Cush Drive

I am in the chassis assembly stage of my '72 Combat (Fastback). A couple of nights ago I finished the rear brake assembly and mounted it and the brake hub to the left side of the swingarm, very sharp. I took the CNW sourced rear wheel assembly and fit the cush drive rubbers (more like soft plastic). Those suckers did not want to be seated and it took many probing pursuations to get them to a sembalance of order, the best was yet to come.

I got the brake drum started, but there is no way I can get the wheel past 15mm penetration. Is there a way to do this that doesn't require two gorillas or explosives?

RS

If the drum paddles aren't twisted then you got to trim something to ease the seating. I quit the factory frail rubbers and make my own from fibre enforced belt material. Most your bind is the rubbers are rectangular but the socket has radius corners and slightly narrow at bottom. Yet the more ya trim off rubber the less there is to the life of em. I stated mild gluing of some the rubbers so mostly stay put
on wheel fitting. I've tried to grease mine but found that mostly just allowed rubber pinch to spit the hub back out again, ugh.

Hi RoadScholar
I had the same problem with new cush Drive pads. Check out Stupidest thing you've ever done to your bike? third page.
I tried to force fit these little buggers, but no luck. I am going to use a belt sander and take some material off to suit the drum sprocket paddles.
Just like a custom bike should be. :mrgreen:
CNN

Hobot: The "OE" replacement rubber cush pads are very stiff, almost plastic like. I like your idea of making the pads, but, not being an engineer, I always default to OE or individuals with a much greater Norton footprint.

CNN: Your suggestion tuned on the light. I used my belt sander to slowly remove material until the rubber pads fit in with just enough stiction to hold them in place while I mounted the wheel. I stll had to work hard to get the electric speedometer sensor/spacer in place, but it was a piece of cake compared to what I would have had to go through without your suggestion.

Thanks to both of you, I am just sorry that my humble post didn't attract the attention of SwooshDave :mrgreen:

So now I have a ROLLER!

RS

I'm glad you got it sorted. One more on the road.

Dave
69S
Coming

R-S. Nice to force you will on Mr and Mrs Commando warts.
I use slicer-chopper-razor blade piliers to quickly nip to fit and not risk missing finger prints and burnt rubber smell and clogged grinding surface. Chased a few rubbers flung off bench grinder I have. I put most padding on drive side of paddle and one pad on brake load side.

Even ridding lightly mine still got mashed in on a ride or two. This creates slack in drive train annoyance and likely some battering to components. With some care and the chopper I try to trim to the tapper and 45' corners to mostly fill the slot. Hmm, maybe you can't really fill the slot with stock cushions, been a while thank you.
Highly recommend keep eye out for tougher material to put in, rather soon if you check in after a couple-3 gas tanks.

They are a PITA all right.

I've been too chicken to slice and dice mine. I did find a little dielectrical grease helps ease the rubber pieces into their "slots," and to get the "paddles" into the remaining space.

First time with new rubbers definitely the worse. They wear and/or compress with use so subsequent refittings are a bit easier.

Best of luck.

I used O-ring grease and it didn't make a difference. :evil: You need to trim these (the Larger forward ones to suit). Just a little at a time so as to not make it too sloppy, but easy enough to remove the rear wheel on and off if needed on some road 300 miles away from home. Don't forget to use the brake to center the wheel to the drum or things will heat up in a real hurry and melt your newly fitted cush pads. :cry:
CNN