Morris Minor Owners Club

So, one of my rear leaf springs has sprung its last, well, actually it did that quite some time ago but only now have I got to the stage where I've got all the bits to replace it...

Now, the whole assembly was stripped, when Rebecca was restored (just over 2 years ago now) so I'm hoping that it won't all be too hideous to take apart. I've got the haynes manual, the workshop manual and the little paperback "argh, it's all gone wrong" manual - anyone got any tips I should hear before I rip my rear suspension to bits....?

(Incidentally, the spring on the other side was replaced all of about 3 months ago, so I'm not doing them both at the same time).

The paperback "argh, it's all gone wrong" manual...?
Now, there's something to ask for next time I'm in Waterstone's.... What's it called?

Take care, take your time, and work methodically. I'm sure you'll be fine and a taking a ride with new rear springs will transform the handling!

It's called "BLMC Morris Minor 1000 Repairs" - and it's by a mr B.C.Macdonald.

Generally, I'll scan and print the pages I want then take them out so the book doesn't get all oily (unlike my Haynes Book of Lies, which is covered in oil (albeit not as much as the MZ one, which I once used to sit on to prevent my bum getting too oily*))

Um, fantastically for me it's printed by "Elliot Right Way Books" *grins*

* yes, it's really that innacurate, at least in places.

Oh a marvellous thing, is the Haynes Manual... I can't understand the workshop manual, the Haynes is rubbish ("refitting is the reverse of removal my..."), but I've got a 1963 hardback Pearson's Book of the Morris 1000 which is quite handy for owner-drivers. 'specially as I'm too scared to do anything difficult on the old girl!

Good luck with the springs! Make sure to give them a good rub with oil when they're fitted, to help keep rust away.

You'll notice there are three clamps holding the leaves together. Just remember that the half with the two clamps goes to the front of the rear axle.

Incidentally, the spring on the other side was replaced all of about 3 months ago,

I assume that you did not do this one yourself ?

now have I got to the stage where I've got all the bits to replace it...

Does that include new `U` bolts if not and the old ones are very difficult it can be a real pain if you have new ones the old ones can be cut off with a hacksaw etc, soak everything with a penetrationg oil for a day or two beforehand if you can (do it a couple of times at least) to give it a chance to work at a push you can use WD40 but its not as good, also make sure you support the body correctly, someone on here should be able to tell you the best place and exactly what to use as irs a long time since I did a spring.

Hello Kate,

I would suggest also fitting polyurethane bushes instead of rubber. (To both sides). The other problem you may encounter is the front shackle bolt can be difficult to remove as it seizes in the spring bush. A blowlamp, carefully used can resolve this.

good luck and take care, especially supporting the body.

Alec

I found the best place to support the body is close to to the rear spring hangers. Use as large (area)a piece of timber as possible between the body and support on each side (about 25mm or more thick). An hydraulic jack can be used to support and lower/raise the axle.
As mentioned the front pin can be a pig to remove. I find it easiest to cut the two small bolts that secure the plate and then knock the whole lot out. It usually needs quite a bit of "welly." The plate is usually seized on the pin flange. Remove the rear shackle before releasing the front pin.

Kevin,

no, the previous replacement was done by C.Wares.... unfortunately, at the moment I actually have a negative amount of money - so I'm having to salvage what I can from the current spring/suspension stuff; it was all rebuilt 2 years ago - just with the original spring/damper when the car was restored, so I'm praying it won't be *too* hard to shift - and that nothing will be worn out.

I did buy new U bolts and nuts (as I was just, originally going to fit a new bump stop - I guess this explains the crushed brake pipe....).

And The Haynes Book of Lies...

I've hated these with a passion since I sheared a bolt on my golf's engine block due to a dubious photo and vague description. And it isn't just me, the owner after me sheared the other one off following the same instructions (which lead to it's untimely demise). Phrases like "unscrew the four lock nuts" with no mention of what to do if they are siezed wind me up. Or "lift off" - that's my favourite, with the exception of "reassembly is the reverse of disassembly". I wanted instructions not a dictionary!

