Morris Minor Owners Club

I am fitting new front shackle pins and plates to the rear suspension, but the pin does not seem to go fully into the plate to sit flush with the outer face. I am sure there was some previous discussion on this but could not find it.
The plate has a shoulder which the shackle pin comes up against, and the outer face (with the 2 pin holes) sits about 2mm proud of the plate. Is this correct?
I have taken photos which hopefully show this.

The head of the pin must sit against the inner shoulder in the shackle plate. As long as it does all the way round the circumference that's ok but it looks to me like it is not? It looks like it is sitting crooked.

In a previous thread someone had a similar problem. They put the shaft of the pin in the chuck of an electric drill and then gently used some emery paper until the head of the pin fitted. Very little material had to be removed.

When I did my rear springs I had the same problem. I found that the old shackle plates were in excellent condition so I used a new pin but the old plates and it all fitted.

Stephen

Thanks Stephen. The pin does sit square, but not resting on the cardboard to take the photo!! I was just worried about the pin sitting proud on the outside, but it is a snug fit all round on the inside face.

Mr Spigot wrote: ↑Mon Sep 08, 2025 8:13 pm Thanks Stephen. The pin does sit square, but not resting on the cardboard to take the photo!! I was just worried about the pin sitting proud on the outside, but it is a snug fit all round on the inside face.

No worries. If it's sitting on that shoulder in the plate all the way around then it can't go in any further and that's how it is.

Have you worked out how you are going to stop the head of the pin rotating when you do up the nut on the other end? I used an adjustable angle grinder chuck key but more capable folk than I would make their own tool!

Stephen

I have never had the problem of the pin spinning as the tightness up against the plate seems to hold it, but I will keep something handy, just in case!

I found the same, last year, when renewing the rear springs. New pins and plates and the pin would not fully enter the new plate.
Rather than mess around "adjusting" the fit, I used the perfectly useable old plates and the new pins which did fit correctly in the plate. Hole in plate marginally too small?
Those pictures show exactly what they were like.
I contacted the supplier and was told, this was the first time they had heard of the issue.

svenedin wrote: ↑Mon Sep 08, 2025 8:19 pm
Have you worked out how you are going to stop the head of the pin rotating when you do up the nut on the other end? I used an adjustable angle grinder chuck key but more capable folk than I would make their own tool!

There was a tool listed in Section Q of the WS manual (18G 312), but you can get adjustable peg/pin spanners easily enough.
The 18G312 was used on other makes/models too, Woolsey, MG etc, so would have been a fairly standard tool back in the day.