I tried the alloy teardrops, plastic at top of towers and std rubber at rear of sub. When I changed front cones/springs from std rubber to upgraded rubber I went back to all rubber sub frame mounts. The new front springs were a little harsher over tar strips and such. That was several years ago and I now have the sub frame walking around under the car. After axles ,CV s, wheel bearing, fresh tires and ride adjustment. It drives like a different car. Thinking the rack, mounts and a fresh rod change shifter assembly will hold me till my new A+ 998 power unit is ready. The 1360 Cooper S unit will come out and get freshened up a little. 

New power is 998 A+ block bored .060 press fit, 295 cyl. head with O/S valves , hard seats, a little exhaust port work. Kent 266 camshaft, 10.5 to 1 compression. Small Cooper LCB and twin 1 1/4 SU s. Torn between CR helical , CR/SC gear set along with 3.2 CWP. I build my small bores with light steel flywheels and two part Cooper balancers. Steve (CTR)

I have tried the yellow poly -front and rear, no change on the tower.. They seemed tp tighten up the front. I bought a set of alloys that I'm going to try. I think the rubber is need of replacing after all they are 24 years old.

Over the years I have run this car on 145/10 s on 5 inch wheels, 165/10 s on 4.5 wheels, 145/12 s on 4.5 wheels and now 165/12 s on 4.5 wheels. All seem to ride and drive better when the tires are new. I'm past ready to change out front sub frame mounts having the steering wheel recenter after every turn gets old. Steve (CTR)

Not at all OT. You were just daring to be stranded. It feels good to get all the suspension done. I still have to change my subframe mounts. 

A little off topic but I blew a Cooper S CV last week. I knew the boot had come off and it had been clacking for the better part of a year. Doing a three point turn bang the balls fell out and no drive. Second time in 16 years it got trailer ride, can't complain about it 's dependability just my failure to address an obvious issue. Sunday after church I replaced all four CVs, two axles and one set of wheel bearings. Buy the time I was wrapping up around 8 pm even my eye balls were sweating. Oh yeah I changed oil and filter at the same time. Remove pot joints and oil runs out and a good time to replace pot joint seals. Mounted 4 165/60/12s on Rover 4.5 alloy wheels and raise the car 1.5 inches all around. It ride so nice and handles great and I can apply all the power I want while turning. When I get a minute I plan to replace the steering rack and convert from rubber sub frame mounts to solid mounts. 

The wheel bearing in the hub with the bad CV was stuck to the CV and had to be pressed out with the CV. I did not recall having installed ball bearings in that hub. I installed a set of Timken rollers and checked pre load on the bench before greasing and adding seals. Up and down is good side to side a factor of the non rebuildable rack ends. Steve (CTR) 

I'm back at rebuilding the whole front end again. Took everything apart, even the side I started with. 

I have to say, I admit I was wrong. Both bottom Ball Joints had play. I stand corrected. I replaced them both with new and reshimed them.

Thanks.

Matched wheel bearing sets specifically for purpose contain two inner races tied into their outer races and a match ground spacer.

Did you buy and install one of these or did you purchase 'trailer bearings' which have no inner spacer and have the preload controlled entirely by the retaining nut ?

 

Ok, thanks for that clarification.

I must share my Hunter2's surprise, it is very unusual to hear that you did not receive races with the timken bearings. That is pretty unusual as they are typically sold as a matched set of inner races, spacer, and bearings so that when they are all pressed together at the proper torque then you get the correct spacing to avoid the play you are describing. 

At this point, we have no idea if the bearings are of the same taper angle as the races that are pressed into your hubs. You would HOPE so, but you dont' necessarily know which part of your old bearings was worn-- the races, the bearings or?

If you are confirmed with trying to just use the replacement bearings that you ordered, and you are comfortable that the race taper matches the bearing taper and mis-match there is not your problem, the next thing to do would be to start machining down the spacer that goes in between the bearings thinner and thinner. This is a total trial and error deal. Sandpaper glued to a slap of old countertop or glass and circle circle circle (check with calipers) circle circle circle (check with calipers) until you've got about 3thou off of it and then test fit and torque it all up. If there's still play, repeat.

I always save all of the old spacers that I remove from hubs and then I put the spacers in a little plastic tub just so I can lose them ALL at once. And then bitch about how I wish I could find them. The idea behind saving them was so I could just try different thickness ones from the used pile that I'd saved. One day I'll find them again, probably with my 10mm wrenches that I always need to bleed from the aftermarket slave cylinders and likely right next to the matching socks for all the singletons in my dresser drawer.

Tapered bearings with 8.4 discs. New Timken bearings made in USA.

One step at a time.

Did you have disc brakes or drum brakes? And the bearings that you replaced, were they tapered roller bearings or are they ball bearings?

And if the wheel bearing isn't torqued properly it will wiggle.

???  Lucas (used to ) make electrical parts.

Spent the better part of the day taking everything apart, one side. whole upright off. replace both inside and out side wheel bearings with new bearings. put everything back together and still have the slight movement.

hence the title - doing a lot of nothing

please confirm

(1) tapered roller bearings?

(2) replaced both inner and outer?

It's not the ball joints.

What...???  British Parts Northwest sells hand matched sets of taper roller bearings in the Lucas packaging.

Willie are you talking about the race? They don't sell the races with the bearings any more.

I vote with Spitz. Start by checking BJs (ball joints) with the same 12 and 6 o'clock test. Watch the ball joints as you move the wheel. It wouldn't be surprising if one or both of the ball joints were the problem to start with.

When you installed the outer bearing part in the hub, was it a tight fit or just slide right in? If it was loose the bearing has spun in the hub and worn it down.

Sure it's not BJs?