If anything is completely siezed I'll just have to put it back together, and pray until I can order more of the bits (unfortunately the top leaf is now separating noticably from the rest of the spring....and the new one still hasn't arrived. Grr).

unfortunately the top leaf is now separating noticably from the rest of the spring....and the new one still hasn't arrived. Grr

Well time to start with the penetrating fluid / releasing fluid as its best to do it well in advance when you have the opportunity.

when you put the new springs on. becarful when you put the small 7/16 nuts back.
1 is quite difficult and you must watch out . the spring must be supported well. if it falls it may take you fingers off. ouch

Can I just share that I hate delivery companies?

My spring is in Taunton, which is fine, except that I'm in Bristol. They can't say when it'll be delivered, apart from "Friday". Uh, I work.... Oh well, I must just pray that the specific named neighbour is willing and able to accept the package. And I get to pray that my car manages another 120 miles on a broken spring......

Well, my spring survived just and barely....

And today I changed the rear spring, the bushes the rubbers, the U bolts and the bump stop. Go me.

Now, how long should I stay paranoid about having done things up tight enough?

(And now I have underseal in my hair, initally I thought it was rust, but I've realised now it's underseal. Gah.)

Cam would probably say "for ever" but I'd check them after 100 miles or so, just to be sure. When you service, you might like to nip them up if required, but after 6 months they'll be rusted solid again anyhow... ;)

I did this back in 99, long before I got a torque wrench (rachet), so I just tightened the nuts as much as possible without straining myself. They never came loose - and the rust will soon seize them up anyway as Gareth says.

check the u bolt nuts at some point though

I replaced mine about 2 years ago and then undid it all again when I put my Escort axle on. So far so good. Oh and thanks for giving me something else to worry about

No, seriously if you did the locknuts up tight there should be no problem.

Okay, so I checked all the bolts; no problems there.

There is however one slight problem, and I just want to run this past people to see if I'm being mad.... When I fitted the new rear spring I noticed that the Passenger side of the car looked *way* higher than the drivers side. Having moved the car it seemed to settle a bit, but it still looked a good bit too high.

Now, I've done about 300 miles (kind of presuming (hoping) it would just settle (it hasn't)) and I've notied that the already fairly worn out and scrubbed tyre on the front has gone from evening out the wear (after the front suspension was re-setup about a month ago) to being almost completely scrubbed again - the outside quarter is really badly worn (it was before, but now it's down to the wear-limit-markers). Now, about a month ago I asked someone to look into why the front tyre was scrubbing - and they did the front suspension, and declared that they had a lot of trouble getting it to within tolerance - could my spring have actually been broken but not split apart at the time - and now I've put the new spring on the suspension at the front is set completely wrong again?

Or should I be looking somewhere else?

Incidentally, the car isn't pulling at all, or doing anything unnerving (in fact, I think I've been the most um, enthusiastic, with my driving that I've been for quite some time)

I had a bad scrubbing problem on one of my 145s (front) bald on the outside and about 7mm of tread on the inside!!! It was purely down to be being an idiot and cornering way too harshly ALL the time!!

Maybe this is the problem??

With regard to the springs, is the old one much flatter (lower sitting) than the new one?? If so then maybe that wants replacing too to even things up. Mind you it's rarely the rears that give the problems, it's usually the ride height being un-even at the front (which you can adjust fairly easily).

When the garage said they had trouble getting it within tolerance what were they doing?? Only the tracking is adjustable and that's dead easy. The camber and castor are not adjustable so what exactly were thay doing??

If it's driving OK and doing everything it should and the levels are not WAY out so it look silly going down the road then I would not worry about it too much.

Maybe they reset the front suspension height to compensate for a broken rear spring. (The car pivots diagonally so a change at the rear will create a change at the front).
However the suspension setting should not cause significant bad wear on a front tyre. It is probably bad tracking and/or dodgy camber/castor (bad camber/castor implies structural damage).
As for a slight lean at the front - I replaced some parts on 1 side of Riley 2 years ago and didn't get it right first time. I've ignored the slight lean and it's been fine.