15 replies to this topic

[AntsClubby]

Hey,
Both my rear radius arms are siezed i think!
Ive took them off and the stud going through wont budge...even with mole grips and a thck cloth!

Call me dumb but there supposed to move on the needle bearings( as supplied in a rebuild kit) are they not?
They must be seized!

Ive tried to get the studs/pins out the arm but they wont budge at all!
Am i stuffed? Do i need new/exchange ones or could a garage press them out for me?

Ive replaced the front top arm studs/pins they came out no probs even though the bearings were seized.

Are there any tricks or tips to get them out?
Cheers

[icklemini]

Shaft, bearing and bush probably all scrap....

You rebuilding the arms? - or sending them back as exchange on some rebuilt ones?

[AntsClubby]

Can i exchange seized ones then? Ive seen mini spares do a £45ish swap for each but i thought that would be for good stripped ones, not nakard old ones? I was going to just buy a repair kit with all pins, studs, bushes etc and do it myself but if ill need to get a garage to press the studs out ( not stud axle, both fine) that will prob be £20, then £25 for the repair kits....would i be best off just spending £90 for some exchange ones?

Im guessing this is a fairly common prob as an "exchange" kit is offered?

[icklemini]

Can i exchange seized ones then? Ive seen mini spares do a £45ish swap for each but i thought that would be for good stripped ones, not nakard old ones?

Well the idea of the exchange is that when the pin/bearing/bush is nakrd - you can exchange it for a shiny rebuilt one. as long as there is no damage to the arm... then yep it should be fine to exchange...

I was going to just buy a repair kit with all pins, studs, bushes etc and do it myself but if ill need to get a garage to press the studs out ( not stud axle, both fine) that will prob be £20, then £25 for the repair kits...

dont forget the bush will need reaming to size too... to be honest doubt it would be as low as £20 at a machine shop for the pair...

Go for the exchange arms..... they come all painted, rebuilt and ready to go!

[AntsClubby]

I thought the reaming was only for older minis with the bronze bushes? mines a mk3 clubby 1980...will that need doing then?
Mini spares say they dont accept the older ones as there such a pain to repair so guessed that if mine are later ones thell just be ready to fit, thought that would be the idea of an exchange?

[AntsClubby]

Sorry just re-read your post...the exchanged ones are ready to fit...if i buy a repair kit they will need reaming...is that right?
Cheers

[icklemini]

I thought the reaming was only for older minis with the bronze bushes? mines a mk3 clubby 1980...will that need doing then?

all the arms i have ever seen have a bush at one end and a bearing at the other... right up to the last MPis...

[icklemini]

Sorry just re-read your post...the exchanged ones are ready to fit...if i buy a repair kit they will need reaming...is that right?
Cheers

yep - the kit is just that: a kit of bits you have to fit...

[AntsClubby]

So if i was to buy exchange arms (mini spares TRA32 & 33) they would be just ready to fit as delivered, no reaming etc?

[icklemini]

yes they are ready to fit!!! - no reaming needed..

as it says in the product description.. "Rebuilt arms come with bushes & bearing's installed and reamed."

obviously you have to fit the brakes and handbrake quadrants etc,..

Edited by icklemini, 11 May 2012 - 10:44 PM.

[AntsClubby]

Thats great news...only out of stock! Mini sport have ones to order at £58 each, refund inc....hows the quality compare if you know? They say built to highest standards but they would i suppose!ha!

[icklemini]

i have never used the minisport ones, so cant really comment
perhaps try phoning minispares to check stock?

Edited by icklemini, 11 May 2012 - 11:16 PM.

[AntsClubby]

Just out of interest...mini spares are sometimes cheaper sometimes more expensive, and sometimes out of stock of most the bits needed to do general repairs.
Why do most " only use them? "

I know you get what you pay for etc but soon as you mention any other supplier opinions change.

Not a moan or dig at all just a general question :)

[Ethel]

Minispares have more outlets so more people can call in, they also seem to carry a fuller range of parts. It's unlikely either company will refurb their own arms, they might even come from the same works. I'd think as arms to refurb are getting scarcer, they'll be less likely to reject exchanges - as long as they are straight and the bearings haven't gone to the point where they've worn the actual casting. Ring Minisport, if you opt to use them, you can ask about the arms, warranties etc, and check they actually have them in stock - usually the cause for most of their customer gripes. Also check ebay and other online suppliers, it might even be worth trying a local motor factors - they may even do more business, for other models, with the refurbishers and get better terms.

[tiger99]

The pins will come out with a hammer, if the arm is supported around the edge, so that it can push the siezed bearing out too. But I can't believe that they are as tight as that, if you have been running the car, otherwise your subframe would have cracked around the mounting holes for the pivot pin, so check it carefully. But if you go for reconditioned arms, really the only option, the reconditioner will get them out, so no need to worry.

Whatever you do, do not buy rebuild kits and expect some local engineering company to ream them, because it needs a very special reamer, used only for Minis, with a very long shank which is guided by a bush at the inner end of the arm, so that the outer bush ends up parallel to the needle roller bearing. An engineering company will likely have an adjustable reamer of the correct size, but it is useless, as it will not be able to ream the bush parallel to the needle roller, and a skewed bore in the bush is no use at all.

You will definitely not be buying the special reamer, many hundreds of pounds last time I looked, so unless you know someone who has one, never buy the repair kits, just get exchange arms. It really is cheaper. Or perhaps join your local club, and persuade them to acquire a reamer for use by their members. Spread over many cars, the cost would not be too great.

Very early Australian Minis had different arms and pivot pins, with a pair of taper roller bearings, so no reaming. I only know that because I had an Australian manual once. I don't know how long they remained in production like that, or whether they turned out to be more trouble than they were worth, but I often think that such a conversion would permanently end one problem, if it worked. You can't do it with a standard UK arm, because there is not enough metal to be able to enlarge the bore to take the bearings. The other trick of not bothering with the bush and using a second needle roller does not work either, as the load at the outer end of the arm is very much higher than a needle roller bearing can cope with, which is why there is a plain bush.