4 replies to this topic

[longbridge4life]

1989 austin mini thirty

Steering rack question??
Hi everyone Ive got a cracked steering rack boot/gaiter and need to change it.Its the first time i will of attempted it and want to know do i just pile a big blob of LM grease around everything before sliding the new boot on,or do i have to fill the rack with SAE EP90 oil?
I read another site where a guy jacked up his mini high on one side and poured the oil down the gaiter to fill the rack any advice appricaited.

Bushes question??
While im at it i want to change the tie rods probably with originals again and wondered what bushes/rubbers to go for? Id prefer something that doesnt wear out to quickly and is not to harsh to drive.
While everythings apart i want to change as many rubbers as i can whats your advice stay original or go poly.......or mix.Ps Its a city car with stage one with no plan on racing hehe.

While im at it i may fit new track rod ends and knuckle joints.... eeeek :S
Your advice would be appriciated

[enigma]

hi my gaiters came with a packet of grease, so i would go with grease.

for the tie rods i would say the mini spares bush kit or similar which are both poly but gives you a harder one for the ouside.my experience of normal rubber products of late is they dont last so i always use poly now personally.if all the rubbers are worn they are worth changing as it does make a difference and the mot man will appreciate it aswell?! when i first got mine i got one of them £38 for a car set polybush sets and they are doing me proud on my daily.three years and 30,000 later.

assuming you have the tools knuckles are cheap and track rod ends but is there anything wrong with the ones you have? not the most fun jobs!! if you do the knuckles have you a gaitor tool? i made a tool bent like a shepards crook out of a coat hanger hook which you can use to ease the rubber over the cup and round the back make it a doddle will try and post a picture ,on monday if this doesnt make sense.

[longbridge4life]

Thanks for the advice enigma
I think ill go down the poly route they are the most available on ebay etc.I like the idea of a hard and regular one on the tiebars.I just had an mot and passed with flying colours that was with a split gaiter and split dust cover on the knuckle.No complaints thou its giving me time to correct these things.My plan was to replace the track rod ends purely because they were coming off to do the gaiters,not sure if there worn or not.Then buy a cone compressor and remove the trumpet and fit new knuckles.that tool sounds handy you mentioned.Would i need that if i was fitting a complete new knuckle with cover already attached.

Im hoping i can replace the tiebars & bushes,knuckle joints & track rod ends with the regular tools i have plus buying a cone compressor and joint splitter....do you reckon thats all id need?? Once its all done and ive had it tracked/balanced im hoping the handiling will of improved and the steering wobble at 50mph will have gone fingers crossed.

[Dan]

Your steering rack certainly doesn't need oil and more than likely doesn't need any new grease either. Steering gaiters don't do quite the same thing as CV gaiters. They are mainly there to prevent water getting into the rack rather than grease getting out whereas CV gaiters do both. The grease doesn't really have any desire to leave the rack, it never gets hot enough to flow very far. By all means smear whatever you can get to with some LM while the gaiter is off but don't go crazy with it.

Rubber lasts a lot longer than poly. There are some things that poly is ideal for but many that it is terrible for. Bottom arms for example should never use poly bushes. Rubber is a lot more expensive to produce than poly, has a shelf life which poly doesn't and is heavier and so more expensive to transport and yet all motor manufacturers still choose to use it. It's because rubber is fit for purpose and plastic isn't. Poly is plastic, it deforms plasticly. Take a poly bush out a year after fitting it and it will stay the same shape as whatever you had it fitted to, rubber takes a lot longer to harden to that degree.

[enigma]

hi tools wise cant think off hand that you need anything special as long as you have the compressor and joint splitter,and a decent selection of imperial tools.

on the knuckles i always take the cup off and fit by gently prizing in the plastic cup with a big rubber mallet used gently.then when you are assembling the cone in situe i often find the rubber slips off.the end of a coat hanger will not damage the rubber while you push around under the lip to get slipped a back over if that makes sense i always found it infuriating and my response for something like that is what tool do i need or make!!!

i knew there would be a debate about rubbers! views often differ! the theory of rubber being better is sound but i have tried everywhere and no matter were they come from they are perished in no time.i feel that modern reproduction parts in rubber are made to lower standards and if poly items make the feel car taught and lasts longer i am happy to be told i am doing the wrong thing .it suits me! only you can decide! either way if you replace worn bushes the car will be improved.