If you have worked on a BMW, there is a good chance you have probably changed the giubo. I bet you already think I have misspelled this little rubber beauty, but let’s take a quick look into the history, function and pronunciation of this glorious driveline part.
The giubo (always misspelled as “guibo”) is also known as a flex joint or flex disc. This flexible coupler is used to transmit a rotational torque between the transmission and driveshaft. The giubo is usually made from a flexible rubber which allows for slight twisting and misalignment of the driveline while reducing vibration as much as possible. This is a great thing, because the amount of torque that is transmitted from your engine to your transmission, through the driveshaft and into the differential is a lot. By allowing slight rotational twisting it, it saves wear and tear on a lot of your driveline components. The elasticity of the rubber absorbs vibration and flexes.
How to say its Name:
The name giubo is actually a portmanteau (blending of two words), of the Italian words giunto (joint) and boschi (the last name of the Italian engineer who designed it). This amazing part was developed by an Italian engineer named Antonio Boschi who lived from 1896-1988. BMW must of really had their eye on this technology as it was used in the earliest BMW automobiles. Antonio later developed the Giubo SpA company dedicated to the manufacturing flex discs.
The biggest mistake of all this is not the spelling of the word, but actually the pronunciation. The giubo is actually pronounced “JOO-boh”. Ha, that’s right, most of us have been saying it wrong our whole life, and I have a good feeling that most of us will continue to pronounce it wrong, which is ok too. At least you can bet one of your friends at the next party and win a free beer.
Cheers!
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