28Q29U Plymouth Forum

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: racertb on September 27, 2011, 12:51:17 PM

Title: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: racertb on September 27, 2011, 12:51:17 PM
Does anyone know a supplier for these?  I want to replace these on my '29 and I found a company online who specializes in these...however, they are $43 EACH.

Here is the link:

http://colletizer.com/u_joint_disc.html


Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: wellery on September 27, 2011, 08:50:11 PM
Racer

Try the hard to source bits link on this forum - http://www.1948plymouth.info/28Q29U/index.php?topic=204.0

Or I make them out of old conveyer belt. found it to be the same material

Cheers

Wayne
Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: 29UJohn on October 13, 2011, 10:05:02 PM
I highly recommend Gene Bibber.  He has been making them for years and they are excellent and reasonably priced.  Last I checked with him, a set of 5 was $125.  Three discs go on the differential end and two go on the transmission end of the drive shaft.  The color is cream.  I have a set on my 29U Plymouth 4 DR Sedan (a driver) and they look and work great!

Gene Bibber
135 Brackett Road
Gorham, Maine  04038
Email:  missmud31@msn.com 
Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: racertb on October 14, 2011, 09:40:40 PM
Thanks John...I've already emailed Gene and will get with him soon...trying to finalize what kind of tubes I'm going to go with (rubber or brass stem) first.  I've decided to go with the Lester black wall tires.

Also, I talked to Jay Fisher the other day about ordering a crank hole cover from him.
Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: racertb on October 26, 2011, 10:03:50 PM
Does anyone have an phone number for Gene?

I emailed him about a week ago and haven't received a reply...prior to that, I emailed him to inquire and he replied right away.  Now that I'd like to order, I can't get ahold of him :o
Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: 29UJohn on October 27, 2011, 08:35:49 PM
Try (207) 839-4605

If you cannot reach him, you could try calling Odat Machine Inc.  332 New Portland Rd. Gorham, ME. 04038 (207) 854-2310.

Gene used to work there.  That is how he came to make the fabric U-joint Disks.

John
Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: racertb on November 02, 2011, 08:39:40 PM
Thanks John!
Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: racertb on November 13, 2011, 05:56:33 PM
I got the discs from Gene yesterday and I was in the middle of installing the rear three today.  The problem is, the bolts that have the castle nuts (w/cotter pins) now don't go all the way through!  I guess the discs are a little think or not just worn in...it looks like I'm going to have to get some hex bolts about a 1/2" longer so I'll be able to get a lock washer and nut on the end.

Any other suggestions?
Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: chetbrz on November 13, 2011, 07:56:35 PM
Quote from: racertb on November 13, 2011, 05:56:33 PM
I got the discs from Gene yesterday and I was in the middle of installing the rear three today.  The problem is, the bolts that have the castle nuts (w/cotter pins) now don't go all the way through!  I guess the discs are a little think or not just worn in...it looks like I'm going to have to get some hex bolts about a 1/2" longer so I'll be able to get a lock washer and nut on the end.

Any other suggestions?

How many disks did you get.  If I recall correctly one side or the other got two and the other side three ??

I don't now remember which was which.

Chet...
Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: racertb on November 14, 2011, 12:20:22 PM
Five total discs...three go in the rear (that's what was there) and two in the front. 
Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: wellery on November 14, 2011, 07:35:45 PM
Hi

Why not try the larger bolts and nuts to try and tighten them until the compression on the fibre discs allows for your other bolts and the castle nuts to be used and secured.

I am sure you are aware to do them up diagonally so as he they take up evenly

Just a thought

Wayne


Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: 29UJohn on November 14, 2011, 10:45:43 PM
I agree.  The new disks will compress against each of the waffle washers (buckle washers) and will tighten enough to get the castle nuts on. 
I put a new set on a few years ago and had a similar problem, but when I evenly tightened the nuts, I was able to get the cotter pins in. 

Do not use lock washers.  You must use the castellated nuts and cotter pins.  The disks will wear over time and so the lockwashers will not do the job.  In fact, you should check the disks often after installing new ones, as you may have to tighten them once later.
Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: racertb on November 15, 2011, 12:23:28 PM
Wayne/John:

I will go with the larger bolts for now to see about compressing...hopefully, I'll get them compressed enough quickly to put the original bolts and castle nuts back on...will do diagonally and still have the original buckle washers.

Trying to finalize the car for a show Thanksgiving weekend...got the tires and wheels all done, rebuilt a wheel cylinder in the process, and going to put the newly chromed bumpers back on this weekend.  Hopefully a test drive this weekend as well...

Thanks for your help!
Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: racertb on November 21, 2011, 12:45:27 PM
Well, after three days of struggling, I had to go back to the old discs.  Even now, I can only get 2 of the three bolts to go through all the way to get the cotter pins in.  The third is almost there, but can't quite get compressed enough to see the hole for the cotter pin.  I save the new discs for another time as the show is this weekend and I don't have the time, a lift or other tools to wrestle with this.  Will try one more time today, otherwise it is what it is.  The old discs weren't terrible, but I thought I'd replace while I was doing other things to the car.

Oh well...car looks great and will post photos sometime after the weekend.
Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: Doug on November 21, 2011, 06:31:40 PM
I would have to say my disc are original, They look a little weathered, but there is no vibration and I just drive the car around local and it does great for 80 year old. I have a customer That is 92 and still throes his leg over his motorcycle every day the sun is shinning so this age thing is not looking to bad. 
Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: racertb on November 22, 2011, 06:43:50 PM
Finally got the last one done.  The castle nut stripped and started spinning in place, but found one at Home Depot that fit perfectly and got the cotter pin in.  This was more of a pain than working with the demountable rims!
Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: wellery on November 26, 2011, 07:03:40 PM
Hi

Well done - so you got the new ones fitted?

Cheers

Wayne
Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: 29UJohn on November 27, 2011, 09:49:00 PM
I recently replaced the disks in my car.  I still have the old set that were installed in the mid 70's.  They measure about 3/8 inch thick, so three would be 9/8 or 1&1/8 inch.  They compress with buckle washers, so even with the washers installed the three in the rear are just over one inch thick.
Title: Re: Fabric/rubberized U-Joint Discs
Post by: racertb on November 29, 2011, 11:45:20 AM
With the buckle washers installed with the older discs, it took forever to get them back in.  I would have to use longer bolts to fit the new ones in.