Don't ignore new rattles/creaking noises!

[svenedin]

I spoke to ESM today. I am going to take the car to them next week and they will do the differential pinion oil seal and replace both steering rack gaiters. I will do the tie bars myself as originally intended......ESM told me that the nitrile gaiters are better than the ordinary rubber ones but not as good as the originals. They rate the Superflex bushes as the best but they do not actually stock them!

[philthehill]

Superpro are just as good as Superflex.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172643893797 ... R-j01eX7YQ
I use both Superflex and Superpro.

[svenedin]

Thanks Phil those look good. Postage is steep though. I see those have the proper locating spigot. The poly bushes ESM sell are flat with no spigot. I’d be concerned the tie bar could chatter without the spigot.

[svenedin]

I am temporarily defeated. I have the castle nuts off but the nut securing the tie bar yoke to the lower arm is absolutely corroded solid. I am off to buy a breaker bar now as I do not have anything long enough to get enough leverage. The nuts are drenched in penetrating oil. I did have the front of the car on ramps but although the ramps are designed for a much bigger and heavier car I felt too unsafe to go under the car like that because I am working on my own. I have axle stands of course but they do not go high enough. I put them under the lower arms right where they meet the chassis rail but there was an inch gap or so and I I wasn't convinced they would "catch" the car if anything went wrong. Maybe I am too cautious but I did have a nearly fatal accident a couple of years ago though it was nothing to do with cars! I do have two trolley jacks so I could put them under the lower arms when the car is on the ramps. That might be enough to keep me happy. It is going to be very difficult with a breaker bar under the car with the car on the ground.

[Myrtles Man]

Have you tried heating it up?

[philthehill]

You do not have to take the nut off the tie bar yoke to remove the tie bar. Just remove the 5/16" nut & bolt at the rear of the tie bar and pull the tie bar out of the yoke.
Remove the tie bar from the front tie bar bracket, replace the bushes. Refit the tie bar and screw the front tie bar castellated nut on a couple of threads. Fit the rear 5/16" nut, bolt and spring washer then fully tighten the front tie bar castellated nut, fit the split pin and the job is done.
Keep soaking the tie bar yoke nut in penetrating oil and try to loosen the nut at a later date.
Do not use a breaker bar as you could then snap the threads on the tie bar yoke and then you will be in the sh-t.
Only use a breaker bar if you have a spare tie bar yoke.
Good luck.

[svenedin]

You do not have to take the nut off the tie bar yoke to remove the tie bar. Just remove the 5/16" nut & bolt at the rear of the tie bar and pull the tie bar out of the yoke.
Remove the tie bar from the front tie bar bracket, replace the bushes. Refit the tie bar and screw the front tie bar castellated nut on a couple of threads. Fit the rear 5/16" nut, bolt and spring washer then fully tighten the front tie bar castellated nut, fit the split pin and the job is done.
Keep soaking the tie bar yoke nut in penetrating oil and try to loosen the nut at a later date.
Do not use a breaker bar as you could then snap the threads on the tie bar yoke and then you will be in the sh-t.
Only use a breaker bar if you have a spare tie bar yoke.
Good luck.

Thank Phill,

Actually the tie bars and everything else is so rusty I am replacing the tie bars complete so I have new everything. One of the tie bars is bent as well

Once both bars are off I will wire brush the rusty bits of the chassis around there, treat and paint before installing the new bars and bushes.

I did use a breaker bar which I have just bought at Machine Mart. One creak where I thought the tie bar yoke bolt had actually snapped (it has not actually) and the nut is off.

Stephen

[philthehill]

Well done

[svenedin]

Both bars are off complete with the yokes. Just waiting for the paint to dry now and for the bushes which are due to arrive today.

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[myoldjalopy]

Well done. I'm afraid rust is the worst enemy of our beloved cars and needs periodic inspection and treatment to keep it at bay. I regularly remove mud/cow dung from the wheel arches, under the sills and around the crossmember as it soaks up the damp and keeps it there

[svenedin]

Well done. I'm afraid rust is the worst enemy of our beloved cars and needs periodic inspection and treatment to keep it at bay. I regularly remove mud/cow dung from the wheel arches, under the sills and around the crossmember as it soaks up the damp and keeps it there

Yes I am afraid so. Although it slows down repairs I think it is definitely worth dealing with rust when it is right in front of me.

