Engine steady bar - how tight should it be?

[Owlsman]

Whilst trying to find the source of (and hopefully a solution to) an annoying mouse-like squeak on my '62 saloon, I put my hand on the engine steady bar and guess what? The squeak disappeared momentarily. My 'mouse' appeared only at certain lowish revs and only when the engine was warm.

I think ESB's can take slightly different forms and the brackets secured in a variety of ways and places. Mine is welded to the horizontal plane of the main crossmember on the bulkhead. The end bolt looked all painted up/seized but I was able to start tightening it up with little effort. How tight should it be though? I realize each end has a rubber washer/bush which presumably will just compress if the bar continues to be tightened. I turned the nut 3 or 4 times 'till I felt reasonable resistance, went for a drive round the block and...…. quiet as a mouse. Mmmm, perhaps I used the wrong analogy there?

Also, the bar itself seems to consist of 2 threaded rods joined together by a long nut (sorry, there's probably a special name for this sort of joint....but you know what I mean) which I guess is for further 'fine-tuning' adjustment.

It looks as though the ESB was too loose thus allowing too much movement of the engine - which then created a squeak somewhere.

Basically, I'm asking: How tight is tight and really, what is the correct way to adjust the bar? Can it actually be overtightened?

As ever, thanks in advance of any help.

[philthehill]

The engine steady bar should be adjusted so that it is free of tension or compression load when the nuts are tightened. The rubber tie rod rubbers should not be unduly compressed when tightening the self locking nuts. See wksp man section AA.37 for details. The component parts of the tie bar are set out in wksp man section AA Fig AA.29.

There is no torque setting for the nuts you have to use your judgement as regards the tightness of the self locking nuts and compression of the rubber tie rod bushes.

The squeak usually means that the rubber bushes are worn allowing metal to metal contact. Tightening the nuts compresses the rubber into the wear void so removing the squeak.

My recommendation is to dismantle the tie rod, replace the rubber washers and assemble the tie rod and refit as per above making sure that there is no wear to either the cups or rod(s).

The bushes and cup washers are available from ESM

https://www.morrisminorspares.com/engin ... ed-p830277

https://www.morrisminorspares.com/engin ... 79-p830278

[Owlsman]

Phil - apologies, for not responding sooner with my thanks and appreciation of your (as ever) comprehensive response.

Needless to say, I've ordered said components from ESM and now look forward to 'mouse-free' classic car motoring in the future.

No doubt another noise will come along soon to occupy my attention...…..something I just don't get in my Jazz

Talking of which, I saw a TV program recently about the BMW Mini production line and the attention to detail to eliminate any and all cabin noise was almost beyond belief. Specialist noise assessment and elimination teams, vibration test tracks, directional microphones etc, etc. They'd have a field day in 'our' cars, eh?

Thanks again,
Alan

[jagnut66]

No doubt another noise will come along soon to occupy my attention...…..something I just don't get in my Jazz

Talking of which, I saw a TV program recently about the BMW Mini production line and the attention to detail to eliminate any and all cabin noise was almost beyond belief. Specialist noise assessment and elimination teams, vibration test tracks, directional microphones etc, etc. They'd have a field day in 'our' cars, eh?

Shame they can't eliminate how bland, boring and souless modern cars are at the same time.........................
Best wishes,
Mike.

[Owlsman]

Rather than just the rubber bushes I ordered the full steady bar kit from ESM. Arrived this a.m. and fitted this p.m. Well, actually I did not use the end brackets as one end is welded to the bulkhead and notwithstanding what is mentioned on another thread, I didn't want to disturb the back cylinder head bolt. Incidentally, to use that bracket I would have had to drill out the hole because, as supplied, it does not fit over the c/h bolt .

Anyway, I can sort of answer my own question now...…...it IS possible to have the steady bar too tight. After initial fitting I started up and after being happy that the engine wasn't leaping about all over the place, (far from it, in fact!!) I went for a quick run. Everything seemed to be shuddering though - not juddering but a sort of all over vibration

I found a layby, bonnet up, spanner out and eased both of the end screws back a bit. Sorted . The answer to my original question therefore is ''not too tight'' Clearly, I had given the engine no room for manoeuvre, literally! The car ran very smoothly on the way home...….and no mouse impersonations.

There might be a bit of a bonus as well. The car has been juddering noticeably when reversing up the drive and into the garage but not now - well, at least, when I did so just now. Could it be that a loose/warn engine steady bar causes juddering in reverse?

[philthehill]

Well done.

Which engine steady kit did you purchase from ESM?

I have just checked the spare Grumpy's engine steady kit I have and the cylinder head bracket hole is not 3/8" but one size down at 23/64" (or metric equivalent) and will not allow the 3/8" stud to fully pass through. When the kit was fitted to my Ser2 I used the original cylinder head bracket as you have done. See my post below for further details.

If the tie bar is too slack - yes it can cause juddering when reversing up a slope.

[Owlsman]

Thanks.

I bought this one: https://www.morrisminorspares.com/engin ... pe-p830276 ……..if anyone wants both end brackets, you know where to come!

My drive is actually quite flat, so next time I'm out, I try reversing up a hill and see if the improvement is still there.

Alan

[philthehill]

Thanks for the reply.

Looking again at the Grumpy's cylinder head bracket - it will go over the top threaded part of the stud but will not allow the full diameter (3/8") to pass through. If the cylinder head stud is not fully home and unthreaded shank is visible the head bracket will not fit as it should. flush to and against the top face of the head.
The thread of the stud should extend to below the top surface of the cylinder head.
The 23/64" hole is a nice tight fit around the stud threads so should not allow any movement of the head bracket.

So the conclusion is that the hole in the head bracket has to be 23/64" and not 3/8". The better the fit around the stud the better therefore less chance of movement.

With the conclusion above I would suggest that the cylinder head stud is not fully home in the block and that the head bracket has been re-drilled to 3/8" to accommodate.