new rubber for running boards
 

Getting things ready for new paint and have to replace my rubber on the running boards. Any suggestions on who has the best ones? Also need to rubber seals for the doors too. Thanks!

Re: new rubber for running boards
 

Some of the guys here say very good things about Hunley Acuff's molded/vulcanized running boards. Drakes new boards are also nice although some have complained that the underneath supports are not as original and some dislike Drakes name being visible. I don't know if Drake still makes the glue on covers that fit over the boards nice and snug.

Re: new rubber for running boards
 

Tom, Hunley Acuff is the man. This is the only (to my knowledge) true vulcanized process available today. Raw rubber is formed under pressure and heat to the board much like an automobile tire is manufactured.

hunleyacuffrunningboards.com

The Duck's boards are made in China, the rubber pre-cured as with his glue on rubbers. The rubber is then matched up to the board and is vacuum bagged and autoclaved. This is the best non-vulcanized process available, far superior to glue on rubber. The pre-formed rubber is bonded to the board without glue, as it is freshened with tolulene to make the bond. The downside of this process is that any imperfection on the board is magnified on the surface of the rubber. Typically, the welding of the braces on the bottomside produce the sort of imperfection that is visible on the surface of the rubber. Bob is aware of this problem, and may have addressed the issue since I last saw his boards.

http://www.bobdrake.com/

A point of interest here, Vulcanizing, as with injection molding, both require bleed holes to allow the escape of trapped air during the molding process. (See the small bristles on a new tire). A true vulcanized board will have a considerable bump of rubber flow through the holes on the bottom, appearing similar to rivets. Look at an original Ford board to see this, then compare to the Duck boards, and you'll see that his rubber doesn't flow through beyond a tiny paper thin area surrounding the holes, this being a function of the vacuum bag bleeder cloth. Not a problem, but I describe the two for those with inquiring minds.

All in all, the Duck's boards are very good, minus any metal problems, but there's none better than a properly prepared original Ford board sent to Hunley Acuff to be vulcanized as original.

Re: new rubber for running boards
 

38 ---i have to respectively disagree with you on hunleys process being the same as ford. hunleys process does not fill the imperfections of the original boards any where as good as ford did. i can spot a hunley 40 ford board easily by the incorrect thicker bead on the side. then you will notice a low spot in the rubber where the braces are. some boards are worse than others. it seems there were two suppliers for ford for steel boards one with holes in the braces and one without. it has been my experience that the ones without the holes are of better quality and and the valleys are not as deep [some are 1/4" deep] therefore not as noticeble when done with hunleys process. the spotwelding of both braces created an ugly sunken valley visable on top. ford`s vulcanizing process filled these valleys and made the rubber perfectly flat and you would never know it until you take the original rubber off. when you put covers on you have to fill theses valleys and other imperfections with bondo as the thin covers will easily show every dent, crease and valley thats not made smooth. you can`t use bondo if you are getting the boards vulcanized. drakes steel boards are far better in smoothness and imperfections than original ford and have no creases or valleys where the braces are. as you said with his process any imperfection would show. however he seems to have done a good job as i haven`t noticed any low spots and the rubber bead on the side is correct. hunley`s rubber is a lot thicker overall than drakes but maybe not thick enough for original boards. the only sure solution with hunleys process is to drill the spotwelds take the braces off and hammer and dolley the creases out and weld them back on and make sure that every thing smooth. hunley told me that i sent him two of the nicest boards he had seen in along time and i didn`t have to worry about the valleys as his process would fill them in like fords. well they are not filled in like fords and every 40 i`ve seen with his boards are the same noticeble dip in the rubber where the braces are. the boards like mine with the holes in braces being a deeper and more obvious dip. also the old v-8 shop 32 boards never had any vulcanizing holes in them .

Re: new rubber for running boards
 

Anyone know what material Mr. Acuff uses to refinish running boards? And...do customers need to supply their own original steel inserts in all cases? Thanks friends.

Re: new rubber for running boards
 

I'd respectfully suggest that Mr Acuff would be the man to ask.

Re: new rubber for running boards
 

Facts about how Bob Drake Reproductions does it today, and how Ford Motor Company made running boards for 1932-40 Fords; http://www.bobdrake.com/RunningBoards-New.html