Morris Minor Owners Club

A size please for the master cylinder bolts? Oh, and anyone got any tips how to remove them (I know about the tortion bar problem) should they be Whitworths or whatever - heaven forbid

Well, I've been trying to do it too, and the originals certainly don't seem to be A/F or metric I'm guessing 7/16 W, but I'd LOVE a definite answer too...

The bolts are not Whitworth, we've been here before!
They are 3/8" BSF x 3 1/8" long (non standard length) the bolt head thickness is reduced to 1/8" or slightly more to clear the torsion bar.
Spanner/socket size is 5/16" Whitworth.
There are postings elsewhere re moving the t/bar out of the way to enable bolt removal. It requires a safe set up to use a pry bar, heavy duty screwdriver or similar alternative to move the torsion bar downwards slightly. Usually utilising the chassis rail as a fulcrum point.
Some people refit the bolts from the other side but personally I prefer the correct way to avoid any possibility of the nuts rubbing on the torsion bar - with obvious end results over time.

Cheers for that - it's the spanner size I was after.

bigginger wrote:Cheers for that - it's the spanner size I was after.

Glad to help Andrew. Just replying really to make sure the "quotes" work now after help from Cam - thanks Cam.

I know not everyone has them, but I usually use a couple of suitably sized "D" shackles connected together, the top one over the t/bar, a suitable bar through the lower shackle and under the chassis rail with a piece of wood of a correct thickness between the bar and chassis rail. Then heave down on the bar until the bolt head clears, then move the set up to remove the other bolt. Hopefully if the foregoing makes sense.

No bother with the torsion bar, done it before, but not on one with the original bolts. Torsion bars are off on this one, anyway

Spanner/socket size is 5/16" Whitworth

Cheers.
Now, what's the quickest way to find one of those?

Google "whitworth spanners" That's what I did.

A good old fashioned tool suppliers, we have one locally who can supply most things or see if you have a trade tool supplier that supplies engineering works, or another couple of options.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/8-WHITWORTH-COMBI ... dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/8-PC-WHITWORTH-CO ... dZViewItem

Peetee wrote:

Spanner/socket size is 5/16" Whitworth

Cheers.
Now, what's the quickest way to find one of those?

Readily available from any Autojumble or Sunday Market.

Rog

done mine this weekend used 15mm spanners and a bottle jack to push up the troshion bar so i could get the bolts out .replace teh bolts putting from the gearbox side in that way no problem taking out again if need to

replace teh bolts putting from the gearbox side in that way no problem taking out again if need to

Thats OK as long as there is sufficient clearance on the torsion bar if not the torsion bar will get damaged.

very true
if you jack the car up so that the wheels is way off the ground should be o.k
but possible damage can come to the car
cheers kevin

The bar moves during operation so fit the bolts the right way! Also if you are not going to remove the bar, it should be levered DOWN as it does not have as far to bend to remove the bolts.

Peetee wrote:

Spanner/socket size is 5/16" Whitworth

Cheers.
Now, what's the quickest way to find one of those?

How desperate are you? I have spare double ended ring spanner 5/16" Whit x 3/8" Whit if you want it for the cost of postage. It's a top quality "real" Made in England Bedford Vanadium very experienced tool. Let me know and I can "weigh" it in to find out. In fact I'll do that anyway!
I thought I has a spare 1/4" x 5/16" Whit open end spanner too but the 5/16" end has been filed out to fit something else in the past. Now I wonder who did that?

Pm me with an address if you want it Petee.

the bolts are put in that way for safty by the designers of the morris minor. if they undo they will not fall out.

If Peetee doesn't need it, can I get it?

All sorted now thanks to the generosity of '57 and Paulk.
Now I have to look forward to the joy of reconnecting the brake lines by turning 1/2 flat at a time.

Now I have to look forward to the joy of reconnecting the brake lines by turning 1/2 flat at a time

yes - you can do it the hard way ;-) I've done it that way LOTS of times It is especially painfull if the rear pipe connector decides that it doesn't want to thread back into the MC

There is an easier way for the rear pipe - disconnect from rear axle T-piece and only mess with the connection at rear of m/c when the m/c is out of the leg - that can save a fair bit of time.