Hydrolastic bracket

[colonel mustard]

I have a knocking noise from the from of the car when going over bumpy ground or potholes. I have replaced the bottom arm bushes as these had perished within 12 months of fitting.
I have redone a bolt check and all seem ok.

Two areas that I have left the check are:
Ball joints - check shims etc..
But the other and did not realise… the front hydrolastic displacer has a bracket to hold the unit to the subframe, does anyone know where I can get a pair? Do people fit these and if so any photographs of the bracket being installed?

Any other knocking suggestions are welcome
Thanks all.

[Polarsilver]

Steering Rack "Bush" on left hand side was cause when over a pot hole on one of mine.. just a sod of a job to change with the rack in position

Also why do suppliers continue to provide crap parts when they know they will fail within 12 months & they have the front to say" we do supply a better version" .. not sorry mate we have stopped selling this crap & you are a long term customer and we will send out to you the good parts FOC

[whistler]

https://www.somerfordmini.co.uk/bracket ... t-subframe

There is also, on mine, a short piece of protection slipped onto the edge that touches the displacer. On mine it is a piece of door edge profile about 2 inches long.

[whistler]

Here's a photo of one of mine before cleaning. Note the edge protection.

Give Tim at Minimail a ring. He lists them on his pdf parts file.

[Peter Laidler]

I'd say check the other bits, such as the ball joints first just to eliminate them. But suspect it'll be the steering rack bush just as Norman says. I'm blowed if I know how Norman changed it in-situ though! Exactly the same happened to me but I took the rack out (bastard of a xxxxxxg job) stripped it, cleaned, rebuilt and machijed up a new exact fiit phosphor bronze bush. Worked a treat.

A day job I'd say...... It's important that yyou do refit the bracket thinggy because it will prevent the hydro unit from dropping down if it comes detached from the sub frame tower

That part shown by Whistler is simple to make and the bit of rubber protector is a good idea but in reality, the hydro unit shouldn't touch the part..... in theory! Incidentally, the bracket is actually shown up-side-down in the parts list. As you can see, it's a simple bit to make. I cut a couple of replacements from a bit of same-thickness stainless

[Andrew1967]

To check the rack, jack up the N/S and see if any play in the inner end of the rack by doing the usual track rod end test .. its obvious if there is.

I've replaced the bush in situ before .. not easy but you can do it. Worst bit is getting the metal sleeve out that holds the bush in place (that's what I found anyway). Had make something up to hook in behind it and use a slide hammer. Some say wind the rack to the right and then use the end of the rack to push it out .. didnt have a lot of success with that idea.

Taking the rack out is a pig of a job as you have to drop the subframe down at the back and its VERY tight. Once out, replacing the bush is much easier in the vice. All sorts of different ideas what to use but I have used the bush available from the usual suspects. the Bronze bush sounds a good idea .. though..

Problem with re-con racks is they tend to just nip up the inner steering arm joints so the arms don't flap about but ignore the biggest issue that is the bush !! I'm talking historically here.... I bought a recon rack for my 998 Cooper years ago and it was actually worse than the one I took out !!!

[Peter Laidler]

Wise words from Andy there. I found that with the whole rack OUT of the car, I could do a complete overhaul including setting up the pinion. I did about 5 at the same time for someone for a bit of pocket-money and found that the bush had to be machined internally to the individual pinion because of the wear present in each. Got it down to a fine art - eventually!

My neighbour at the time was a former top-man at Unipart and his tech and historic input was very good.

Once it's out, it's a relatively easy bench job. Easy to hold and work on too. I also found that in this instance, the Haynes manual was better than the BMC workshop manual. As my Unipart neighbour commented to me at the time '..... it was a thing we sold and exchanged. It was a money spinner too. Our exchange units were fixed price contract and sent out to a couple of small engineering company in Wales and Swindon. So bought in new and damaged and sold out

[111Robin]

I doubt it's the displacer bracket as once the system is pressurised the unit is retained by the reaction force. It's really only there as an assembly aid to hold it in place before pressure is applied. Another possible source is the brake pads. I spent ages trying to find a knock/rattle until I found the pads were a loose fit in the calipers. The rattle was amplified through the subframe and sounded a lot heavier than you would have thought. Try feathering the brake pedal while it's making the noise to see if it disappears.

