Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi all,

I've not had my morris long, and am worried that I drove over one of those speed 'cushions' the one with the sloping sides too fast.
It was a 30mph road and I the speed cushion/bump just came out of no where.
I am a worrier, and wanted to know if I have damaged anything?

I went over the speed cushion/bump at about 30mph, but didnt hit the underside I dont think as Minors are quite high off the ground, and I didnt hear a thump or anything. Just wondered about damage to shocks, chassis etc.

Went out in the car today and it sounds and drives perfectly, no weird noises or anything, so hope no damage has been done.

Can someone put my mind at rest?

Thanks,

Daniel

Hi Daniel,

A well maintained Minor can manage going over speed bumps without causing any damage to the chassis and shocks, providing you are driving at an appropriate speed - I've driven over loads of them! If the chassis didn't hit the speed hump, there were no noises as you went over the bump, and your car is now driving exactly the same as it was prior to you going over the bump, I can't see how you would have caused any damage if you were driving at "about 30mph" as stated.

It's always a good idea to thoroughly inspect a car on purchase, even if it has an MOT, just to ensure that everything is OK and as you've just bought your Minor if you haven't already done this it would be worth doing to check the safety of the car and also to put your mind at rest.

Speed bumps don't just "come out of nowhere" on a 30mph road when you are driving at 30mph though, so if you keep to the speed limits, concentrate on the road in front of you and slow down when going over them in future they won't cause you any problems

I am afraid that your speed will be restricted to 10 to 15 mph over most speed humps, with a long queue of traffic behind you

LouiseM wrote:Hi Daniel,

A well maintained Minor can manage going over speed bumps without causing any damage to the chassis and shocks, providing you are driving at an appropriate speed - I've driven over loads of them! If the chassis didn't hit the speed hump, there were no noises as you went over the bump, and your car is now driving exactly the same as it was prior to you going over the bump, I can't see how you would have caused any damage if you were driving at "about 30mph" as stated.

It's always a good idea to thoroughly inspect a car on purchase, even if it has an MOT, just to ensure that everything is OK and as you've just bought your Minor if you haven't already done this it would be worth doing to check the safety of the car and also to put your mind at rest.

Speed bumps don't just "come out of nowhere" on a 30mph road when you are driving at 30mph though, so if you keep to the speed limits, concentrate on the road in front of you and slow down when going over them in future they won't cause you any problems

Hi, thanks for that. Think everything is OK with car This speed cushion literally did come out of nowhere, as the road that I was on has only just recently been built and is rarely used as it is leading to a new vdevelopment. Despite the speed limit being 30, I was driving at night time, and the speed cushions arent that visible and not marked, so was pretty gutted when the car bounced over one of them!

Thanks for putting my mind at rest,

Daniel

Don't forget to grease the trunnions every 500 miles.

Hi Daniel,

Not wanting to put you or anybody elses driving standards down, but you say the speed bump came out of no where. The maximum speed limit on an urban road is 30MPH, urban is defined as a built up area with street lighting at 200 yard intervals or where there are repeater markings stating 30MPH for example in a village, unless otherwise stated. Maybe an appropiate speed should be considered and increased observations to the road ahead not the road directly in front of you. But as Louise and Mike have said the Mogie is a pretty robust car, just be a litle more carefuly. Don't wont worry about the boy racers in their Saxo's as they wont get over a speed bump anyway without catching something, or the queue of other traffic behind you.

To your last post. It was newly built road unlit at night you should have been paying more attention and driving appropiately.

Hi sorry when I meant the speed limit was 30, and at night, I didnt mean I was driving morre than the speed limit. I was only driving at 30, should have been more clear in my orevious post.

HI..... I have a device that sits in my Morris. it can detect a speed bump anywhere on any road. maybe you can get one near you.......

It takes up the front passenger seat.After failing to observe the bump at the right speed it bites your shoulder. it can look like this......[frame][/frame]

Mind you they cost a fortune... But don't tell her i said that. Enjoy your Morris.
Raymond.

I wasn't saying you where driving more than 30MPH. I was saying you should have been driving more cautiously, in a manner where if taken by suprise you could react more quickly to the situation in hand that was all Danial. New road unlit and at night everybody should be more cautious. It was meant more friendly advice, from someone who has the training, than critisisum.

Ray that's no way to speak of her, but you do have a point.

customjob wrote: urban is defined as a built up area with street lighting at 200 yard intervals or .....

Actually, its now simply a regular pattern of streetlights with no repeater signs. They got fed up with people taking tape measures to street lights...

customjob wrote:Ray that's no way to speak of her, but you do have a point.

Yeh steady on Ray, she can spell too.
Daniel, we have speed bumps all over our streets and until you put a Moggie over a speed bump you dont realise how firm the leaf springs and dampers are, I cover 30,000 miles annually in my other motor and still get caught out from time to time, If there aint no obvious clanks bangs whistles or burps It will be fine kiddo.

Tamsin wether it is a regular pattern or 200 yards it's still 30MPH, I am aware of the changes in wordings of the law due to Mr loop hole and his solictor buddies but 30MPH still applies to built up urban areas. As Daniel was saying it was a new road on a housing development i. e. urban so the 30MPH rules still apply even though there where no street lights or signs. As regards signs changes, speed limits must be clearly visable on entering and on leaving a speed resticted area, repeater signs are not always used in a 30 limit because we have the lamp post ruling, but repeater signs are used on roads over the 30 limit. As i i've said i was in no way critisising but trying to say drive with a bit more thought that was all.

Many of the "humped" roads round here have a 20mph speed limit, well signposted though.

Thats probably because is a designated child friendly area Markyb or there is a school near by.

kingzdjc wrote:
Went out in the car today and it sounds and drives perfectly, no weird noises or anything, so hope no damage has been done.

Can someone put my mind at rest?

Have you checked the roof for a dent where your head hit it?

Hi Daniel,
Sorry to hear about your mishap, but I'm even more sorry to see that you have been so critisized for your driving- it seems hypocritical that people who weren't with you are so happy to say you were driving dangerously. And that comment is from someone who also has quite a bit of driver training. Some of us on here are friendly...

As for greasing trunnions every 500 miles, as JOWETTJAVELIN suggests, that's a bit much I'd say- he must be greasing his every time he has to change the big ends on his car!! The recommended intervals (1000-3000 miles I think, depending on age of car) should be fine. As has been said, it sounds as though all is fine and you got away with your mishap. Good luck and happy Minoring!

Liam.

Excuse me Liam i was offering a bit of advice and as i've said in all my posts on this matter i was not being critical of anyones driving, what i was saying was he was driving on a new unlit road at night and he should of been a bit more careful on how he was driving that was all. At no time did i say it was dangerous driving or that he was speeding, i think the quote made was about being a bit more cautious. I was in no way forcing the long arm of the law in his face but offering a bit of helpfull advice. So Liam don't try and critisize me for trying to pass on some of my experience to some who maybe a newish driver.

Daniel if my comments about this post have offend you let me know, and will post an appology to you on here.

I have to be honest customjob it did read a little bit condescending. The lad hit a speed bump going a wee bit quick and asked a normal question, he didn't ask for a safety lecture. But it seems it's all sorted now.

Dean, maybe it was, but it was meant as good advice for the futher to help a possible new driver. And as i agreed with Mike and Louise the Moggie is a tough old bus, i've said all during this thread i was in no way critisising anyones driving.

I know i'm going to get hammered for this, but if we all paid a bit more attention whilst driving.

I've offered to appologise so lets wait and see shall we.