Working on my mini today and noticed a small pile of crumbly blue stuff on the ground near the rear wheels. Closer inspection revealed the rear subframe mount rubbers were disintegrating. Because of the blue color I assume they were neoprene or poly but something has caused them to crumble into dust and suddenly. ???

Job for another day, but is there an easy way to replace the rubbers without removing the whole subframe?

Thanks

Subframe must be dropped to get the 2 front ones off, there is a nyloc nut in front of the frame.. this has to come off to pull the mount shaft out.

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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.

Thanks Dr Mini

Yeah, just had a good look. The radius arm has to come off to get at that nut. It's weird, the bushes have literally turned to powder.

from memory I did it with the radius arm still in, but a pry bar to push it up a bit.... I did them in a hurry once when I found the rubber nearly completely gone on one side.

the blue powder would be cheap nolathane bushes falling to bits. Better off with proper rubber ones - cheaper and last longer

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Checked my 82 moke and the original factory rubber bushes still look fine. Yep, I'll stay with rubber ones.

My opinion is Stay With Rubber on all The Mounts on Your mini Or Moke

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" A Hundred Years From Now It will not Matter what my Bank Acount Was,
The Sort Of House I Lived in, Or The Kind Of Car I drove ... But The World May Be A Better Place
Because I was Once Important In The Life Of A Child"

I've got 3 out of 4 done. Too hot to keep working in the shed. Now have to remove the fuel tank to do the last one.

Managed to get the front ones done by taking the radius arms end plate off, loosening the inside shaft nut and pushing the radius arm out of the way to get at the nylock nut. Then dropping the front of the subframe down enough to get the trunion bolt out.

The rear driver side was easy as I could access the bolts in the boot. The passenger side will need the tank moved to get at the bolts.

Mongrel job. Curses to the nolathane bushes that have a limited life. Despite this car being heavily modified, some factory parts are best in the long run.

Tomorrow morning when it's not so hot I'll finish the job, confident I'll never have to do it again because I'm using good parts. Unless I've still got the car in 35-45 years which I doubt.

Now, where else was I tricked into using nolathane bushes...... Never again.

What are you building Con?

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But he's thriving and striving and hugging the turns.

Hi JC.

At present not building so much as evolving. Upgrading brakes, new engine management system, and some minor redesign work. But I'm getting destracted with maintenance issues like dissintegrating bushes etc. But at about 35 years of age it will need some maintenance now and then i guess. Just part of the fun of having an old car.