Repairing universal joint

Today was proof that keep parts safely tucked away until needed is a
good idea.

The Dyke Delta has a universal joint halway down the torque tube, and it
uses a big one...a MS20271-B14. One of these puppies will run you
nearly $100 bucks, brand spanking new from the likes of Aircraft Spruce.

Well, this weekend I was dinkin' around with the main gear, trying to
get everything to line up right. There's only 1/4" clearance between a
main gear pivot bolt and the universal joint. A little measurement
error, added to some triangulation error, and I'd cut that clearance
down to 1/8".

It didn't take but one gear retraction with that pivot bolt not seated
completely for the protective sheathing on the joint to get pinched.
It's not a large cut, just barely enough for the 'permanent lube' grease
to squish out. The actual mechanicals sustained no injury, whatsoever.
Is there a way to replace the rubber sheathing, or is the whole joint
toasted?

I'm actually suprised at how easily the material cut through. Sheesh,
there are materials out there that normal humans can't cut with their
pocket knives, and here is this hundred dollar part protected by
something with the consistency of well chewed bubblegum and not much
more resiliency than that.


--
This is by far the hardest lesson about freedom. It goes against
instinct, and morality, to just sit back and watch people make
mistakes. We want to help them, which means control them and their
decisions, but in doing so we actually hurt them (and ourselves)."