Rubber Drive Couplings

[tweedy998]

Hi all,

I'm thinking about some Winter jobs to carry out on our '65 998 Cooper and think that I'll replace the rubber drive couplings on the inner end of the driveshafts, as occasionally I can feel some vibration from that area.

My question is; does anyone have experience of the alternative items available from Mini Spares? These type with nylon cups and needle roller bearings: http://www.minispares.com/product/Class ... |Back%20to

Are these a better option now than the rubber type?

Cheers! Ed.

[Peter Laidler]

DEFINITELY a better option just so long as you torque the U bolt nuts to exactly what they say. I don't know if they are as good or better than the older QH needle roller type or same meat, different gravy

[Daz1968]

I have the qh type on both my cars and they are very good,

[Fanfaniracing]

I had very bad failures three times with these black couplings two times they were torqued right.

I would recommend to find a pair of the white QH Couplings or go for the rubber ones

[timmy201]

There was a shop in the US doing a version with alloy cups, which would seem to be another decent option. I tried a used set of the usual nylon ones and they disintegrated on the highway - your experience may be different

http://www.heritagegarage.com/parts_hg5 ... g_set.html

[Peter Laidler]

It just seems to be that the MS couplings are the same as the QHazels except for the nylon or composite outer cup. I understand that the central cross-piece and needle roller set is a generic coupling used on a few different vehicles. On that basis, if the outer failed it'd be quite simple to machine-up a few new ones from a durable nylon.

In fact, if the old QH type aren't available now (are they ?) I might speak to someone and see and cost just how worthwhile it is............

[timmy201]

The inner uni joint in mine was a GUJ102, which is a triumph/Healey etc part

I did find them to be a little bit short on overall length on the cup/cup dimension

['S'-type]

This one has come up before

https://mk1-forum.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=21194

I'm not sure if there have been any developments.

[Peter Laidler]

Interesting and worth reading again. Great ideas on materials from my nerdy engineering view.

Just as a matter of interest, there was talk of the small O ring or oil seal between the INNER end of the needle rollers and the UJ. Did anyone establish whether this was a standard - or STANAG - sized oil seal. I'm thinking that it looked just like the oil seal on the steering pinion. Someone correct me?

The rubberised UJ's were a BIG seller for Unipart but they would never honour a warranty claim failure on them, always putting it down to over tightening of the yoke nuts

[65MK1S]

I refurbished the steel ones that came with my car
and they so far seem to be working great. You don't have
the same torquing worry that you have with the nylon
ones

ujoints2.jpg

[Simon776]

I'm thinking about some Winter jobs to carry out on our '65 998 Cooper and think that I'll replace the rubber drive couplings on the inner end of the driveshafts, as occasionally I can feel some vibration from that area.

They don't tend to cause vibration unless really jolly well worn then you can hear them at low speed on full lock as they get up close and personal with the back of the gearbox casing.

The original Dunlop Moulton couplings were available in three colours; green (std), yellow (Cooper S) and white (competition) - yellow would be more than adequate for a 998. I used white ones on my Mk 1 S in my road rallying days and never had a problem with them or the driveshafts or the diff. and they would last a season.

The key to long life is not to over tighten the U bolts; the torque setting for the nuts is laughably low, only about 10ft lbs!