Squeaky suspension

[Shooter63]

While out in the car at the weekend I noticed that there is a squeak coming from the front suspension, is there some special lube to use or will good old wd40 quiet things down?

Shooter

[spegru]

I used to have alot of squeaking from all over due to the rear end bushes having been assembled dry. Are you sure it's at the front?
If so then the rocker arm is from a Classic Mini trailing arm axle/shaft, complete with roller bearings and grease nipple - could be worth having a look in case it's seized up like they do on Minis
If it's not that then it's probably like mine which still squeaks a bit. Could be worth some disassembly and greasing. I doubt WD40 would get in very far although it's worth a try
I think stylussprinter has also said something about the bush tubes being too short and causing this - Rob?

Edit in 2022: This now appears to be wrong. My apologies to anyone misled

Ive just come here several years later to say that the above info does not appear to be correct, although I remember it being told to me by one Peter Powell.
The Mini radius arm bearing is 13H442 and is a needle roller at one end and a bronze bush at the other. However now needing to replace one of these bearings I think that it is actually from the Front suspension arm. The sizes tally along with the fact there are two of them. the shaft itself is likely also the same as it does not have the end on grease nipple that the rear one has. Of course even the application is near enough identical
So I'm just about to order myself a front suspension arm repair kit from mini spares

[stylussprinter]

The squeaking can be the result of incorrect wishbone fitting plus bush fitting. Once you've fitted the two poly tophats with grease on the inner side , so the stainless steel inner can be rotated within the bush when clamped VERY tight by the pivot bolt --- then check with a straight edge that there's a visible gap between the end of the s.steel inner and the poly bush , say 0.5mm is enough each end.(if not , then use a socket large enough to go over the steel inner but touch the poly ----- hit it VERY hard with a club hammer till both sides are absolutely in to the maximum --- this should leave the 0.5mm gap) If this isn't enough then remove the bush and either grind 0.5mm from each side of the steel outer on the wishbone or rear link OR as I did when building my car , ground down 0.5mm from each poly tophat to acheive the same gap.
NEXT-- when fitting the link or wishbone , if a gap is obvious when slipping the wishbone complete with bush between the chassis mount --- washer the gap with appropriate washers (ie. only just slip over the bolt -- NOT the s.steel inner tube) , so that once tightly clamped up by the bolt , the central s.steel bush inner gets bolted so that it CANNOT ever rotate --- this ensures the poly will rotate around that inner s.steel inner tube --- and don't spare your effort when bolting up as tight as possible
If the inside of the poly bush is dry or there's no 0.5mm gap each end and the chassis mounts bend inwards and actually grip the poly ---- squeaking will be the result

[spegru]

I used to have alot of squeaking from all over due to the rear end bushes having been assembled dry. Are you sure it's at the front?
If so then the rocker arm is from a Classic Mini trailing arm axle/shaft, complete with roller bearings and grease nipple - could be worth having a look in case it's seized up like they do on Minis
If it's not that then it's probably like mine which still squeaks a bit. Could be worth some disassembly and greasing. I doubt WD40 would get in very far although it's worth a try
I think stylussprinter has also said something about the bush tubes being too short and causing this - Rob?

Ive just come here several years later to say that the above info does not appear to be correct, although I remember it being told to me by one Peter Powell. Maybe I mis heard.The Mini radius arm bearing is 13H442 and is a needle roller at one end and a bronze bush at the other. However now needing to replace one of these bearings I think that it is actually from the Front suspension arm. The sizes tally along with the fact there are two of them. the shaft itself is likely also the same as it does not have the end on grease nipple that the rear one has. Of course even the application is near enough identical
So I'm just about to order myself a front suspension arm repair kit from mini spares

The needle roller bearings on my 97 stylus are 3/4x1x3/4" and labelled Torrington, which appears to tally with 25.4*19.05mm that as well as being sold for the front suspension is also sold for the Mini A series Idler gear

[stylussprinter]

Glad you sorted the sourse of squeaking , obviously your rockers were dry but had assumed they would be greased regularly . I am amazed clubstylus is working again , as it's been dead for years , only reading possible . Werner must be responsible for this update then

[spegru]

Hi there Stylussprinter, The forum has been working for a while now, although few visitors it seems.

Anyway I can confirm that the whole front upper rocking arm pivot pin bearing arrangement on my 97 Stylus is indeed from the equivalent part from a classic mini - both bearing and shaft. Pretty good value at about £15 a side too from Minispares in Potters Bar. My bearings looked fine but did not move freely, presumably due to grit. It was a bad sign that I had to hammer the shaft out when I needed to repair/reinforce the rocker arm (in the manner you did for me on the other side a few years ago!). Sure enough the shaft then refused to go in again. With a new shaft and bearings it was just a push fit!

spegru

[stylussprinter]

Well done you , it's always very satisfying sorting an issue yourself , at least you understood why it was tight . Sadly there is no written paper build manual these days but most things can be found on here if you spend enough time searching . SILTECH RACING now own the rights/jigs etc . Father and son , both very good engineers , Dennis and Andy Silman . I used to compete against Andy who was mighty quick , probably why I eventually beat him to the championship . You can't get quicker chasing guys only a tad quicker than yourself . I'm 78yrs now and don't compete in my Stylus but do get it on track occasionally . Last sprint at Goodwood in it was 2017 .