Fabric joint

[Simon Anderson]

Well after about 1000klms the rubber joint is done again.. must be to much horsepower.... haha.
Was the original joint made of layers of leather? I have tried to search this up with no luck. Anyone know this?

[Dave Mann]

You are lucky I've had one's bought 10 years ago last between 50 and 750 miles and I gave up and fitted a Hardy Spicer shaft. Whilst another of our car's has done about 10,000 on a coupling bought 20 years ago from Dave Phillips.

[David Stepney]

I bought a fabric coupling from Seven Workshops 15 months and 6K miles ago, Still going strong with no signs of deterioration.

[Geoff101]

It looks like it's been rubbing on the outer circumference doesn't it? Is it catching the tunnel cover?

[Tony Press]

Is it rubbing on the handbrake adjusting screw ?

[David Cochrane]

It seems that not all fabric couplings are created equal. The one in Simon's photo seems to only have 3 layers of fabric visible, whereas mine have about 12 layers:

[Ruairidh Dunford]

There used to be a factory that made fabric couplings up here in Glasgow - some years ago it was bought over and all the equipment was moved to the Midlands (I think), where it has sat unused since I understand. Possibly due to nobody knowing how to operate it properly...

[Ian McGowan]

I have to go along with David C, not all fabric joints are created equal; and even the good ones can't, IMHO, hold a candle to a correctly designed and fitted Hardy Spicer joint - which is the path I eventually took and have no regrets for doing so.
    As soon as I looked at the original photo my first thoughts were, "there ain't much fabric in that coupling; it looks like an inadequate, cheap replacement." The ones which David's photo show are identical to joints that I have used in the past - and indeed sourced from A7C - without complaint. No connection other than as a satisfied customer.
The "good" ones look to be made from what we called, when I were a lad, "pit belting" on account of the materials primary use as conveyor belts down coal mines.

[Simon Anderson]

Thank you David C, I look forward to receiving your fabric joint, the one’s I have had in th past looked nothing like yours.
The past one had clearance all around and no rubbing,

[AustinWood]

I gave up with fabric couplings as they tend to catch the handbrake. I fitted one of David Cochrane's excellent Hardy Spicer shafts.