Morris Minor Owners Club

Have got a slight play in the nearside front wheel bearing on Maude.

Doesn't feel like much but as the MOT is only 1 month away I am slightly perturbed. Especially as the B@/,#>y thing is brand new. How much movement is acceptable?

I've checked the wheel bearing nut and its tight but, pretty much hard up against the shoulder of the hub.

I've checked/replaced pretty much everything else on the front that can move or shake, Track rod ends, rack, all bushes, new cylinders on brakes and new shoes.

There is still a slight shake under some medium braking and I'm assuming this is the cause as well. It doesn't cause me any concern (only very slight rattle. and a noise rather than any feed back up the steering wheel)
but I'm just trying to get rid of as many rattles as possible at the moment and this is annoying me.No noticable movement on the front shocker. but I suppose it could be rattling inside.

A very slight amount of play is permissible and the hub nut should be tightened to 35 to 40 ft lbs. Re the 'wobble', have you checked the tie-bars and their rubbers?

New Poly bushes have been fitted to the tie bars but I did wonder if they bed in after a little while and need tightening up.

right to make sure its the wheel bearing get some one to press the brake pedal then you do the check on the the rim rock top and bottom then side to side .if the movement has gone then its the wheel bearing but if still there its not the wheels bearing .depending what is moving ie top and bottom or side to side depends what has play in it ,side to side track rod ends ,top and bottom trunion.
i hope this will help
as for wheel bearing tighting .tighten all the way up till the wheel dose not move then slakern off so its free.if you have put new bearings in this will need to be tighternd up after a while as the bearing will be makeing its own way home ,there for it will need redoing
mm16

Have you fitted the washer before the hub nut. If not then the nut will bottom out on the thread rather than tighten up the bearing. Do not overtighten the tie bar bushes, this can corrupt your geometry if you do.

It has 'A' washer in there but I will check to make sure it is a proper one and not just any old washer.

I will try the brake thing with the wheelbearing check. I thought it was the bearing cos I got the same movement at all postions around the wheel circumference. i.e. Top/bottom Side/side and at 10/4 o'clock position

Cheers folks gives me some ideas to look at.

I repeat, the front wheel bearing nut is supposed to be tightened to 35to
40 ft lbs. It is designed so that the inner rings of the bearing together with the spacer are locked solid to the stub axle to prevent any possible
wear on the stub axle. This relies on the bearings being extremely accurately made and the spacer not having been altered but that is how it was designed.

Willie is correct if you have the original Minor front hubs and drum brakes. If you have a front disc brake conversion, then the hub tightening procedure may be different.

e.g., if Marina discs and hub were fitted, then you do the "tighten to 5lbs torque while spinning the wheel then slacken off one notch on the locking washer (that's supposed to be there instead of a castellated nut) so you can get the split pin through the hole." procedure as per Moggyminor16's suggestion. There is supposed to be some play if Marina bearings are fitted.

If you have a different conversion, then the hub tightening procedure may be different again.

No definately straight forward normal drums on the front but I will check again that the wheel nut washer is a proper one and not any old washer that someone has previously thrown in there.

I know the torque on the nut is only 35-40ft lb. I'll get the old torque wrench out next week and check. Not used it in about 5 years and its been 10 years since it was calibrated so not sure how accurate it is now.

I'm more used to the old taper bearings so thses look like they should be easier but don't give the adjustment that tapers do.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but according to two manuals I have here...they state that the castellated nut should be tightened to between 55 and 65 lb/ft (later type).

The official workshop manual which I have says 35-40 ft lbs, and, if a split pin hole does not line up the nut should be tightened further, NOT slackened off. What is important is that various people state that the nut should only be tightened until it just pinches the bearings. This is rubbish and potentialy dangerous. We are talking about the Morris Minor with standard ball bearings.

What is important is that various people state that the nut should only be tightened until it just pinches the bearings. This is rubbish and potentialy dangerous. We are talking about the Morris Minor with standard ball bearings

I understand that Willie. I'm just pointing out that the two manuals I have, both state 55 to 65 lb/ft. One is the Morris Minor & 1000 Restoration and also, Owners Workshop Manual.

The first time I checked my front wheel bearings I got a fright. One nut was only just beyond fingertight. On looking further it was because of taper bearings being fitted on that side. I now have to remember to use two methods of tightening wheel bearings as the other side is standard. It also helps to remember which side is which.

It also helps to remember which side is which.

Glad mines not like that I would never remember..........

Norrie, I wasn't referring to you re the nut torque, at least you advised that it had to be TIGHT. Ball bearings on one side and taper rollers on the other How on earth did that come about?

That's what I thought when I found it, but they fit and work and are adjustable too.
I have had some "interesting" finds from past work on the car. It was an old lady owner and it looks like the garage that serviced it for her went by the "she'll never know the difference" theory. As an example, plasterboard to repair a floor then covered in underseal!

Plasterboard????

That must have made battening and felting the roof Harder