Flex Joint options... <aka Guibo, Giubo>

[bobsright]

Brokencase, it actually is neither of those pictured. It is yellow in color and looks closer to the first photo in your post but not exactly.
I just posted it on FB Marketplace https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it ... 838163202/

[DPDISXR4Ti]

Brokencase, it actually is neither of those pictured. It is yellow in color and looks closer to the first photo in your post but not exactly.
I just posted it on FB Marketplace https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it ... 838163202/

That looks like the one made by Powerflex and sold by OPMD.com back in the day.

[Merkur]

Just for reference, the 'Flex Coupling' I have had on my XR since 1997 is a Beck Arnley 103-2103 and cost me $75 in March 1997. I know this thread is talking about Scorpios but I believe I fitted the same part to my son's Scorpio.

Mine has lasted those 27 years and the car has been driven hard. I will check it once the weather warms in another month or two.

Amazingly the parts sold today are about the same sort of price.

This is the poly version available at one time. I keep this in my car as a 'get you home' piece. I wouldn't recommend using this for long term use. As Ed says, they reportedly fall apart if you look at them funnily.

Paul

IMG_3890.jpeg (557.16 KiB) Viewed 823 times

[DPDISXR4Ti]

The old guibo came out in pieces yesterday and I went to put the new one in tonight. What the hell am I doing wrong!?

20240207_171629.jpg (259.1 KiB) Viewed 819 times

[bobsright]

Looks like the driveshaft needs to come forward some.

[Ed Lijewski]

vvt

Ed, I don't care what some face book guy says.

We are not talking about some kind of half a$$ BMW or Jaguar part substitution here.

The FEBI BILSTEIN 5539 is a more modern replacement part specified for the Scorpio.

OK?

What you don't know, because of your choice not to engage MCA FB discussions, is that Foreign Ford worked for years at a Jaguar restoration shop as he was heavily into both Merkurs. There he reported that many Jags he saw had the Febi or Febi style unit installed. He compared those to the standard guibo for Merkurs. The Febi is ~1/2+" thinner. He chose not to use one on his Merkurs for that reason.

You may, and knowing you as I do, absolutely definitely certainly will disagree.

But you are out of bounds by disparaging him/his experience with your slur re his qualifications to provide input to this discussion.

So, my beloved brother, get off your high horse.

Regards

YMMV

[Ed Lijewski]

The old guibo came out in pieces yesterday and I went to put the new one in tonight. What the hell am I doing wrong!?
20240207_171629.jpg

Remove bolts, turn yoke 90*, reinsert bolts.

YMMV

[DPDISXR4Ti]

Remove bolts, turn yoke 90*, reinsert bolts.

What's the theory on what that would actually do?

With a day to think about this, I think what's happening is that the centering pinion on the driveshaft side is hung up and not properly centered into the bearing on the slip-yoke side. I'll need to disassemble, remove the slip-yoke and inspect. I'll also be able to test fit it into place without the guibo in the way at that time.

If there's an issue, I assume the slip-yoke from the XR4 is the same, yes? I know I have one of those on the shelf somewhere. If not, I'll rip out the one from the parts car.

[DPDISXR4Ti]

I know this thread is talking about Scorpios but I believe I fitted the same part to my son's Scorpio.

Yes, same exact part, XR or Scorpio. Perhaps I'll move this thread to the General or FAQ section at some point.

[brokencase]

What you don't know, because of your choice not to engage MCA FB discussions, is that Foreign Ford worked for years at a Jaguar restoration shop as he was heavily into both Merkurs. There he reported that many Jags he saw had the Febi or Febi style unit installed. He compared those to the standard guibo for Merkurs. The Febi is ~1/2+" thinner. He chose not to use one on his Merkurs for that reason.

You may, and knowing you as I do, absolutely definitely certainly will disagree.

But you are out of bounds by disparaging him/his experience with your slur re his qualifications to provide input to this discussion.

So, my beloved brother, get off your high horse.

Regards

YMMV

Ed, I don't care if he sold guibos as sex toys to the royal family.

Again, you (or your so call expert) are speaking about a substitution and implying the all Febi style guibos are the same.

I don't know how many times I have to state it - FEBI BILSTEIN 5539 ONLY FITS THE SCORPIO - IT DOES NOT FIT ANY OTHER CARS
LOOK IT UP! READ! THINK FOR YOURSELF!

Most certainly the Jaguar flex joint is not interchangeable with the Scorpio. Let me guess, it's about a half inch short?

Now take a screen capture and post that on the Facebook page. Or do things not go in that direction?

Just to be clear, guibos come in all sizes and shapes.
https://www.actionmachineinc.com/search ... pe=product

[DPDISXR4Ti]

With a day to think about this, I think what's happening is that the centering pinion on the driveshaft side is hung up and not properly centered into the bearing on the slip-yoke side.

Indeed this ^^^ is exactly what my problem was. I think when I first reassembled things I had an angle on the driveshaft that caused a gouge in the little stubby pinion when I forced it a bit. On disassembly I could feel the little ridge. Took a file to it, test fit the now-removed slip-yoke and it slid right in (something it didn't do before). Re-assembled - this time with the exhaust lowered so that I had more room with the driveshaft. All good.

Checked my driveshaft angles with my digital level and found that withOUT the two washers under the center support bearing the front and rear portions are nearly identical angles. WITH the washers they are about .5 degree difference. So I'll try running without them for awhile (i.e. no spacers between the CSB and body).

Pro tip... If you raise the rear of the car more than the front no fluid will come out when you remove the slip-yoke.

[Ed Lijewski]

Pro tip... If you raise the rear of the car more than the front no fluid will come out when you remove the slip-yoke.

That also applies to a vehicle sitting in place for a while (i.e. park it not in an upward slant).

YMMV

[Merkur]

Wow. Glad you found the solution Brad. I didn't think that was possible!

Paul

[DPDISXR4Ti]

Wow. Glad you found the solution Brad. I didn't think that was possible!

I didn't even realize there was a bearing in there! It's a rosebud type bearing that will do a full 360-degree rotation if you push it around. That was a plus, as it allowed me to do a 180-degree rotation with it and see if anything changed when I tried to push the pinion in the other end. When nothing changed - it still barely went in at all - I knew the problem had to be on the driveshaft side.

25 years later and I'm still learning new things about these cars...