Morris Minor Owners Club

redduster wrote:
Now having the part from CW, how is the teardrop fixed to the rod?

Thanks

Good question!
My car has a Teardrop at each end of the spring and they're both just under tension of the spring pulling the Teardrops at an angle on the rod 26, which I'm sure isn't right anyhow!!

Not forgetting its only to stop the rod rattling, not to keep the bonnet catch closed!

Yup keeping it closed is generally considered a 'good thing' (Tho there is a second spring under the front panel which acts in opposition to this one keeping the first locking mechanism 15 against the male 11 when closed )

Is your spring attached to the front panel through a pre-drilled hole just by the two bolts.

This gives it its fixed point to create the tension. If fixed to two teardrops on the rod (26) it is not doing either the anti rattle or bonnet closed jobs. If you look at my grey bonnet-less car, you can just see the hook end of the spring coming through the hole by the upper LH bolt

That'll be another hole that's not there then.
Although, surprisingly, if you do a search for 'Morris Minor engine bay images' there are quite a few that don't have any anti-rattle spring fitted to the bonnet release.
This one shows it reasonably clearly; although it appears to have a hole, the spring seems to be actually using some sort of tab, perhaps fitted on the back of one of the bolts.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7230/7235 ... d730_b.jpg

Meanwhile, just look at the length of this spring!!
http://car-from-uk.com/carphotos/full/1 ... 553371.jpg

There seems to be as many options out there as there are Moggies!!

Photo 1 is a lovely example and as you say appears to have a modification at the front for the spring, possibly to avoid the scratching effect when the mechanism is activated. Interestingly the spring does not appear to be attached to any teardrop on the rod.

The tear drop is held in the desired position on the rod by the spring pulling the teardrop at an angle which then allows the teardrop to grip the rod.
There is no formal attachment of the teardrop to the rod. Just adjust/move the teardrop along the rod until you are satisfied that the spring is doing its job in stopping any rattles.

To clarify the issue is how to attach the teardrop, item 38, to the release rod, item 26?

To enlarge on my post above!
The rod item No: 26 goes through the large hole of the teardrop item No: 38 - the spring is attached to the small hole of the teardrop - the spring when tensioned pulls the teardrop over and the edge of the large hole digs into the rod and stops the teardrop from moving.

The length of the spring in the link photo above is nothing unusual - the spring has been overtightened and subsequently stretched - because the spring can stretch and therefore reduce its effectiveness BMC foresaw the need for the teardrop to be adjustable on the rod.

Re photo 1 in the link above the spring is attached to the teardrop - the springs orientation is masking the teardrop but it is there and the spring is attached to it.

redduster wrote:To clarify the issue is how to attach the teardrop, item 38, to the release rod, item 26?

It can only go on one way; i.e from the front of the rod.

Phil your eyes are better than mine! Even with my glasses and the image on full expand I can't see the tear drop. It looks as if it is either tack welded to the rod or simply hangs but given the quality of the engine bay presentation I am sure it would be something that would not be overlooked.

Oh what tangents we go along.
Here's a zoomed in close up from what has become 'Photo 1'. I've highlighted the tear drop outline and the spring end, pixel by pixel.
But that's the extent of my forensic abilities.

It's definitely there

redduster

redduster wrote:To clarify the issue is how to attach the teardrop, item 38, to the release rod, item 26?

It is not actually fixed in position. The teardrop will slide along the rod, it's simply the spring pressure pulling it taught that keeps it in place; thus the tension can be adjusted .

I assume without it, the Rod rattles, but given the number of photos I found where some very smartly presented engine bays didn't have springs fitted, I have to wonder how essential it is.

I was under the impression the question was how to get it onto the rod in the first place.

It was and it was (hopefully) answered but the rest is fun anyway.

You can either have the spring or rattle - you takes your choice.
The spring not only helps with the rattles generated at the front of the rod it keeps the slack out of the linkage to the bonnet catch. Tt also helps reduce the rattle where it passes through the retainer plate top grommet (Pt No: AAA1882 (MOSS)).

Les
As regards the fitment of the teardrop:-
Reading the above posts I would have thought that the question had been answered early in the thread.
Phil

Point taken, yes already answered.

Issue new resolved.

Understood rear tear drop is held in place by spring levering the teardrop in place on the rod. Nice simple solution.

Dismantling the split pin holding the rod in place,the washer underneath it was actually the original teardrop!!! So new washer and split pin installed and L now have a spare teardrop.

Thanks for all the responses and help, as ever, from members so no wonder the reputation this club has as being enthusiastic and helpful is richly deserved.

So having no hole for the spring, but having an extra teardrop, mine now looks similar to the earlier photo of the green moggie. Just used the teardrop on the back of the bolt.

philthehill wrote: Tt also helps reduce the rattle where it passes through the retainer plate top grommet (Pt No: AAA1882 (MOSS)).

Phil

Ummm.... Now about that plate......

The front end of the anti rattle spring was originally hooked into body plate Pt No: ACA5314 which was bolted to the front panel.
Over many years I suspect that the body plate has been lost and other locations/body plates utilised so giving the variety now seen.
The use of the spare teardrop is virtually identical to the original fitment.

That is a novel use of a rubber grommet etc. (looks like a valve lapping sucker) to stop the bonnet release rod from rattling.
Possibly a better solution than the plate (Pt No: AAA1882 (MOSS)) and grommet (Pt No: AAA1881 (MOSS)).
Having the grommet shown pushed through the central hole in the plate could possibly result in the the best of both worlds.
In my experience the original grommet never lasted very long as the weight of the rod soon wore through the grommet.

Maybe the pyramid buffer did not position the bonnet correctly and added the insert to get more height. Modern cars have height adjustable buffers, now that's progress for you.

My car had no anti rattle device at all on the bonnet release rod so I merely fitted the loop end of a standard type spring over the rod and fixed the hook end to a drilled hole at 90 degrees from the rod. The spring centred itself on the rod after a few pulls and the rod makes no sound at all.....seems to work.