Fabric Couplings: The Good and the bad

[Winston Teague]

We do some thousands of miles in our Chummy each year. Once again 12 months or so has passed and another fabric coupling has disintegrated. It came from one of the 'Cherished Suppliers' and replaced another 12 month or so item. The current one appears to be more rubber than fabric.......


I would like to hear where these can be bought, ideally with buyer's/users experiences, good and bad, so i can make an informed choice (if there is a choice at all) of where i try next. I don't intend to reveal the supplier, as this might start a moaning contest that serves no useful purpose....

I have a balanced propshaft, of the correct length, with a free running & sliding Carden joint that is well greased, and has little detectable lateral play in any direction. The output shaft of the gearbox also has no play. The power output is as good as a bog standard engine really gets, and no more.....

Wise words please!

W

[JonE]

does your annual mileage make you consider the upgrade to a later Ruby-style prop kit, just because of the hassle experienced?

[Hedd_Jones]

My veteran lorry friends make their own

[Nick Turley]

For a chummy that gets a lot of use I would advocate fitting one of David Cochrane hardy spicer propshafts.
I have fitted them to four cars and they are very successful - its a real fit and forget item.

[Ian Dunford]

Until about 20 years ago fabric couplings were made by a firm in Glasgow and lasted pretty much fo ever.
Then the company was taken over and “rationalisation” took over and all the machinery needed to make to make them was sent to the new companies HQ in the west midlands.
Unfortunately no one at the new company had the skills to operate the machines and for whatever reason the Glaswegians didn’t move to the West Midlands.
At the time I was involved in a small way in trying to find a firm to replace them and it proved very difficult.
This is pretty much the recent history of Britain in miniature.

[Tony Press]

Presumably the original fabric couplings were made from specially prepared material- many vehicles used them.

I thought that the more recent fabric couplings were punched from Conveyor Belting ?

I assume accurate cutting and careful riveting of the stiffener plates is important, but has belting changed ?

[Bob Culver]

The irony is that some really powerful cars drive through simple similar sized flexible discs which last for near the life of the vehicle (mercedes 1980ish)

[Ivor Hawkins]

There is another recent thread covering this and David Cochrane posted a photograph of what appeared to be a good quality fabric coupling.

I have to say I haven’t had a problem myself and when I was in full time work, I was doing about 16,000 miles a year on fabric couplings, but I have to say they were originals or NOS items.

Being involved in automotive engineering in various spheres all my working life, sadly I have to agree with Ian’s observation regarding British industry, despite us having some very bright and talented engineers, the bean counters can’t seem to see beyond the short term...

[Winston Teague]

Thanks for the replies so far, keep 'em coming please! Ivor, i have found that thread and it is interesting......

Ian's and your comments regarding British industry, i feel are over gloomy, i do however feel strongly that as a nation of consumers, we are collectively obsessed with price, whether it be £3 Chickens at Aldi (pumped full of water) or cheapo reproduction parts......and this has driven local manufacturers to shave margins/quality/quality control.......

W

[Alan]

As an aside, has anyone fitted one of David’s propshaft to a car with belt driven speedo? I’ve been thinking about it but I’d be interested to know what you did.