
From: Waco Texas
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 243
Likes: 0
From: Waco Texas
torque tube
I'm in Waco and don't have many choices. The only place I know of is the Chevy dealership. I may have to use them. I guess I could try the Dallas area.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 4,326
Likes: 140
From: Weatherford, TX
I had a hard time finding any shops around me that would service the torque tube. The Chevy dealer would only replace the whole thing at a ridiculous cost, said it was "non-serviceable". Our local driveline "specialist" wouldn't touch it either.
So I disassembled the tube, created some simple instructions based off the Service Manual and went to NAPA. They said no problem, and pressed in some new bearings for less than $100 shop labor. The couplers are the other wear items, and they're easy to change with the right socket (Torx Plus 45IP).
So I disassembled the tube, created some simple instructions based off the Service Manual and went to NAPA. They said no problem, and pressed in some new bearings for less than $100 shop labor. The couplers are the other wear items, and they're easy to change with the right socket (Torx Plus 45IP).
Acct Suspended APR 2026 by request
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 10,367
Likes: 1,272
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
C5 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
if you were closer I'd give you a hand... it really isn't that bad of a job if you're mechanically inclined and have the required tools... there are plenty of LS specific shops in the Dallas area if you decide to bring the car this way
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 243
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From: Waco Texas
torque tube
the labor should be pretty much the same because the whole rear still has to come out to get the torque tube out
if you were closer I'd give you a hand... it really isn't that bad of a job if you're mechanically inclined and have the required tools... there are plenty of LS specific shops in the Dallas area if you decide to bring the car this way
if you were closer I'd give you a hand... it really isn't that bad of a job if you're mechanically inclined and have the required tools... there are plenty of LS specific shops in the Dallas area if you decide to bring the car this way
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Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 4,326
Likes: 140
From: Weatherford, TX
Here's a basic list of things I remove.
pull brake calipers, like you are changing the pads
pop the tie rod so you can remove ebrake cables
support rear suspension to remove upper shock bolts, upper control arm bolts
pop axles from the diff, to navigate lowering past the brake lines
exhaust mid pipe
tunnel plate
shifter cable at trans
clamp from input shaft in bellhousing
torque tube bolts to bellhousing
start lowering the rear, remove wire clips and brake lines that are attached as you go
eventually end up with something like this:
pull brake calipers, like you are changing the pads
pop the tie rod so you can remove ebrake cables
support rear suspension to remove upper shock bolts, upper control arm bolts
pop axles from the diff, to navigate lowering past the brake lines
exhaust mid pipe
tunnel plate
shifter cable at trans
clamp from input shaft in bellhousing
torque tube bolts to bellhousing
start lowering the rear, remove wire clips and brake lines that are attached as you go
eventually end up with something like this:
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 243
Likes: 0
From: Waco Texas
torque tube
Here's a basic list of things I remove.
pull brake calipers, like you are changing the pads
pop the tie rod so you can remove ebrake cables
support rear suspension to remove upper shock bolts, upper control arm bolts
pop axles from the diff, to navigate lowering past the brake lines
exhaust mid pipe
tunnel plate
shifter cable at trans
clamp from input shaft in bellhousing
torque tube bolts to bellhousing
start lowering the rear, remove wire clips and brake lines that are attached as you go
eventually end up with something like this:
pull brake calipers, like you are changing the pads
pop the tie rod so you can remove ebrake cables
support rear suspension to remove upper shock bolts, upper control arm bolts
pop axles from the diff, to navigate lowering past the brake lines
exhaust mid pipe
tunnel plate
shifter cable at trans
clamp from input shaft in bellhousing
torque tube bolts to bellhousing
start lowering the rear, remove wire clips and brake lines that are attached as you go
eventually end up with something like this:
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
That is EXACTLY how I did my drivetrain maintenance. When I reinstalled mine, I installed JUST the TT and then assembled the trans/diff onto the TT. Makes the single person reinstall a LOT easier..
If you have a place to work on your car, get the tools and GETERDONE!
BC
If you have a place to work on your car, get the tools and GETERDONE!
BC
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
The bearings will just start to make noise. When they start to make noise, you need to change them because if the front bearing fails, it will destroy the clutch pilot bearing.
The couplers will deteriorate over time. The rubber cracks. Inside the rubber is a special very heavy duty fabric chord that allows thee rubber to flex and not deform and stay in shape over prolong engine loading.
When the rubber breaks down to the point that it no longer works to keep the inner core supported, it will deform enough and start causing drive line vibrations. There comes a point in time that the chords get destroyed and you get LOTS OF NOISE and sometimes TT damage.
I disassembled my 02 Z TT and everything looked 100% and sounded solid when rotated. Back together she went!
My buddys 2000 A4 Coupe had some heavily cracked couplers. He was at 100,000 miles.
Bill
The couplers will deteriorate over time. The rubber cracks. Inside the rubber is a special very heavy duty fabric chord that allows thee rubber to flex and not deform and stay in shape over prolong engine loading.
When the rubber breaks down to the point that it no longer works to keep the inner core supported, it will deform enough and start causing drive line vibrations. There comes a point in time that the chords get destroyed and you get LOTS OF NOISE and sometimes TT damage.
I disassembled my 02 Z TT and everything looked 100% and sounded solid when rotated. Back together she went!
My buddys 2000 A4 Coupe had some heavily cracked couplers. He was at 100,000 miles.
Bill
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 214
Likes: 26
The bearings I installed were
One SKF 6007 2RSJEM
Two SKF 6008 2RSJEM
and two driveshaft shop couplers(guibos).
5k miles later with much spirited driving no noise, no vibrations, just smooth.
When you have everything out TT, transmission, etc. Go over everything and make sure everything is fine you do not want to pull out the transmission twice like I did.
Last edited by jimmyLSX; Feb 7, 2016 at 08:29 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 214
Likes: 26
Noise is the first sign of worn out bearings. I had a slight vibration on mine at the time. Vibrations happen from neglecting to replace the bearings once they are worn out. Worn out bearings put stress on the ends of the driveshaft, prop shaft, end shaft which then cause the vibrations, they can become damaged permanently. Then again that was what I was told by the corvette shop who rebuilt my driveshaft. After I installed everything back together everything was back to being smooth.