MTFCA Forum

I bought a new brass drive shaft bushing. It has a shallow groove machined in it that runs 90% of the length of the bore. What's the purpose of this groove?

When you press the bushing in, line the groove up with the grease cup hole then drill it. Allows the grease to spread to the whole bushing.

It lines up with the grease hole in the housings and gets grease to shaft after you drill the hole. Google "mtfca; drive shaft bushing" so you understand there is more to this job then just pressing in the bushing or get the rear end book, because your question suggest you may need to understand more about what you are doing before you start.

Thanks guys, that makes a lot of sense. I am using the modeltfordfix article (https://modeltfordfix.com/rebuilding-the-drive-shaft/) and the Glen Chaffin front and rear axle booklet as a reference. I just double checked but I don't see any mention in either source about aligning the groove for the grease cup. Both mention drilling a hole for the grease cup. Maybe they think it's obvious the hole would align with the groove.

Can't beat the references in the Ford Service Manual.