No clean em up and use them again
If you fit synthetic type bushes such as Nolathane or Nolatec then they will be tight on the spindle anyway.

Rubber, I am not sure that that is the ideal replacement material given the superiority of the modern types. Do the tie rod bushes at the same time with the same material (rubber or synthetic).

Use copious amounts of the lubricant supplied when fitting them.

The wear on the spindle arms is not bad at all compared to some.

yeah, i was thinking about it afterwards and i decided that the amount of force required to shear the end off that rod would be far higher than the forces that are normally generated in the suspension anyway.

I was also thinking about nolathane bushes because i had heard that they are heaps better. Are there any other bushes that i should be replacing at the same time (apart from the tie rods)? I will probably just get a complete set of nolathane bushes if they are available from my local Mini shop.

Replacing the tie rod bushes will require a wheel alignment as well won't it? My wheels probably need aligning anyway because I haven't had them done since i got the car (about a year ago)

Well, rubber has 1 benefit over all these so-called improvements like Nolathane- it can be compressed to form a `live rubber bush'. As used in that joint from 1966? on, with the steel bush in them.
Nolathane bushes can't stand this, they would break up. That's why they are never compressed hard, and come with grease to lubricate their bores.

I put stock rubber/steel bushes in mine, 12 years/75,000 miles ago. I bought some new ones recently but guess what- the old ones are still fine.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

I got some Noltec urethane bushes from my local Mini shop. Now i am stuck again, trying to get the bushes onto the spindle/rod that the lower control arm pivots on. I tried using a puller to push them on, but it kept pulling crooked. I put plenty of grease on them to try to help, but it is still really hard. Does anyone have any tips?

i am bout to do the front knucles but don't have a cone compressor . .. howd you go about making one?

get a mouse trap and some ratsac problem solved

post someething in wanted or mini chat for a cone compresser, i think there is a way to make 1 or someone will lend u 1

cheers

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-jamie-
1963morris 850
1965 solid side van
1994 rover racecar

Thanks for your help guys, and sorry that I was too lazy to post the solution to my problem Anyway, I managed to fix the problem last time by greasing up the suspension more and it went away. I also managed to work out how to replace the bushes.

Only problem is that the squeaking is back

I can grease it up again and it will probably solve the problem, but I was wondering - Is this something I should be concerned about, or should I just keep greasing it every time it starts squeaking? It has only been about 5 months since I greased it last time, and in my manual it says that these joints should only be greased every 6 months. I guess they are probably a bit worn out after being used for 30 odd years though and probably leak grease out faster than they should.


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Fiji, sorry for not replying - I didn't see that you had posted that. I made my spring compressor from a piece of 3/4 UNF (I think) threaded rod, a nut, and a steel spreader plate. It details it in the white Vizard book (How to Modify your Mini?). Basically I remove the cover on the subframe tower, put on the spreader plate, thread the rod into the top of the rubber cone (inside the tower, I think it is supposed to be exactly 9 turns, but it says what it is in the book) and put a nut on and tighten it against the spreader plate. I also use a flywheel nut (but any large nut will do) under the nut that is on the rod to help spread the load nicely.

Vizard's one is slightly more complicated - I have to hold the top of mine with vice grips to stop the rod turning and screwing further into the rubber cone when I tighten the nut because I don't have 2 different threads on it.

hmmm. I hope that all made sense