Originally Posted by
GraphiteGhost
Here is one benefit to 'flex disks' in a drive train, vibration/noise reduction. Now I am not offering this is why they were designed into this system, but it makes a lot of sense. I would not think it was cost driven because there is a lot more cost the way it is (U-joint and everything else involved from the transmission tail to the bell housing), so if not cost then why? Only answer I can come up with, is vibration/noise. Am open to others opinions about why it is the way it is...
.
Here's a explanation of why a "guibo" is used in a driveshaft assembly:
"A
giubo (
/ˈdʒuːboʊ/ JEW-boh; etymology: giunto Boschi), also known as a
flex disc, and sometimes misspelled as
guibo, is a flexible
coupling used to transmit rotational torque between the
drive shaft and the companion
flange on
mechanical devices, such as an automobile engine.
The giubo is made from flexible
synthetic rubber and
is designed to allow some angular misalignment while reducing driveline vibration in mechanical power transmission applications."
Not bad for a South Carolinian!
Design approach has been around for awhile. When I had the 3 Merkur XR4Ti's, the driveshaft had a guibo in it. Only issue was Ford wouldn't sell you the guibo. You had to buy the entire driveshaft from them. And so like the Crossfire Owners, the Merkur Owners Group learned where to get the guibos & how to disassemble & re-assemble the driveshaft. We usually replaced the center support bearing while we were down there.