Morris Minor Owners Club

Novice question here, but would prefer to ask before causing damage and ending up carless until I can get parts. So, it appears I need to replace the rear wheel bearings and oil seals on Jasper.

Getting down to the nut was unproblematic if oily (brake shoes are also going to be replaced once I've sorted the bearings and seals), but the tab washer is proving a difficult one. Both the Haynes manual and the MMOC Technical Manual refer to "knocking back" the tab washer - what exactly does this mean?

At the moment one section lip of the washer is bent up so that it lies parallel to one side of the nut. I can see that prising it away from the nut so that it lies perpendicular to the side of the nut (i.e. flat) will free the nut, but cannot work out how to do this without destroying the washer - is it a case of just replacing it or am I missing something? Fine if it is, but am a little concerned about hammering/prising it off, not least as one screwdriver bit the dust today, so any advice/reassurance appreciated.

Finally, the Technical Manual suggests that if one is not in possession of a 1 7/8 socket, "you can use a drift on one corner of the nut to tap it round". How possible is this and what's the best way to avoid damaging the nut - or is the best way basically to bite the bullet and buy a socket?

Thanks in advance for all replies.

Knocking back is usually done with a small cold chisel and hammer, the very tools which some say are fine for removing the nut. I disagree over that, but if the club manual says so...

It's preferable to replace the lock washer though you might get away with using it again if you hammer it flat while it's off the car, then bend over a different part of it when you put it back together. I don't really like the chisel method because you can't get a good feel for how much torque you are putting into it when you tighten it up again. Remember that the left hand nut has a left hand thread (ie. turn clockwise to undo). When fitting the new oil seals I had to cut out a ring of thick gasket paper and fit it as a spacer between the seal and the hub so the new seal ran on a fresh, unworn bit of the axle.

Thanks for that, Alex.

New washers have been ordered. What thickness of gasket paper was it you used? Knowing Jasper, he'll need it.

Probably about 0.015-0.020" (cornflake-packet thickness).

(cornflake-packet thickness

Thank god for mr kellog

Chisel or punch works fine! Often the nut is not that tight anyway - sometimes just finger tight. The lock washer can be re-used - the hub rotation tightens the nut anyway so the lock washer is not that important - but should be present of course. Why do you need new bearings - they usually last a very long time. Seals of course do go hard with age- but if oil leakage is the problem be sure to check the breather on the diff casing.

Rear nearside wheel started "singing" on and off shortly before Jasper went in for an engine rebuild and thought it wise to investigate - suited anyway as brake shoes need replacing. There was no heat being generated, so not the brakes, which was my first thought. Rotating the hub by hand with the wheel off causes a rumbling/rasping sound and feeling, which suggests the bearings aren't great and makes sense to change them and the seals- doesn't surprise me given how neglected the car seems to have been overall before I bought it. I'll check the breather on the diff casing as well while I've got the axle stands out.

Check with half shaft removed - the rumble etc may be in the diff.

Already done - it's definitely the hub.

Thanks for checking and taking the time to post replies - much appreciated

Well diagnosed then -good luck with it, and of course new EP90 oil in the diff!