13 replies to this topic

[mk=john]

Hi
As part of my mini rebuild, I have replaced front wheel bearings, ball joints etc. the ar has trin leading drum brakes at the front.

On working on the car this evening, I noticed there is slight play in the front wheels, I have not checked to see if its the bearing or ball joints. I know how to check for that.

I can't really understand why this play exists as I was very careful in assembly, loaded everything with grease correctly, torqued up everything as it says in the manual. I have torqued the front hub nuts to 60 lb.ft, as is specified for front drum brakes.

The car hasn't even been on the road yet!

My question is, is any play at all an MOT failure? I want to take the car in for MOT very soon and don't have the time to put it right now.

Thanks

John

[Ethel]

Some play is acceptable, even desirable. It's a bit subjective how much is acceptable, not much. I'd say any thing that feels "clunky", with distinct stops to the movement, is suspect.

[mini danny]

i had this after i replaced my wheel bearing and i actully found out it was that the ball jiont (i think) was low on grease filled it with grease and the play went

[1984mini25]

Did you torque the hub nuts up first with a flat washer, but without the cone washer to seat the CV joint into the bearing?

[Big_Adam]

Which way you got play?

Wiggling it different ways means different things. Or did you strip it back to just the drive hub and wiggle it?

[mk=john]

Which way you got play?

Wiggling it different ways means different things. Or did you strip it back to just the drive hub and wiggle it?

I don't remember torqueing the hub nut with a flat washer first. Why do i ned to do that? Also, I just checked the play in the wheel again, and it is only evident when I rock the wheel at the top and bottom. There seems to be no play side to side. I guess this means the balljoints are what need attention?

But again, I was careful when assembling these these, and the ball shanks have slight resistance under the domed nut as mentioned in the haynes manual.

Edited by mk=john, 16 October 2010 - 08:48 PM.

[Ethel]

You won't need a flat washer with drum hubs - well you do: there's already one(that stays on) instead of the split taper jobby you find on disc hubs.

[midridge2]

bushes on the bottom arm.

[stevede]

Which way you got play?

Wiggling it different ways means different things. Or did you strip it back to just the drive hub and wiggle it?

I don't remember torqueing the hub nut with a flat washer first. Why do i ned to do that? Also, I just checked the play in the wheel again, and it is only evident when I rock the wheel at the top and bottom. There seems to be no play side to side. I guess this means the balljoints are what need attention?

But again, I was careful when assembling these these, and the ball shanks have slight resistance under the domed nut as mentioned in the haynes manual.

I found a similar issue when I built my ball joints. I found if difficult to get them spot on and then whilst going through the "trail and error" found that as the initial coating etc, wore of the top of the pin and the inside of the dome, that they became quite loose.

I adpoted the the method of setting them initially quite tight, working the joint for a time, almost to "run them in " if you like, and then stripping, cleaning & re-assembling.

From my (limited), experience, if you built new items and had "slight" resistance on build, if your components have acted the same as mine did, (genuine parts), then this is where I would be looking first.

Best of luck

Regards

Steve

[Hekmat]

Which way you got play?

Wiggling it different ways means different things. Or did you strip it back to just the drive hub and wiggle it?

I don't remember torqueing the hub nut with a flat washer first. Why do i ned to do that? Also, I just checked the play in the wheel again, and it is only evident when I rock the wheel at the top and bottom. There seems to be no play side to side. I guess this means the balljoints are what need attention?

But again, I was careful when assembling these these, and the ball shanks have slight resistance under the domed nut as mentioned in the haynes manual.

I replaced the ball joints on my car recently, I found this guide very usefull. It takes care of the "initial ware".

[mk=john]

Which way you got play?

Wiggling it different ways means different things. Or did you strip it back to just the drive hub and wiggle it?

I don't remember torqueing the hub nut with a flat washer first. Why do i ned to do that? Also, I just checked the play in the wheel again, and it is only evident when I rock the wheel at the top and bottom. There seems to be no play side to side. I guess this means the balljoints are what need attention?

But again, I was careful when assembling these these, and the ball shanks have slight resistance under the domed nut as mentioned in the haynes manual.

I replaced the ball joints on my car recently, I found this guide very usefull. It takes care of the "initial ware".

Hiya
I had a look at the video, and it is very good. However, I guess my real question is would MOT inspectors fail a car with ANY front play in the balljoints? It is very slight and is something I could sort out over Christmas.

[Carlos W]

Unfortunatley the only way to truely answer that (in my opinion) is to get the car MOT'd and see if it fails!

[Carlzilla]

i got off with an advisory the other day with a little play, something im going to sort ASAP though, but you may not be as lucky

[1984mini25]

My question is, is any play at all an MOT failure?

More than likely yes it would, I’d be surprised though if the play wasn’t taken up with a bit of grease.

I’ve normally found when fitting new ball joints, fit and grease as normal then once they have settled in, pump them with a bit more grease.