18 replies to this topic

[sc-em]

Well, with the help of you chaps on here, I have fit the new steering rack, after much jacking to and frow to align everything, fit new track rods ends (of course) and new ball joints. Everything now feels nice at the wheel, with no play at all. So, up the road for a test ride. Fitting a new vacuum hose helped with running. Off I set. After only a few metres getting up to speed, fairly unpleasant noise from the right hand side. Quick turn around and back home. Ponder/ Could it be cv joints. Jack up  the car. Turn through all the degrees of movement. No obvious sound. Could it be the gearbox cv joint. I then looked at the driveshafts. I might be wrong, but I know one is longer than the other, but surely they are the same thickness. The photos show what I found. Maybe I am mistaken, but with all the other mongrel parts I am finding, who know. Any thoughts, please?

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[gazza82]

Is that a plastic/nylon tie wrap around the CV boot? Needs to be metal as they have a lower profile.

[Designer]

Hi,

 

I can't comment on the noise but looking at your pictures you have a load of problems with your rubber stuff.

1. Bottom right picture the boot band is coming off needs to be sorted.

2. I mght be wrong but it does not look as if there is a boot band on the joint bottom left picture.

3. Top right picture the rubber boot for the knuckle joint is not properly fitted it should be fitted over the plastic liner in the upper arm knuckle socket. You can just see it below the open end of the knuckle boot. Check other side.

4. In both upper pictures the section of rubber on the flexi brake lines as I understand it should be pushed hard up against the sub frame. Open to correction on this.

 

Paddy

[sc-em]

Hi,

 

I can't comment on the noise but looking at your pictures you have a load of problems with your rubber stuff.

1. Bottom right picture the boot band is coming off needs to be sorted.

2. I mght be wrong but it does not look as if there is a boot band on the joint bottom left picture.

3. Top right picture the rubber boot for the knuckle joint is not properly fitted it should be fitted over the plastic liner in the upper arm knuckle socket. You can just see it below the open end of the knuckle boot. Check other side.

4. In both upper pictures the section of rubber on the flexi brake lines as I understand it should be pushed hard up against the sub frame. Open to correction on this.

 

Paddy

Oh yes, I know about all the boots/rubbers that need replacing and I will probably be fitting hi lo trumpets, so will replace the knuckles anyway. Good spot though, but was the thickness of the driveshafts I was most curious about. 

[imack]

The last of the 10" wheel drum braked minis (81/82/83ish) had very skinny drive shafts, but both long and short were the same diameter.

[sledgehammer]

Firstly Make sure the swivel joint is shimmed correctly then lock over the lock washer (most important)

 

next , refill pot & cv joints as required with grease & re-fit clips/ties

knuckle joint needs a grease & rubber re-seating

was the car making the noise before you fitted rack ?

 

the disc dust plate (if fitted) can make bad noises if it touches the disc , or a stone gets in between disc & dust plate .

 

what is the condition of the engine mounts , has the engine / gearbox moved when fitting the rack ,

an engine touching the subframe / bulkhead , can make quite a row ,

Exhaust & manifolds are another place to look

Others will be along with more info

Hope you solve it - best of luck

 

also - check for anything on top of pot joint / gearbox gap a nut in that area an make a hell of a lot of noise .

Is driveshaft fouling the subframe ?  , one does look thicker than the other ?

 

Edited by sledgehammer, 13 May 2026 - 04:38 PM.

[sc-em]

The last of the 10" wheel drum braked minis (81/82/83ish) had very skinny drive shafts, but both long and short were the same diameter.

I thought they should be the same, so it looks like yet another parts bin job with two different sized drive shafts.

[sc-em]

Firstly Make sure the swivel joint is shimmed correctly then lock over the lock washer (most important)

 

next , refill pot & cv joints as required with grease & re-fit clips/ties

knuckle joint needs a grease & rubber re-seating

was the car making the noise before you fitted rack ?

 

the disc dust plate (if fitted) can make bad noises if it touches the disc , or a stone gets in between disc & dust plate .

 

what is the condition of the engine mounts , has the engine / gearbox moved when fitting the rack ,

an engine touching the subframe / bulkhead , can make quite a row ,

Exhaust & manifolds are another place to look

Others will be along with more info

Hope you solve it - best of luck

 

also - check for anything on top of pot joint / gearbox gap a nut in that area an make a hell of a lot of noise .

Is driveshaft fouling the subframe ?  , one does look thicker than the other ?

