Amateur Restoration of a 1960 Morris Mini

[scalpel_ninja]

So I removed the needle bearing and bushing. Looks like they split the bushing to fit the metal rod (poorly) and there's a metal tube inside. I'm guessing it's supposed to be like an older style metal grease tube?

The kit listing mentions a metal grease tube 21A396. The part number search leads to this, but the tube I removed from the arm doesn't look like it.

If it was meant to be ready to go, the bronze bushing wasn't a great fit (too much play for my liking) and split. Selling a plastic sleeve was really confusing. I'll see if the right side one has the same installation.

[MPlayle]

The metal tube is the way to go when you put it back together.  The ealiest Minis used the metal tube.  It supposedly got changed to the plastic version later to save costs.

The plastic tubes age and split, allowing the grease to escape and fill the cavity of the swing arm rather than travle along the bar to lube the opposite end.

Your metal tube looks just like the ones I have saved for when I eventually may need to rebuild my Mini's rear swing arms.

[Willie_B]

Metal grease tubes are available new now too. https://www.minispares.com/21a396-rear-radius-arm-metal-grease-tube

[MiniDave]

I have a pair of metal tubes saved back for my car too, for the next time I need to rebuild my trailing arms.

How much slop was there in the bushing? it doesn't need to be a tight fit.

[scalpel_ninja]

I have a pair of metal tubes saved back for my car too, for the next time I need to rebuild my trailing arms.

How much slop was there in the bushing? it doesn't need to be a tight fit.

Not much slop. I ended up putting everything back the way it came from MiniSpares. Let's just say now I really know the intricacies of a radius arm and how an adjustable reamer works!

Somehow it didn't occur to me the arm was built ready to go. The extra parts with the pivot really threw me off.

[scalpel_ninja]

Right side arm came in today. It's configured the same as the other side, meant to be ready to install. The bronze bushing on the right was reamed to a slightly better tolerance, both acceptable for now.

[scalpel_ninja]

Started to reassemble the rear swing arm, shock, and brake backplate. Had to pause because I didn't have a long enough new grade 8 bolt to hold the handbrake bracket against the backplate.

So I started fit the turn indicator stalk and fiddled with the steering wheel and horn. I noticed the Mountney horn has this wire running into the steering column core and exits out a hole to the side. There's a red plastic retention bushing that holds the wire between the steering column core and surrounding shaft. However, I can't seem to figure out where the wire is supposed to exit the black outer shaft?

[scalpel_ninja]

I reassembled the rear hub and when I torqued the castle nut to 60 ft-lbs, the top of the nut clears where the split pin is supposed to go.

When I installed the Timken bearings into the hub, I made sure to measure the depth of where the outer race is supposed to sit (I think the cutoff is 12mm and mine was less), and it didn't need the included spacer; or does it? When torqued down, there is ever so slightly some play in the hub.

Am I supposed to add another or thicker washer under the castle nut so the slits will line up with the holes in the axle?

[94touring]

Could you zoom out a bit?  I can't tell what the castle nut is even up against there. Nothing looks familiar to me.

[scalpel_ninja]

Could you zoom out a bit?  I can't tell what the castle nut is even up against there. Nothing looks familiar to me.

Yup, sorry about that. Here's another angle.

[94touring]

That doesn't appear to be the proper diameter washer to me. It only needs to press against the center of the bearing. It makes me wonder if it's binding on the actual bearings and not giving proper thrust. Off the top of my head don't know what the book says for rear axle nut torque, nor do I care,  I do them "snug and free spinning no lateral in out".  I just redid a set for a guy where they were gorilla tight. Maybe that was factory torque spec but they'd for sure cook the rear bearings that tight. The washer had even bent concave.  The castle nut shouldn't be that far inward in relation to the axle holes either. Is it possible you have all wrong stuff?

[scalpel_ninja]

The radius arm (already assembled with the stub axle), bearings, washer, and castle nut were all ordered new from Mini Spares. Only the hub and backplate are old.

The bearings' item number is GHK1805 and it appears to the the right model for all classic mini rear axles. The washer seems to only contact the center part of the bearing and just hovers over the rollers.

[94touring]

Refresh my memory. Was this radius arm originally for wet suspension?  Without researching I can't remember off the top of my head if early hubs were also different. I know some had spacers.  I can't recall if the spacers were deleted going from ball bearings to taper roller bearings though.  The bearing kit you ordered is what I use on everything. 

[scalpel_ninja]

Refresh my memory. Was this radius arm originally for wet suspension?  Without researching I can't remember off the top of my head if early hubs were also different. I know some had spacers.  I can't recall if the spacers were deleted going from ball bearings to taper roller bearings though.  The bearing kit you ordered is what I use on everything. 

I appreciate your help.

This radius arm is for dry suspension. I pulled ball bearings from the car when I disassembled it. The hub might be early because this is a 1960 vehicle. Spacers might make sense.

[94touring]

I know I've pressed old hubs apart with a spacer but it wasn't used with taper bearings. If your bearing races are pressed tight into the hub there really isn't much reason for thrust play with the  nut tightened down. Have you tried putting the brake drum on and tightening a couple lugs to see if it binds against the back plate.  Kind of a toss in the dark there but if it's binding might reveal something screwy going on, given your axle holes aren't lining up either.

[94touring]

I reassembled the rear hub and when I torqued the castle nut to 60 ft-lbs, the top of the nut clears where the split pin is supposed to go.

When I installed the Timken bearings into the hub, I made sure to measure the depth of where the outer race is supposed to sit (I think the cutoff is 12mm and mine was less), and it didn't need the included spacer; or does it? When torqued down, there is ever so slightly some play in the hub.

Am I supposed to add another or thicker washer under the castle nut so the slits will line up with the holes in the axle?

Is your nut this thick? It looks pretty thin in your photo.

[scalpel_ninja]

I reassembled the rear hub and when I torqued the castle nut to 60 ft-lbs, the top of the nut clears where the split pin is supposed to go.

When I installed the Timken bearings into the hub, I made sure to measure the depth of where the outer race is supposed to sit (I think the cutoff is 12mm and mine was less), and it didn't need the included spacer; or does it? When torqued down, there is ever so slightly some play in the hub.

Am I supposed to add another or thicker washer under the castle nut so the slits will line up with the holes in the axle?

Is your nut this thick? It looks pretty thin in your photo.

The photo has a shadow cast on the nut. It should be the exact one from the stock photo. I think when I put the drum on, it does rub against the backplate, though I'll need to check and see if the old backplate has any deformities.

[94touring]

Occasionally there's slight rubbing but it shouldn't bind when the lugs are torqued to spec. Does the rear hub "clunk" if you pull and push in and out?  There really shouldn't be any movement, loose zero tolerance is the goal.

[scalpel_ninja]

When the drum, wheel and lugs are installed, there is still some audible play.