Morris Minor Owners Club

What parts will I need for rear spring replacement?

I have springs and shackle bushes
I know I will need new U bolts, that metal plate and rubber pad

what else am I likely to want?

Consider new bump stops Matt!

I meant to write that!!! One of them is totally missing....

If you are using the original lever arm dampers - check the condition of the rubber bushed arm too.

I am, but hopefully not for too much longer, to clarify you mean the bushes in the drop link?

Well yes - one end has the bonded in fitting that goes to the damper arm, the other end just uses springhanger bushes - as far as I remember!

One supplier whose name begins with 'B' sells a complete 'rear suspension kit' with all the bushes, plates , U bolts, rubber pads, etc... included.

They dont include the bumpstops though iirc.
And, if you want to go for poly bushes you may as well buy the bits seperately.

I've already got the poly bushes for the job... and the springs

I bought my rear spring kit from the supplier starting with a B. The U-bolts were very poor quality, especially the threads that made bolting them up very difficult. So I cleaned up the originals.

You will probably need a new set of the little bolts that hold the front swivel pin backing plate onto the spring hanger. Sometimes the plate itself is so rusted they fall to bits.

Dont suppose someone can find a piccie of said front swivel pin? I cant remember what it looks like!

lost me on that one

Ahh - when you said you had 'that plate' I assumed you meant the front shackle plate ! I've taken these from the B-M website.

Matt the pads are now available in poly bush material.

Excellent... will have to find them

I meant the plate thats used to clamp the springs to the axle.

I will order a pair of those shackle plates too then

I meant the plate thats used to clamp the springs to the axle.

http://morrisminorspares.co.uk/shop/pro ... 78ad6d40b9

I 'think' Matt means he has these clamp plates - and is now going to order the little shackle plates too. May as well get the pins Matt - the end sometimes shears off.
It's a mystery to me why Morris did the spring front mount like this - wheres the advantage over same idea as at the rear mount ? Did it make life easier on the assembly line ?

It's a mystery to me why Morris did the spring front mount like this - wheres the advantage over same idea as at the rear mount ? Did it make life easier on the assembly line ?

Not sure if I'm understanding you correctly, but the rear spring shackles can swing to and fro slightly, while the front mount is rigid to the frame of the car. If both ends could swing, you would get fore and aft axle movement, and massive loads on the UJ's in the propshaft while accelerating or braking.

No no - it can't swing - but why the fancy mounting arrangement with pin + plate + bolts, could just have been a pin right through basically a U channel - with washers/nuts on the outside to secure. Pretty sure that's how it's done on other cars!

bmcecosse wrote:No no - it can't swing - but why the fancy mounting arrangement with pin + plate + bolts, could just have been a pin right through basically a U channel - with washers/nuts on the outside to secure. Pretty sure that's how it's done on other cars!

Ah right I see what you mean. Early front spring mount was just the bracket and pin bolt, but the head of the pin bolts would frequently seize into the bracket. So they fitted the replaceable plate to save having to replace the welded in bracket if it got wrecked. If seized, you can take out the wee bolts and drive a sharp chisel between bracket and plate, which usually draws the pin out along with the wrecked plate. But yes, it's wierd engineering. A simple pivot pin with threads on both ends and flanged washers would have been an easier idea.