My week to be a whiny baby

[jbell]

Sorry to hit you guys up again but after getting my rear tire ('78 G5) fully seated I proceeded to finish the wheel assembly.  The cush drive plate is about 1/16 inch shy of seating to get the giant snap ring in.  I am putting the snap ring in with the shouldered side up and the "gasket" side facing the cush drive plate.  I cleaned the wheel hub and cush drive plate and lightly lubed the cush drive rubbers and lubed the hub sleeve that the cush drive plate slides onto.  I've even tried using several C clamps to compress the plate onto the rubbers without effect.  It was a bear getting the snap ring out, I had to drift it.  Do the cush drive rubbers swell?  I have looked at them and they appear symmetrical so as not to have an up side and down side.  What am I missing?

[rodekyll]

How hard are they?  You should be able to dimple one with a fingernail.  If they're 'glaze-hard' they need to be tossed on account of they don't cush much when they get all time and heat treated.

You say you've got 1/16 to go before the plate contacts the wheel.  At that point are the vanes in the plate spaced between the rubbers?  Can you rotate the plate slightly against the wheel?

[jbell]

They are pretty dang hard and no, I can't rotate the plate at all and yes, the vanes are positioned correctly between the rubbers.  It sounds like I need to order new ones.

[rodekyll]

I'd start there.

There have been some discussions of improved cush performance if you populate every other pie slice in the hub (alternating pairs of pucks).  Some say drilling them with a lot of little holes helps too.  I'll let them explain that part.

[jbell]

I'd start there.

There have been some discussions of improved cush performance if you populate every other pie slice in the hub (alternating pairs of pucks).  Some say drilling them with a lot of little holes helps too.  I'll let them explain that part.

Yes, I've read about drilling the pucks and using only half but I'm going to use all of them as is when the new ones arrive.  Thanks.

[canuck750]

All you need is  along bolt / nut and some big plugs with a hole in the centre, block of wood with a hole drilled in them a piece of rdi rod and some bolts will work





Crank the nut in on the bolt and draw the cush plate into the wheel, works like a charm

[acogoff]

    If you have to compress them to get the snap ring on there then you probably need new rubbers. Could be someone has had them exposed to mineral spirits or some oil that made them all swell slightly. By the way, I am not a fan of greasing or oiling the rubbers themselves in any way. Grease up the center pivot point with your favorite nonflingable grease (moly) and assemble dry. If you brain says it needs lubricant on the rubbers, a dry graphite would be the only thing I would use. And yes the gasket side of the ring goes down.

[jbell]

Thanks Jim and acogoff.  Since I have new rubbers on the way already, I'll see how they go in before trying to force the old ones back in.  Also, I'll use a dry graphite......Jack.

[jrt]

I'd make two points-
1) the new rubbers are also going to be pretty hard.  Don't be too surprised.
2) Rotate the drive plate one unit (60 degrees) and try again.  That is what worked on my wheel.

[jbell]

I'd make two points-
1) the new rubbers are also going to be pretty hard.  Don't be too surprised.
2) Rotate the drive plate one unit (60 degrees) and try again.  That is what worked on my wheel.

The surprise will come when I get this beast back on the road.  Just about finished with the chassis, wheels, brakes and tires.  Body parts are primed and waiting for dry weather to top and clearcoat.  Then on to the mechanicals.

[jrt]

Ha!  Won't be surprised at all.  I'm in for two years on an Eldo rebuild.  I just finished the rear wheel and now I'm starting a new wiring loom.  I should have it running just about winter...

On the rear wheel, I had exactly the same problem you describe.  I mashed it and clamped it and cursed and all manner of things but I couldn't get the drive plate to sit far enough down.  Then I turned it one register and it fit perfectly.  Weird.

[jbell]

The new rubber pucks arrived today and reassembly was completed in a matter of minutes with very little persuasion needed.  I didn't use any lube on the pucks.  Thanks all...........Jack.