Morris Minor Owners Club

I have just re-joined the club after 20 years away, and this is my first post!

I am in the middle of a complete rebuild of my 1963 Traveller and have done a lot of work on the underneath including welding in new front chassis leg sections. I have fitted the engine and gearbox and then to my horror found that the clutch relay shaft won't fit in correctly at right angles to the chassis leg. The chassis-side mounting for the shaft is about 10mm closer to the front of the car than the gearbox-side mounting.

I went to a lot of trouble to make sure I welded the chassis legs in correctly, but I guess it is possible that I got it wrong and welded the leg sections in too far forward. The other possibility is that the new chassis leg I bought was manufactured incorrectly and the mounting holes for the relay shaft are in the wrong place.

In order to figure out what has gone wrong, I would be extremely grateful if someone could give me the following measurements:

1. The distance between the centre line of the relay shaft and the centre line of the front suspension eye-bolt
2. The distance between the centre line of the relay shaft and the front vertical face of the main crossmember

Huge thanks to anyone who is prepared to go crawling under their car for me!

Dave

Worry more about checking if the front suspension eye-bolts are in the correct place! If they are ok - just reposition the relay shaft mount.

Not sure, but I think it's possible to fit the engine mounts in the wrong way round and so move the engine/box too far in one direction. Have you fitted the propshaft yet because this will tell if you've got it right. Also there is a mounting for the pedal shaft on both chassis legs so you should be able to check your new leg with the other original one.
Mick

Thanks for the quick responses.

I agree about the eyebolts being more important but I can't be 100% certain that they are in the correct position without the dimensions I asked for.

I have considered re-locating the relay shaft mounting, but it is going to be a pig of a job as they have continuously welded a thick backing plate into the chassis leg.

The engine mounts are definitely in the right way round. The propshaft is in, but I'm not sure how much of the gearbox spiggot should be showing when it is in place. The gearbox is certainly not fully "home" in the propshaft.
I replaced both front chassis sections so I don't have the original any more to compare with.

I really would appreciate the measurements I originally asked for so I can tell exactly what the problem is before I start cutting things about.

Dave

Dave

1 = 11 3/4"

2 = 27 3/8"

Measured from a new old stock chassis leg AAA 4801.

Taupe

Hi "Taupe",

Many thanks for taking the trouble to get those measurements for me. On my car the total distance from the front of the cross member to the eye bolt is exactly the same as on yours, so I did weld the front chassis sections in correctly. However, on mine, the relay shaft is 1/4" closer to the eye bolt than on yours, so it looks like I got a duff chassis leg - it wasn't a cheapie so I'm surprised.

I have tried moving the engine and gearbox forward on the mountings as far as they will go and it just about gets the relay shaft straight, but the engine rubber blocks are overhanging the mounting brackets which looks all wrong. It also means that the gearbox is not fully engaged in the prop shaft, which probably isn't a problem due to the length of the splines.

Maybe I'll get the box out and move the relay shaft mount forward on the chassis leg - it will be a sod of a job though.

On a different subject, I have had a look at your restoration project - it is astonishing! I presume the car is still on the roll-frame as there are no recent updates. Please keep up the photographic progress report.

Dave

Might I suggest;
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rotary-file-set-1 ... 53e3c87966

As there isn't much room you might need a flexible drive or a right angle drill thing.
How about slotting the holes in the retaining plate?

I don't think it's critical to have the relay shaft exactly straight (and 1/4" is neither here nor there!) - it WILL be necessary to ensure the prop shaft is fully engaged in the box so the seal can be effective. I would move the engine back to where it should be - and fit up the shaft and see how it all works!

Thanks for the responses.

Having thought about it more, I agree that it is important to get the gearbox properly located in the propshaft and to have the engine mounts correctly set up. Although my relay shaft location is only 1/4" different to the one measured by Taupe, it looks further out in situ and the relay shaft is at a concerning angle. Although the gearbox- side mount for the shaft can handle quite an angle, the chassis-side mount can't and I'm worried that it will result in the bush wearing rapidly.

Slotting the holes is worth looking at - it would mean having nuts on the inside, but that's not a big problem.

I'll take a good look at it and let you know what I decide to do.

Thanks again for the help - I really appreciate it. It is great having this forum as a sounding board, as you can go around in circles in your own head if there is no-one else to talk to!

Dave