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 Posted: Sep 3, 2015 04:20PM
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US

I have the exact same brackets Jeg is using but with poly bushings in all of them. No significant movement under the hood. And new poly subframe bushings keeps everything well isolated. I'll be upgrading the upper steady soon as well.

 Posted: Sep 3, 2015 01:50PM
 Edited:  Sep 3, 2015 01:55PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 66coop

I have the same EXACT thing happen. I was hearing that clicking sound. It was the right hand, rear subframe mount that had started to crack my floor. The noise was the crack openening and closing. Not too cool.

... so you know what to check first! Take the bolt right out of the firewall end of the dog-bone steady and check brackets, holes and bushing. Check also that the bot to the engine has not come loose or sheared.  Then work through all the mounts - engine and subframe.

Here's how I sorted mine: I made an upper plae out of 1/4" alloy checker plate and bolted a piece of steel angle into the cross-member for the lower bracket. In the pic, you can see the old bottom brackeet holding the clutch hose connection and the lumps of weld on it from the previous bodge.

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Sep 3, 2015 06:51AM
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I have the same EXACT thing happen. I was hearing that clicking sound. It was the right hand, rear subframe mount that had started to crack my floor. The noise was the crack openening and closing. Not too cool.

 Posted: Sep 3, 2015 04:50AM
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CA

Big AL has a good point - most of the engine support is provided by the subframe - even some of the steadies mentioned tie back to the subframe. If it gives at all, the movement may not be visually apparent. When my dog-bone's bulkhead bracket failed and its upper plate was dying of metal fatigue, I discovered the problem because of a clicking noise in the right-side footwell. Becahse of teh torque being applied to the subframe, the right rear "ear" of the front subframe was flexing the floor to the point that there was a crack in the floor panel from metal fatigue.

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Sep 3, 2015 04:38AM
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Just how good are your subframe mounts ?

Big AL

[email protected]

Niagara Ontario Canada

 Posted: Sep 1, 2015 03:45PM
jeg
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Having used additional engine steadies since 2001, I can also add that the bushes last a lot longer.

I'm probably using more than I should, but more is better than fewer...

I'm using: 

MSSK R/H/S Lower Stabilizer Kit, RH

MSSK1 L/H/S Lower Stabilizer Kit, LH

NAM3760 Bracket-Lower-Right-Front-Stabilizer but have upgraded it to MSC's  KKU10080 .

FAM2758 Stabilizer-Rod-Right-Hand-Lower-Forward (but the original cast-type).  There's an adjustable version available from MSC also, using the same part number FAM2758 .

Of course, I'm also using the standard upper engine stabilizer rearwards to the bulkhead, and I'm using a combination of road/rally poly bushes on the 'factory' stabilizers and the harder race bushes on the gearbox rearwards to subframe stabilizers.

Back in the day, I got a bit optimistic and also bought the stabilizer(s) from the thermostat housing rearwards, bought both for small bore as well as large bore, but decided it would make it too difficult to change the thermostat, so I've got them buried in a box somewhere.

 

The peasants are revolting...          

"Gone with the Wind" - a brief yet moving vignette concerning lactose intolerance

 Posted: Sep 1, 2015 12:57PM
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I'm going to give that a try tonight. I'll let you all know how it goes as my setup is simple and seems strong.

 Posted: Sep 1, 2015 10:16AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 66coop

How do you gues know if your engine is moving? Under load I mean.

Reason I ask is that I have the standard bone up top with what is either poly or delrin in it. They were installed when I bought the car and seem really stiff. My later Rover has that lower trans bushing that goes to the front of the subby. I installed these:

Put the transmission in high gear. Handbrake and engine off. Open bonnet and push/pull car against gear-train slack.  The torque coming from the wheels is strongest in top gear (and weakest from engine). When the slack is taken up, the torque will try to rock the engine/transmission (unless you've got lousy compression). You will be able to see any appreciative movement. The main point of the engine steadies is to keep the engine's delicate bits (like the carb) from banging into something with a higher torque engine it reduces the tendency for the clutch to judder, which it mght do if the lump isn't solid. If you get smooth full-power clutch engagement and accelleration, and your firewall doesn' get some strange dents or scrtches in it. you should be OK.

