Is it worth it ??

Post by **Oh!** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 4:08 pm

Just bought our third morris (fourth if you count the Oxford that steered like a boat) as a stop gap while our Volvo Amazon is having work done for the MOT.

How do i check if the trunnions are okay - I've waggled the wheels and can see movement in the rubber bushes and the tracking is way out.

Also what is the going price for a 4 door 1970 1098 that needs four wings and a re-spray ?

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 7:14 pm

The only rubber bushes are at the top of the swivel pin - in the damper arm. The bottom end of the swivel is all solid stuff - there should be no movement there. Only way to be sure is to dismantle the suspension - and the check by hand the fit of the lower swivel on the fixed upright - obviously it should be free to turn easily but have no 'slop'. The value of the car above depnds on many other things - mechanical condition/ how rusty is it and does it have a new MOT. If no MOT then about £50 max. If new MOT then about £150.

Post by **Stig** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 8:19 am

You don't have to dismantle your suspension to check the trunions!

Jack the car up and put an axle stand under the front chassis box section. Now use the jack to lift the lower suspension arm until it's taking the weight of that side of the car, the tyre should now be a couple of inches off the ground. Use a long lever to lift the bottom of the tyre whilst checking for movement in the trunion -if there's movement at the wheel relative to the lower suspension arm then your trunion's knackered and you will have to dismantle the suspension!

Post by **rayofleamington** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:09 pm

Jack the car up and put an axle stand under the front chassis box section. Now use the jack to lift the lower suspension arm until it's taking the weight of that side of the car, the tyre should now be a couple of inches off the ground.

You can just miss out the axle stand part and jack under the lower suspension leg. With or without the axle stand under the chassis leg uyou must be VERY careful to get the jack secure on the leg - as the leg is at an angle it has a tendency to slip out!!! The suspension (or car) will move down quicker than you cam nove away so make sure you dont put any body parts where they can be injured byt the car or suspension or the flying jack.
The method described above is fine but if you can look directly at the point where the swivel pin comes out of the trunnion whilst yanking the wheel around (or remove the wheel and yank the hub around so you can get a better view) you will be able to see the movement.
I tend to check this only on new Minors as you never know if they were previously maintained properly. My exisiting cars do get maintained so I'm happy to leave the follow-on trunnion checks to the annual MOT.

Post by **Stig** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 2:41 pm

rayofleamington wrote: so I'm happy to leave the follow-on trunnion checks to the annual MOT.

You clearly have an MOT man who knows what he's doing then. The place I go to now does the check properly but the place I used to go certainly didn't -'cos I watched them!

Post by **rayofleamington** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 3:03 pm

You clearly have an MOT man who knows what he's doing then.

Well I learnt how to do it by watching an MOT man, however my present MOT man has the nickname 'blind Les' (not to his face!!

) so I'm not 100% sure.
The traveller has a loose bottom trunnion on the offside - so tomorrow I'll find out if they spotted it.

Post by **Welung666** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 3:54 pm

Ah but will you point it out if he doesn't though Ray?

Send Blind Les my best to

Lee

Post by **bmcecosse** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 8:20 pm

I still say the only way to be SURE is to take it all to bits !! Also - when talking about 'trunnion' do you mean the horizontal pin - or the vertical threaded suspension 'leg' - because the horizontal pin (and it's bushes) can be a bit worn without being dangerous - but the threaded leg if worn can pull apart with disasterous effects. This is the bit to worry about - and the tests above will not really show it up.

Post by **jonathon** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 8:40 pm

The best solution is to remove the trunnions, and look at the leg. If the threads are pointed they are scrap if they are flat topped and showing a slight groove in the flat they are good. If the leg has sharp threads then throw away the trunnions as well as they will have been damaged. When replacing the swivel pins go for genuine items and not the metal resprayed ones as these do not last too well.

Post by **rayofleamington** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 9:27 am

Also what is the going price for a 4 door 1970 1098 that needs four wings and a re-spray ?

If it needs welding, the going rate is £0
If it is structurally sound, then up to £200 - or put an MOT on it, then around £400.
With good wings and a respray - the price depends on many many other things but shiny paint should put it above £1000