Morris Minor Owners Club

This morning I got some wheel wobble while driving at about 50mph. Never noticed it before.

What should I check? Wheel balance? Could worn wheel bearings cause a wobble?

It wasn't too serious, but was certainly noticeable. Any advice welcome.

Duncan

Jack up and feel for bearing wear and/or excessive trunnion/king-pin wear - and track rod end wear! Check the tyres for any bulges - and are they inflated ok ? Then - test for balance - since this is indeed the most likely thing. If need be - slacken the brakes off and then let the wheel roll round until it settles with the 'heavy' part at the bottom. Test this a couple of times - mark the heavy spot with chalk. Then - turn the heavy spot to 9 o'clock - and add balance weights at 3 o'clock until the wheel sits nicely - not wanting to roll down or up. Re-set the brakes - and job done! Repeat on the other front wheel. So you know where to refit the wheel to the hub in future - put a spot of paint on one stud end - and a matching spot on the wheel next to that stud.

If it has suddenly started have you rubbed a kerb and knocked a balance weight off?

Tie rod bushes....

I recently had new tyres fitted - the fitter was very careful to balance the wheels. Whether a balance weight has come off, I will have to check.

I think one of the first things is to do after checking whether a weight has come off; is to take the car out and see under what conditions the wobble occurs.

I hope I have cured my wheel wobble, the top trunnion rubbers were knackered

He may have balanced the wheels - my method balances the complete wheel/drum/hub assembly. It is only a 'static' balance - but it's always been fine for me.

Update.

I few weeks before the wobbly incident I had new tyres fitted all round. The wheels were balanced very carefully by the fitter - whom I thought did a very good, careful job.

Since posting on here.......
I jacked the front of the car up. I checked the balance of the wheels by spinning them and seeing where they came to a stop. The wheels span freely and came to a stop in a different position each time. No balance weights appeared to be missing. I could not see any cuts, bulges or other defects in any of the tyres.

Holding each of the front wheels in turn at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock position, I could not feel any significant play. Doing the same same at the 3 and 6 o'clock - again, no significant play.

I then took the car for a road test and couldn't repeat the wheel wobble.

THe new tyres are 155/14, replacing 145/14, I am running them at 30 psi. Is that enough?

What do I do now?

Relax?

You may have driven through some mud or "droppings" that got trapped in the treads and put the wheel out of balance.

I'd say relax.

If the wheels spin and settle 'randomly' then the balance is fine. But as above - the top 'rubbers' on the kingpin/damper junction are prime suspects for all manner of steering problems. They are much much better if fitted with poly-urethane bushes - and it's a very easy/quick job to do. Originally - the Minor had bronze bushes in there - for good reason!!

How can I tell if those bushes/rubbers are worn?

If they are as bad as mine were you will see them wobbling about when you test for play

If they are not polyurethane - they WILL be worn/loose/perished/gone soft. Fit poly - and forget.