 

There doesn't seem any movement in the cv.

I think systematically go through the joint, regrease with new rubbers, clips etc. All the steering components were too lose to risk more than a cursory drive, but I can't recall any noise. No disc cover and engine mounts seem okay, but again, maybe another job whilst I am at it. Good shout with the driveshaft catching and yes, the offside is of the thinner nature compared to the nearside, but I assume the cv joints at both ends must be the same, as the gearboxes would be different. It's one of those annoying things that you need to be under the car as you are driving it.. Lol.

[sc-em]

Does it matter that the driveshafts are different thicknesses? Also, how do I definitively know what subframe it should be. There is  local bloke who has a pair of driveshafts and subframe. The later two bolt type. 

[stuart bowes]

earlier two bolt. or later single bolt,  there's either one big bolt or two smaller bolts each side.  In the engine bay at the back, by the washer pump on one side and by the fusebox and brake servos on the other, behind those triangular gussets at the sides

 

it can't be fitted with the wrong one there's literally just the wrong number and locations of holes

[sc-em]

earlier two bolt. or later single bolt,  there's either one big bolt or two smaller bolts each side.  In the engine bay at the back, by the washer pump on one side and by the fusebox and brake servos on the other, behind those triangular gussets at the sides

 

it can't be fitted with the wrong one there's literally just the wrong number and locations of holes

You say that, but mine has the holes for the two bolts in the pillars but the rubber eye mounts at the front of the subframe/ front panel, so wondered if someone had just drilled holes for the two bolt. It is supposed to be a 89 shell, but it has so many odd parts I am not sure. If the centre hole where the cone compressor goes is big enough for the single bolts then I may swap to get a better condition one.

[stuart bowes]

it's always possible something's been modified I suppose, yeah, whichever bolt you go with Id check there are anti-crush tubes in the crossmember.  just stops the crossmember deforming on tightening or with shock forces being applied, etc.  you can't just drill a big hole and stick a big bolt in there 

 

the front end I would say is more likely to be wrong just because it's an easy replacement at some point, someone probably put a newer type front panel on there.  it's less likely someone would have replaced the front cross member on the bulkhead.  Still possible, obviously, just less likely

 

front fixings can be swapped about anyway, if you have the new front panel on an older subframe, put the teardrops in.  if you have an older front panel on a newer subframe, leave them out, the frame just bolts up straight to the panel

 

that's what Ive done on mine, I wanted solid mounts, so I got the older style front panel (original rotted anyway, replacing either way) even though it's a newer style subframe, and I've just left out the rubber mounts (because they literally just dont fit in there now as theres no gap, and I would have used solid ones anyway so what's the difference)

Edited by stuart bowes, 15 May 2026 - 11:49 AM.

[sc-em]

That's all very interesting thank you. I shall post some photos of the mounts so you can see. Should it be obvious if the crush tubes are still in place? I assume if I just put my finger down the main, large hole in the centre, it should be obvious. Someone did point out that if my floors have that black tar like, sound proofing, then the shell it later regardless of the bolts, but here again, I may be wrong. Real oddity with a felt lower bush steering column. Weird!

 

 

Edited - I have just taken the photos. Within the car, there is evidence of the other holes clearly above where the bolts are now and if you look closely to the left of the top shiny new bolt head, you can make out where the other hole was. The front mount has the bush and if I stick my finger down the central hole of the bulkhead, you can clearly feel the crush tube. This would suggest that someone has had a two bolt lying around and just redrilled holes in the bulkhead cross member to fit it. I recall when I fit the lock tab, one of the holes looked a little oval, suggesting being drilled. Would you concur that it is actually more than likely a car that should have the later single bolt subframe? 

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[imack]

This looks wrong, there shouldn't be z hole visible beneath the locking plate.
I'd be tempted to remove the two bolts and plate and have a look at what's going on.
That is almost certainly a 1980's shell with an early twin bolt subframe bodged into it.

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Edited by imack, 17 May 2026 - 04:40 PM.

[sc-em]

My thoughts exactly. I have a later subframe for sale, local to me, with all the arms on. So, I think I will buy that, shot blast, rebuild and fit as it should be. The crush tube is still there, so can't think the extra holes in the bulkhead will cause a problem. It just seem like an extraordinary length to go to, to put a two bolt one in its place. The original floor holes can then be used, so I can weld some small plates over the incorrect ones or just fill with weld.