Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi, new in here.
Just collected and driven home in my new aquistion (see for sale thread) yesterday, and am very pleased with it.

As to be expected though, their are some issues, the most important one that needs rectifying asap is the consatnt vibration throughout the car most noticibly after about 30mph.
Gets to the point where it actually loosens off the indicator stalk light bulb!!

Now i tried switching off the engine and coasted, thinking it miight be engine or engine mountings related, but the vibes continued unabated.
Pretty sure it's not wheel balancing, as it's had new tyres fitted and balanced not too long ago, and it's not the kind of vibration that i would associate with that anyway.

I'm now thinking prop.shaft balancing which is a bit unusual I'd have thought, or prop.shaft U.V. joints perhaps?

Is this a common problem?

I have had propshaft balance problems on two Minors, occured at about 50mph and disappeared at about 60mph. Check UJs, fixing bolts, borrow another propshaft

mike.perry wrote:I have had propshaft balance problems on two Minors, occured at about 50mph and disappeared at about 60mph. Check UJs, fixing bolts, borrow another propshaft

Thanks for that, but the vibration doesn't really disappear at any speed tbh.

Possible wheel bearing related? No usual 'thrumming'' noise that I'd have reasonably expected though.

I need to get it into my mates garage and onto the pit for a closer inspection I think.

Start with the simple things.....wheel balance - assume nothing. Also worth checking the wheel nuts in case they are loose....

Make sure there are no bulges on the tyres, including the tread and that you don't have a bent rim.
See the "state of the roads" thread for possible causes

Was the vibration not apparent in the road test before you bought the car?

bmcecosse wrote:Was the vibration not apparent in the road test before you bought the car?

Yes, but it didn't really seem that bad then. It was only driving it back 120 miles that i became more aware of it tbh.

I'm sure it can't be anything too serious, but it does need sorting.

On saying all that, the car is going to spend most of its time in the custody of my daughter, pottering around locally doing no more than 40 mph, and that's the speed the vibration seems to kick in.

Can't and wouldn't expect near perfection for the money I paid anyway.
Being realistic, ALL second hand cars always have something that needs attention.
I know after 52 years I needed fixing in many depts, and still do...constantly!

To check the propshaft theory put the rear on axle stands , remove wheels, start her up and put in 4th gear and run it up to 40mph and see if it vibrates.

Oh dear, oh deary me.

Took it in to my garage that I use for the family fleet mot's, beacuse he is thourough...no favours for mates...which is how i like it on safety issues, and he discoverd that the tie rod on the n/s front where attached to the chassis, had a crack in it, that had been FILLED with body filler and then undersealed over!!

Not a particulary difficult job to sort, but he was absolutely staggered that it had been so badly and dangerously bodged.

'Phone calls will be being made next week.

MOT'd only 3 weeks ago btw, with NO advisories.
He found no fewer than 6 other items that should have been so.


I was absolutely gutted tbh, but he told me not to blame myself, as seeing the careful bodge would have been very difficult without the use of a pit or ramps.
Smally ruddy comfort, especially if the crack had opened completely, the suspension could possibly have collapsed with unthinkable consequences.

wow very unnerving,does it look a recent dangerous bodge? this is worth a report to the MOT bods

Here's a link to the VOSA site detailing the action to take if you think that an MOT has been incorrectly issued. You need to contact them as quicky as possible:

https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/probl ... est-result

lambrettalad wrote:wow very unnerving,does it look a recent dangerous bodge?

Well I don't know about 'recent' tbh, as the car has only done a few hundred miles over the last 2 years, but the undeseal was still very black.
I'm CERTAINLY NOT pointing the finger at either the previous owner or even the MOT station btw, but it should have been noticed during the mot.
My mot matey spotted it within seconds of being under the car.

Several other issues of not quite as grave concern, but still not spotted or advised upon.

I've left the car with him, as he has TOLD me that it is currently not fit for my daughter to drive.
Advice well taken, and 'Dads Taxi's' is now currently back in business.

LouiseM wrote:Here's a link to the VOSA site detailing the action to take if you think that an MOT has been incorrectly issued. You need to contact them as quicky as possible:

https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/probl ... est-result

My mot matey is on the case, and will be ringing the garage firstly on Monday morning if no answer tomorrow, and if they would like to come up here for a re-mot with VOSA, then they'll be made welcome, as will their comments be.

No doubt in my mates mind whatsover though. this car should 100% NOT have passed its mot, and he knows the man from VOSA will agree if it goes that far.

I'm just going with the advice furnished so far and have no idea what happens next.

Front wheel bearings have excessive play in his opinion btw, and front indiicator/side light lense seems to be missing the chrome divider.

Something else, but can't remeber what it was now.

If you're interested in checking previous MOT's you can check the history on-line. Mine went as far back as 2006 and showed details of any advisories issued: https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history-vehicle

LouiseM wrote:If you're interested in checking previous MOT's you can check the history on-line. Mine went as far back as 2006 and showed details of any advisories issued: https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history-vehicle

Already done that, and it confirmed no advisories over the last couple of years, but thanks anyway!

MOT place has no authority to probe underseal etc - so if no crack was showing, they could not spot it. You had driven the car - which would have loosened the bodge, making it easy to spot. Not in the least defending the seller's actions - it is a 'criminal' bodge which could have had tragic consequences.... but the MOT place is quite restricted in what they can inspect... I suggest the car is 'unfit' and you would be completely justified in returning it for full return of money.

Remembered.

Trunsion (sp) bushes , n/s/f, one completey worn away with loads of play in the retaining bolt and the other one badly perished apparently.

Apart from these not insurmountable 'issues', he thought it was actually pretty damned good!!

I'll advise him that driving it 120 miles may have made the previously unseen crack now visible, and he did confirm that mot stations are not allowed to prod with a screwdriver/whatever.