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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Rear Suspension Squeaks

Has any one got any tips for reducing an annoying squeak that has just developed from my rear suspension. I don't believe there is too much wrong as it was rebushed a couple of years ago, and I don't want to do much in the way of stripping down as the summer driving season is just starting..I hope..

Thanks for any suggestions or tips to try.

Regards
Steve Lowiss
s lowiss

steve i suspect someone is going around and fitting squeaks into mgs. in the last week the rear of my midget has developed an anoying squeak and i can not work out where its coming from.
roy j

Spray WD-40 at them (quite heavily)

It will work its way into most of them and prevent the squeaks for a while anyway without harming the rubber.

When you do re-bush it, use a good poly bush kit and the proper lubrication when fitting.
PeterJMoore

aerosol rubber or nylon lubricant, depending on which type bushes you have installed.
David Smith

WD-40 is not a lubricant, it displaces water. Though it has some slipperiness, if you want to spray an aerosol oil or grease for a go at a quick countermeasure, then by all means use a lubricant like white lithium grease (aerosol), or bicycle cable lubricant (compressed, and comes with a fitting to help inject it into small spaces).

When / if you do remove any of the bushings, slather them with a liberal dose of anti-seize compound, both to prevent noise and to prevent rust in the fasteners. Good poly kits come with a proper grease, as noted by Peter above.


Norm
Norm Kerr

I use to spray Teflon spray (from the bicycle shop) between the spring leaves. It works for one year only

Flip
Flip Brühl 948 frog 59

The ball joint on the damper drop links can seize up.

You can test this. Free them off a bit by undoing the plate from the axle/leaf spring and "working" it a bit. You will end up replacing them. (not expensive or difficult)
R Fowler

You got a couple of loose sluppy nuts un-screwing away in your rearend, probably just pounding away with wreakless abandon, No lube will help that situation....LOL


Seriously... I always check the hardware in the rear axle assembly/ suspenion area every oil change, and there is always something that has worked it self out of spec....Id put a wrench on the whole works right away if you havent done so in the last 3-5000 miles

Prop
Prop

Prop,

the torque issue that you describe alarms me.

Not to go off topic here, but are you sure they were torqued correctly (using a torque wrench?).

The reason why I ask is that while we usually focus on making sure something is "tight enough", we can, all too easily, over torque unintentionally. An over torqued fastener will lose its torque after a few thousand miles because the material has been stretched beyond its yield point. That permanent deformation makes the torque be less than it should be, and if it ended up less than the intended minimum, the result becomes a loose fastener.

Note that using anti-seize (or any lubrication) means that we should reduce the torque target by 20 ~ 30%.

If you have any fastener that you find loose in a suspension, especially if it ever happens a second time, that fastener ought to be replaced with a new one as the old one, if stretched like described above, is no longer trustworthy.

A suspension, assembled with all new fasteners, ought never need any tightening (though, I do agree that it should be checked after the first few thousand miles of use, just because).

Norm "torque" Kerr

Norm Kerr

Thanks for the tips, I'll certainly look for some 'Teflon Spray' for the leaf springs, and some 'aerosol rubber lubricant' for spraying into my rear leaf spring front bushes.

A further plea, does anyone know any suitable UK products which fit the bill and they would recommend.

Thanks again as always for the help. It is certainly much appreciated.

Steve Lowiss
s lowiss

Norm,

Ive wondered that myself about needing new hardware, luckly its all getting replaced later in the year when I do my RX7 rearend install. I have to admit I dont use a torque wrench just a good tightening with a wrench

but we have talked on a number of occassions about loose hardware in the rear end here on the BBS...As common as it is, I really think its a must need to maintaince item, besides it only takes about 5 minutes total from 1st stroke of the jack handle to to the release of the jack

but I have to admit, Im a bit anal when it comes to midget maintance, the car hates neglect.

Prop
Prop

This thread was discussed between 21/04/2010 and 23/04/2010

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