Dampers Front and Rear

[Skelly65]

Hello all I have just purchased a 1962 Minor after haveing a 1968 version as my first carmany moons ago! I have a problem with what seems liek a creaky suspension on the rough roads around here (know as main roads everywhere else) I have cheked the dampers at teh front and the lhs one needs topping up but I cannot find the correct oil as in the Haynes Manual anywhere also when I do get it ( my local car parts place suggested Hydraulic oil!) do I have to remove th rear dampers to fll and check and is it worth draining fully all four and refilling?
Any help gratefully recieved

[nezza]

Hi,you can use sae 30 or sae 40 ,you can get this at motor factors or gardening shop ,it is used in lawn mowers motor cycles etc .

[nezza]

ps,just done all mine recently and the difference was noticeable imediatley,when you drain front dampers bounce the car to get all the old oil out ,on the rear ones I found it a lot easier taking them off to fill them,hope this helps you.

[Skelly65]

Thanks for the advice I shall get some tomorrow and sort this week

[bmcecosse]

But the creaking may be down to knackered suspension bushes - check the inner end of the front suspension lower arm and the tie-bar rubbers at the front of the car, and the upper bushes on the kingpin where the damper arm meets trunnion. These ones in particular benefit greatly from being changed from soggy old rubber to nice firm polyurethane. Also - grease the suspension !

[moggydriver62]

A little bit off topic,bmcecosse that piston banging on the jet is giving me a migraine headache.

[bmcecosse]

It is a bit 'sudden' isn't it - I would say the spring is probably too strong..........

[Skelly65]

Sorry I think I am being thick here just been to Halfords and they dont do SAE 30 or SAE 40 oil is it known as something different? ie SAE 10W30?

Thanks Again

Dave

[Stig]

Sorry I think I am being thick here just been to Halfords and they dont do SAE 30 or SAE 40 oil is it known as something different? ie SAE 10W30?

No, it's not the same. SAE 10W30 is a multigrade oil, you don't want that. Multigrades are used in car engines so try somewhere else - someone suggested a gardening place as lawnmowers use monograde oil apparently.

[bmcecosse]

Hellfrauds never sell anything useful! Tesco will do you a small bottle of SAE 30 oil - in the lawnmower section. It's ideal. If you want SAE 40 - probably need to go to a Motorcycle place - and don't be fobbed off with 'Fork oil' !!!!

[Skelly65]

Ok chaps its me again I have taken rear dampers off and re filled them and they are fine replaced bump stops nd U bolts but she is still banging on rear lft on even the smallest bumps in the road. Do you think it could be the leaf springs? I have checked the dampers and they are still full of oil (Tesco's finest )

Help!!

Thanks

Dave

[charlie_morris_minor]

sounds like your springs are gone.. but most of the new leaf springs seem to lose there temper in a few weeks / months so you could replace them and find your self in the same position in a few months..

I am lowering my car and will be cutting the top inch or so off the bump stops, i do not see any reason why you could not do the same on a standard car. I know this might not be the correct solution but it is practical..

[bmcecosse]

Yes - cut an inch to inch and-a-half off the bump stops at the rear. Remake the 'taper' shape. But - if the car is sitting on the bump stops - it probably is new spring time. Did you drain out all the horrible old damper oil - and refill with the sae30 ?? When you worked the damper arm back and forth - was there good solid resistance throughout the stroke ?

[Skelly65]

Car is not sitting on bump stops looks about two to three inches away and yes I did drain all oil out flushed it twice with Tesco Sae40 oil and it is stil banging but only seems to be back rear left ??

[bmcecosse]

Hmm - you say Tesco SAE 40 oil........... I've only ever seen Tesco with SAE 30 oil - in the lawnmower section. You haven't used SAE 10W40 engine oil - have you ?? If so - it's really only SAE 10 oil at normal temperature....... hopeless in dampers.
The banging may be due to worn out bushes in the spring ends - time to fit polyurethane!

[Skelly65]

No its def not 10w40 I may be mistaken its the one you recommended for lawn mowers do you mean bushes at end of springs?

[bmcecosse]

Yes - and also check the fixing of the springs to the axle - and the damper arm bushings to the chassis legs.

[xpress]

bmc, would you recommend poly bushes as a direct replacement all round the car, or is it better to mix them up with originals, or only apply poly where it's needed?

[bmcecosse]

Poly are fine - but just replace the rubber ones as you need to.

[Kevin]

Its best to use the Superflex poly bushes as they have the correct shure rating to suit the different bush locations.