Morris Minor Owners Club

The propshaft seems very close to one side of the tunnel and its getting worse - so when you go up hill it scrapes on the tunnel and when turning sharpe right and left (its an awlful noise)

what could this be?

I'd like to lift the rear sufficienly that it doesn't touch the tunnel -or is it really a rear suspension problem, or is it the body itself is now out of shape

Please guys/ girls how dya fix it

ta :

Sounds quite serious as there is normaly lots of clearance. It's probably hitting the side of the hole where the prop shaft goes through the centre crossmember. You need to check gearbox and engine mountings to make sure they are secure and not falling to bits. More worrying would be if the rear axle is moving from side to side or excessive up travel. Inspect all rear bushes, leaf spring shape, and closely inspect the front hanger plates for the rear springs. Also inspect rear bump stops and the area they contact. The rear floor pan and chassis rails will also need checking, as well as the inner rear wheel arches that the shackle plates are bolted to.

M T you have just about covered everything. well done

I agree - definitely sounds like major problems with the rear suspension - or bodywork! If you are lucky it's just broken spring(s) and no bump stops present - but you MUST investigate urgently!

Might also be worth checking the axle mounting, the shaped bit on either side od the u bolts as these can also rot away allowing free play.

I had a similar of the noise when I bought a new minor , but luckily it turned out to be extra long seat belt bolts fitted onto the tunnel, every time you went over a road hump or round a corner you got a terrible grinding noise.

Hope yours isnt too serious but get it checked out real soon....

Two good ideas there too!

Wow!
My diff has been known to smack my floor but never the prop shaft.
It cant just be up-down travel and sideways travel would be frankly scarey!

This is going to sound silly but as your posting doesn't actually say, it is definately a Morris Minor you have as we do occasionally get a wrong poster on here, just checking.

valium wrote:The propshaft seems very close to one side of the tunnel and its getting worse - so when you go up hill it scrapes on the tunnel and when turning sharpe right and left (its an awlful noise)

what could this be?

I'd like to lift the rear sufficienly that it doesn't touch the tunnel -or is it really a rear suspension problem, or is it the body itself is now out of shape

Please guys/ girls how dya fix it

ta :

I agree with MT there should be plenty of room in an unmodified Minor. There is a section in the general data of the mechanics handbook that relates to standard ride height. A previous owner may have lowered the suspension or it may have a broken leaf-spring. Needless to say it certainly requires checking out properly on a lift. If you go through it methodically and don't jump to conclusions you will find the problem.

Something you can do yourself is to:

1/ Check the alignment of rear wheels to front wheels with something that is both long and straight. If when aligning to the rear wheel it is way off the front wheel on one side and cannot be aligned on the other side then the rear axle is not at right angles to the axis of the car.

2/ Measure the distance from front to rear hub centres (with the front wheels as straight as possible). Much difference?

3/ Measure from centre crossbar to the spring mount on both sides. Any difference?

4/ Measure distance from rear propeller shaft yoke to the edge of the car body on both sides. Very different?

5/ Finally, on a flat surface, using a plumb line go to the four corners of the car and from the chassis members; mark the ground (move the car). Then measure diagonally from each mark. They should be equal. If not, then the body may be bent. I can't think of anything else it might be but that is where I would start checking.

Hope its the ride height and not any of the five points. Best of luck!

Kevin surely you are not suggesting that this Newbie may be stupid? Tut tut! Good technical advice though - before assuming you have a Morris check the make of your vehicle it might be a Trabant! Sorry Kevin...I couldn't resist that.

I wish people would give us an update on progress.

It's frustrating when we never get to hear what was wrong!

RogerRust wrote:I wish people would give us an update on progress.

It's frustrating when we never get to hear what was wrong!

Excellent point Roger. I'm not a great advocate of rules and regulations but.... Here'a a thought. As part of the T&Cs a condition could be requested, that posters in the tech section, should post an update report within say 30 days, even if it's just a "Not fixed yet". We can then provide more information. As things stand, I reckon we are often wasting time with ideas, while the car may already be fixed

So some on people, FEEDBACK, it is vital if everyone is to learn what fixes a specific problem. Make it your New Year Resolution.

more T & C `s oh boy

Not gonna happen, though, unless everyone suddenly decides that there is some place for such a bizarre rule.

Kevin surely you are not suggesting that this Newbie may be stupid? Tut tut! Good technical advice though - before assuming you have a Morris check the make of your vehicle it might be a Trabant! Sorry Kevin...I couldn't resist that.

I didnt suggest that.
What you forget in your wisdom is that there is also a pre war Morris Minor and sometimes they accidentally come on this site and the same applies to other Morris models including some of the larger commercials without realising we dont cover those models.

I wish people would give us an update on progress.

I regard it a matter of courtesy to reply/update on advice given on this forum, especially to those individuals who give their time to impart excellent advice to help those who ask. Maybe I'm just old fashioned (at 47 )

Guys - it's holiday time - the original poster may not have internet access except when at work! But in general - I agree - it would be nice to hear progress.

Might also be worth checking the axle mounting, the shaped bit on either side od the u bolts

That'd be my frst guess - I've seen this happen a couple of times and both were from failed axle mounts. This allows the axle to rotate, making the nose of the diff too high, hence the lack of clearance between body and prop.
[That is of course when the usual checks for broken springs and missing bump stops have already been done]

Any update on this yet?

The prop does go from the gearbox to the diff at an angle, so it's not dead centre at the rear of the floor pan tunnel, so maybe movement elsewhere could cause contact.

RogerRust wrote:I wish people would give us an update on progress.

It's frustrating when we never get to hear what was wrong!

I apologise but i've laid it up and trying to use the land rover for now

Had a quick look - can actaully see that the gearbox to x-member cable is coming away

plus will re-set the engine attachment at the front - cos I'm sure i screwed that up when i had the gear box out.

One of the bump stops is at a wrong angle but i seem to think that when the retaniers for the leaf springs were located - they could ahve been too far form rear / or is it just needs new leaf springs.