Hey guys,

I broke the top engine steady at the thermostat housing on my clubby last week. Ordered a new bracket, and bushes from Northern Mini Spares. I know the 1100 and 1275 steady's are different but not HOW they are different.

The old steady on the car was bodgy as hell anyway. But when I got the 1275 bracket(thermostat housing end), it seems to be about 1/4 inch too wide where the buishings fit in (Bushings are a loose fit) and the bracket seems to be about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch too long, when fitted to the original steady bar. Is the steady bar for a 1275 different to the 1100, or just the bracket??

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

EDIT, I now have some pics, for a little closer examination, I'll be firing em off to NMP overnight, and asking what their recommendation is.

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"He's always been a dickhead, He always is a dickhead, He will always be a dickhead. So stop complaining when he acts like one."

Hey I am not sure if I can help but I just recently replaced my thermostat housing and renewed my top engine steady bracket + steady bar. When I looked at the parts manual to figure out your exact question it just looked too complicated.

All i know is that with the correct bracket and bar it is already a very tight fit so I wouldn't count on exchanging parts between 1275 and 1100...

Good luck

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

I think you will find that they are the same. I can't be certain but 1100 and 1275 motor's are all but idneticle i size. The bar will fit in. I had one on there, but found it too hard to get it out when you remove the engine. it is too hard to get out because it is an absolute pig to get in. What i did was took the drivers side engine steady out, undid the remote change on the gearbox so that the engine was only held in place by the engine mounts. you can then push it enough for someone else to get the bolt in. Replace everything and off you go. It won't move, but it will be a pig to get out just as it is to get in.

There you go!

It took a mighty effort to get my top bar and bracket in! Broke more than a sweat doing it.

I am thinking about replacing my 30yr old left side steady bar too but that also looks hard, esp with the heater in the way...

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

Nope, there is definitely something weird. The original bar still fits the firewall mount(very tight due to new bushings). The bracket will fit over the thermostat housing. But the connection between the two is way out of wack.

Its not tight between the bar and the bracket(drops in without even compressing the bushes and still has a gap). When they are bolted loose together, it is a long way out from mounting correctly.

There is definitely a difference between the 1275, and the smaller engine brackets. I just dont know what it is. I'll call NMP tomorrow, and see if I have the wrong bar or something. Either that or the new bracket has been manufactured way out of tolerance.

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"He's always been a dickhead, He always is a dickhead, He will always be a dickhead. So stop complaining when he acts like one."

Installation of my steady bar and thermostat steady bracket/plate thingy was tight, and I mean TIGHT. I can shake the hole car by grabbing either and whobbling it. It's a very firm fit...

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

BUMP!, for the pics

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"He's always been a dickhead, He always is a dickhead, He will always be a dickhead. So stop complaining when he acts like one."

phil you want me to send one up as discussed in our privates ??
makka

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Anonymous moderation means the agro that is built up towards the mods isn't aimed at an individual (fewer "Makk" attacks). Less stress for mods means less moderator "retirements".

I just want to find out why the damn thing wont fit. if it's the bracket or the bar. I've fired off the email to NMP. hopefully, they'll have an answer for me, tomorrow.

Thanks very much for your offer , though.

P.S Just for anyones interest, the old engine steady was a full on home bodgy. The guy I bought it off even said so, when I bought it. He just made up his own steady bracket, and welded it to make it fit.

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"He's always been a dickhead, He always is a dickhead, He will always be a dickhead. So stop complaining when he acts like one."

Errr is it just me or is the steady bar upsidedown?? i installed mine with the bump towards the sky

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

If you leave that gap in there, the poly bushes will chop out, quick. And they really need some grease inside when you assemble, same reason. Not for the original rubber ones, though..

<edit> you could put a couple of washers between the `rubbers', or maybe a wide one on top. I found the red Nolathane ones have a gap between- they really should butt up tight.

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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.

Those piccies were just taken on top of a bench while I was at work, and the boss was talking to me LOL. Had to get the photo's and finish the job I was meant to be working on. Just took the pics as they were so I could send em to NMP.

Yer absolutely correct Makka. Those bushes should be a tight compression fit. I vasso'd the other end of the rod up to fit it in the bulkhead mount, and its nice and tight. But that gap on the bracket had me concerned, along with the overall length.

I saw the local mini dude today, and the brackets he had were like an inch shorter overall. Got me bloody foozed now.

Even if I shim it out, it's still a bit too long by my reckoning, I gotta get new bolts anyway. The one in the bulkhead mount is a Wood fixing bolt

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"He's always been a dickhead, He always is a dickhead, He will always be a dickhead. So stop complaining when he acts like one."

Got my reply from NMP as follows:

Hi Phil,
On every job we do on the braket we put a washer on the bottom surface area to make it compress properly and we also cut the original steady bar and re-weld it.
Regards Andrew

Seems a bit sad, considering they could just make the bracket the right size.

Might just make one myself at work instead.

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"He's always been a dickhead, He always is a dickhead, He will always be a dickhead. So stop complaining when he acts like one."

If making one, why not make 2 piece- thread the middle bit so it's adjustable, like a turnbuckle. Lh/Rh threads would be trick but not necessary.

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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.

is you car rod change or remote ??
makka

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Anonymous moderation means the agro that is built up towards the mods isn't aimed at an individual (fewer "Makk" attacks). Less stress for mods means less moderator "retirements".