One easily overlookde but not rare problem is for the lower bracket on the firewall for the upper stock steady, to break loose but not be noticeable, until the sterss on the upper bracket causes the plate to fail from metal fatigue.

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Sep 1, 2015 08:23AM
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Check the bushes in your engine steady and also the firewall mounting point as they tend to crack and need re inforcing, it is hard to see unless the stabilizer bar is removed. Have someone in the drivers seat letting out the clutch with the brakes on and look for where the movement is.

If in doubt, flat out. Colin Mc Rae MBE 1968-2007.

Give a car more power and it goes faster on the straights,
make a car lighter and it's faster everywhere. Colin Chapman.

 Posted: Sep 1, 2015 07:30AM
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US

thanks all, I'll get the other lower gear box one. It's a rod shift. I get a slight rocking feel of the engine in between shifts, it's not bad, but it's there and slighty annoying. The Ultimate engine steady won't work on my application, from the images of it, I don't think I can get it to fit with all the other stuff I have in the engine bay.

Thanks all for the suggestions!

 Posted: Sep 1, 2015 06:42AM
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US

How do you gues know if your engine is moving? Under load I mean.

Reason I ask is that I have the standard bone up top with what is either poly or delrin in it. They were installed when I bought the car and seem really stiff. My later Rover has that lower trans bushing that goes to the front of the subby. I installed these:

STABILISER BUSH ONE PIECE PERFORMANCE USE STD FROM 1996 - KKF101320EVO

They are the latest type upper bushings but I used them in the lower trans steady. You have to drill out the bushing a bit to get it to fit but the combo of this and whatever I have up top, my motor certainly doesnt move when I try and move it myself and seems very stiff. Certainly vibrates the rest of my car a bit. So, thats why I ask. How do I know if this setup is actually decent?

 Posted: Aug 31, 2015 07:36PM
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CA

We run a standard dog bone and two more under the engine, one from the right front of the gearbox to the front of the subframe and one on the left rear to the rear of the subframe, holds it rock-steady

 

Sean Windrum

1996 MGF VVC
1970 1275 GT Racer
66 Austin Countryman
63 997 Cooper (Under Construction)
63 MG 1100

 

 Posted: Aug 31, 2015 07:02PM
 Edited:  Aug 31, 2015 07:03PM
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Lol...I imagine it's a rod shift  

You can get a similar one for the other side.  There is also one that goes to the front of the subframe from the gearbox.

And there is also the "ultimate engine steady", it attaches to the thermostat housing.  Easy install on RHS vehicles apparently, not so much LHS

//www.minimania.com/part/MMKT0143/Ultimate-Engine-Stabilizer-Kit-Left-Hand-Drive-Mini--Cooper

 

 

"Everybody should own a MINI at some point, or you are incomplete as a human being" - James May

"WET COOPER", Partsguy1 (Terry Snell of Penticton BC ) - Could you send the money for the unpaid parts and court fees.
Ordered so by a Judge

 

 

 

 Posted: Aug 31, 2015 04:37PM
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Remote or rod shifter?

The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it. G.B.S. Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. Oscar Wilde

//www.cupcakecooper.ca/

 Posted: Aug 31, 2015 04:05PM
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Wow a turbo...cool.

I have what you've got with the addition of the left side one.  And it still moves aroud a little even though the bushings and adjustment are good.

 Posted: Aug 31, 2015 08:07AM
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Question on how many and which ones everyone is running? I've got the normal dog bone one, and MSSK1 . I'm sure that's not enough. Anyone have any reccomendations for which other ones to get?  I'm pretty much out of room in the engine bay, so not sure which way to go.

The engine's a 1275 turbo, so space is tight. Sealed

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipMGqgn1ZFUOJrTN3AG-PKVOZYZuMtfxjMtOigk

 

thanks in advance!