Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi all
My ‘65 saloon knocks like there’s a brick/body in the boot if I go over a pot hole or rough ground. It’s had both shock absorbers and bump stops replaced and a loose exhaust bracketed back on in the last month. The jack and starting handle or tools aren’t stored in the boot.It’s becoming an obsession. Any ideas? X

when the shocks were replaced are the bushes also replaced ditto for condition of bushes on spring hangars and back end of torsion bar

they can be seen on this exploded diagram.

https://www.morrisminor.org.uk/parts/36-rear-suspension

Last time I had a knock from the back though, it was a nut missing from the shackle plates

I’ll ask. It’s got a one year mechanical warranty and I’ve only just come back from the garage, so I’ll leave it unless it’s a big problem?

Is it a big thing to get them replaced? Guessing not if it’s bushes. I might ask my local garage to fit them if my warranty garage posts them? What do you all think?! Value an opinion

It's not the boot lid rattling is it?

Best check the easy stuff first.

Sounds like rattling from under the wooden boot ledge. I’ll drill out the screws as it’s stuck in. Sounds almost like the spare tyre is loose!

The joys of old cars eh? Knocks and rattles... sometimes they just go away and other times they don't.
I've found it helpful to go around and just put wedges or packing in likely places as a temporary measure. Then,when you're sure of the place have a proper look. Took me ages to sort out the rattle at the back of the Traveller,just a bit of loose trim that vibrated at certain speeds.

You say you had the exhaust brackets attended to, but if the leaf springs have sagged, or the exhaust hangs a bit too low, it may knock against the rear axle when going over bumps...

I had a 1965 saloon, and found that the boot floor wooden boards would sometimes knock/rattle a bit, as would the bootlid, until I fitted thicker seals.

If the sound is a real "thump" rather than a rattle, it could simply be the new bump stops contacting the car body over bumps. I found the new ones to be a very hard material and really jolt the car when contact is made. For me, the cure was to simply cut the top inch or so off the rubber bump stop and all is well now although I expect my springs are somewhat worn too.

Thanks, these all sound like good answers. It’s like a real thud definitely- and on both sides. If you can imagine a big metal tool box in the boot ( it’s nothing in it now until I sort it ) it’s like that. The leaf springs looked quite dry when I looked underneath too ( I’ve no garage so I can only have quick looks when it’s on a ramp ). I might ring my warranty garage tomorrow and ask about the bushes - and see if they’d make such a difference. It’s very solid underneath it’s just that noise......love my car apart from that it’s a 1965 Dove Grey 2 door. Bit of hand painting here and there but belonged to a nun, which appealed to me! The one I had previously was a ‘61 Yukon grey and was a star in the film The Lady in the Van.

Taken the boot lid out and spare wheel not nothing loose there. It’s a thud rather than a rattle. Boot seal is a bit sparse. Trying to pad out anything that might be a problem. I’ve been assured it’s fine underneath but I dread cobbles, speed bumps and pot holes - so much so I go out of my way to avoid them usually. Not easy in Hebden Bridge

Noises are often difficult to pinpoint when driving the car. A 'thud' on both sides might suggest something weakened/deteriorated in the rear suspension but, as others have pointed out, I would also be checking the exhaust clearance over the axle and the boot floor for looseness. I can't imagine the petrol tank is loosely fitted but you never know....
Try bumping the rear of the car up and down by hand and see if you can replicate the noise. Or see if there is movement in the boot door by trying to lift it up and down with it closed.
Did the noise suddenly appear or was it always there? I don't know how long you have had the car but i it is under warranty I would certainly ask the garage to check this noise out.

Hi there

If you have a 12 month warranty, then take it straight back and get them to sort it out for you. I see you are in Hebden Bridge, not too far from me in Silsden.
I can only guess where you bought the car, but if it is where I think it is I would be interested to know how you get on with having it sorted out. I will not mention any names on here, but you can PM me with that information if you like.

Phil

Conniecar61 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 23, 2018 11:37 am Thanks, these all sound like good answers. It’s like a real thud definitely- and on both sides.

I would definitely suspect the new bump stops in that case. It sounds like my car did.
Saw an inch of the top of each rear bump stop and see if that makes a difference. The new ones (on my car anyway) were far too hard - like a lump of oak!

I’ve just come back from a tour around the usual ‘knocking spots’ that I’ve been avoiding on a trip to Halifax, and not a sound? The only thing I’ve done is slightly shifted the spare wheel and locked the boot?

The spare wheel should be clamped in place to stop it thumping around. If it isn't I think you may have eliminated one potential suspect.

It was tightly clamped in anyway. I’ve just shifted it slightly and clamped it back in