[colonel mustard]

Thanks all for the constructive reply’s.
I’ve managed a quick half hour back in the garage this afternoon and stripped part of the n/s hub. The steering rack feels ok, no major play so have parked that one for now.
The clicking noise when turn left looks like it might be the CV boot strap slightly catching on the inside of the hub

072CDBDF-E050-4C4D-93D1-E4BA9A029C59.jpeg

As for the banging noise when flying over potholes, I have a sneaky suspicion I may have over looked something but can not be sure when I rebuilt the front subframe. I had a thought that hydro unit slots up into the front subframe and also quarter (or less) turns to sit on the locators, I have a feeling they are not turned and located and are rattling around in the top of the sub frame, would this make sense?
I assume the rectify this I will need to depressurise the hydro system of all of the fluid. Remove the top arm and adjust the displacer?

Thanks again all.

[111Robin]

From memory you have to fit the bracket once the displacer is seated into the subframe so I would suggest your bracket isn't fitted. However there's no way it can rattle as it's under constant force once pressurised, it isn't just sitting there. It's much the same as the doughnut, it isn't retained by anything other than the force from the suspension (and rust !)

[colonel mustard]

Thanks Robin,
Yes no bracket but I do not think that’s an issue, as you say, once the car is on all four wheels the system is pressured and it will not go anywhere, unless getting airborn!
So back to the drawing board.

[Nick W]

I have a spare pair of those retainer brackets if you need them.

Nick

[Peter Laidler]

What we're forgetting is that the little brackets are also uused to kep the units in place while you're assembling the suspension when it's not under any hydro pressure. You can't rely on those 4x little little knibs on the units!

[111Robin]

The brackets certainly make assembly easier but if they're not present, in operation they aren't needed. Same as the rear locking plates for the displacers, they reduce the faff factor when assembling but once in and pressurised they aren't going anywhere unless you spend a lot of your time airborne!!!

[jcr227e]

I have just rebuilt my cooper. I did the London to Brighton run yesterday and I have the same issue. It also has a clunk when pulling away.

I am going to investigate but would be interested in this thread.

I will keep you posted on my findings

Richard

[111Robin]

I have just rebuilt my cooper. I did the London to Brighton run yesterday and I have the same issue. It also has a clunk when pulling away.

I am going to investigate but would be interested in this thread.

I will keep you posted on my findings

Richard

I would check the engine tie bar bushes first, this is the most likely cause when pulling away.

[jcr227e]

Thanks for reply.

The top stabiliser is OK, but worth a shout. It feels as if it on the passenger side just near the behind the bulk head. I did replace the threaded ends of the steering rack (not the track rod ends as they are new), and when tightening the locking nut (with the C spanner) noticed that there was some playin the ball joint on the spring tensioner, (hopefully this is the right term!!!) so I will have a look at this first.

Whilst I an checking this I plan to replace the bush as well.

When undoing the passenger side arm, of the steering rack, it there a specification about how much play there should be in the ball joint?

[Andrew1967]

That sounds like the bush has gone.

Pull the gaiter back so you can see the inner rack and then try to see if there is any movement of the rack against the outer housing.

[jcr227e]

Hi Andrew,

I did replace the rack with another unit but I think that this is worst than the original. I have bought a replacement bush, from a company in Australia, but it is plastic, is there any other suppliers that may be able to get one from that may be a better option. This was the only one that I could find that was for the mk1. I will look to replace the bush on the original steering rack (using spiders and Peter Laiders guidance notes) but I think that it would be easier to do off the car.

I think that I saw that you did the replacement on the car. Is it difficult to due? I imagine that the large nut and locking nut are difficult to remove and then the extraction of the bush. Any tips?

Richard

[Andrew1967]

Hi Richard

I think the mk1 bush is narrower than the later one that’s available .. from memory I used a mk2 metal sleeve taken from another rack to fit the bush into rather than cutting the bush in half to suit the mk1 sleeve. This gave more surface area for the rack to run on.

It is awkward in situ but not impossible. You need a C spanner to adjust and nip up the inner ball joint nut and then a pinch to stake the lock nut up. Hopefully it will adjust up so a previously unstaked part of the lock nut can be used.

I’ll see if I can find my C spanner, you’re welcome to borrow it if you so wish.

Much easier on the bench, once out of the car !!!