My car has very shabby bodywork and needs an upper body restoration but underneath is really pretty good. Numerous oil leaks over the years have actually helped keep rust at bay. It helps that my car has never lived outside.

Completely agree that muck/dirt is not just cosmetic or vanity. It holds water and promotes rust as you say.

[svenedin]

Old bushes look original and never changed. Three of them look excellent. Only one is squashed and too thin. Not bad for 54 years on the car. I will change them of course. Poly on front, rubber behind as advised by Phil. My car never ceases to surprise me by how original it really is right down to things like those bushes.

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[philthehill]

Whilst trying not to dampen your enthusiasm those bushes may not have been on the car since new. NOS often comes up for sale on 'e' bay etc.
I have several NOS Minor MOWOG bushes and seals etc gathered over the years from the likes of 'e' bay and autojumbles.
I always spray the NOS bushes and seals with silicon grease and keep them out of the light in sealed containers which does wonders for their preservation.

[svenedin]

Whilst trying not to dampen your enthusiasm those bushes may not have been on the car since new. NOS often comes up for sale on 'e' bay etc.
I have several NOS Minor MOWOG bushes and seals etc gathered over the years from the likes of 'e' bay and autojumbles.
I always spray the NOS bushes and seals with silicon grease and keep them out of the light in sealed containers which does wonders for their preservation.

Fair enough but I've had the car 34 years and I've never changed them. Pretty good chance they are original. My car was 20 when I got it. I was 17 however.

[philthehill]

I could be wrong but as your car is at least 53 years years old and as replacing the tie bar and eye bolt rubbers was a common and regular task way back when I worked in the BMC garage I do not think that the bushes you have removed embossed with MOWOG would be the original ex factory tie bar bushes.
Phil

[svenedin]

I could be wrong but as your car is at least 53 years years old and as replacing the tie bar and eye bolt rubbers was a common and regular task way back when I worked in the BMC garage I do not think that the bushes you have removed embossed with MOWOG would be the original ex factory tie bar bushes.
Phil

I stand corrected. I can say they haven't been replaced for 34 years for sure. In other words, long overdue.

I'll fit the new tie bars and bushes tomorrow. Quite excited to see how the car feels after that. I'm sure it will feel better than with a tie bar very loose with the castle nut about to fall off.......

[svenedin]

One side is fitted and now a tea break.

More difficult than I thought it would be. I had a lot of trouble getting the hole in the tie bar to line up for the bolt through the yoke. What puzzles me is that the rear bush needs to be under a lot of tension to line up for the yoke bolt. The font bush is hardly under any tension at all. I had the castle nut bottomed out on the thread to get the yoke bolt through. There's absolutely no way I could have fitted 2x poly bushes even if I had wanted to.

Bushed well greased with silicone grease and copper grease on bolt threads and nuts. May help to keep corrosion at bay and make the job easier next time.

Then when I was nearly finished I had a lot of trouble getting the split pin in. I have not fitted the other side yet and tested the supplied split pin on the tie bar not yet fitted. It would not go through the hole. Too big!! Luckily I have a "party pack" of imperial stainless split pins so I fitted a narrower one.

I used a primitive way to estimate how far out I was from having the tie bar and yoke holes lining up. It did work.


Using the spout from an oil can as a line-up tool

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Then trying the bolt lining up

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The fitted tie bar with rear rubber bush and front Superflex polyurethane bush

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Showing how the rear bush is under significant tension in order for the tie bar to fit

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[myoldjalopy]

Well, I suppose it is possible that the new parts weren't an exact copy. People have occasionally complained on here about this kind of thing. I recently bought two tab washers for the top front suspension pivot pins. One fitted fine, the other would not go on at all!

[svenedin]

Well, I suppose it is possible that the new parts weren't an exact copy. People have occasionally complained on here about this kind of thing. I recently bought two tab washers for the top front suspension pivot pins. One fitted fine, the other would not go on at all!

Maybe or it may be my car is not quite symmetrical. The other side was much easier and quicker but then again that usually happens when one has done the job once already.

A test drive and 2x emergency stops to test and it seems fine. Some creaks still but I think that is other suspension parts probably needing new bushes as well. Car seems to be taughter and more precise under braking

[Bill_qaz]

May of been easier jacked up with weight off the wheels allowing the bottom arms to lower.