Engine Steadies?

[haynes]

What do you chaps do for engine steadies. Ive got a hideous aftermarket one which fixes to the thermostat housing. Quite like to replace it with something more discrete.

Anyone using one that fixes to the waterpump? Or a cheaper option is to fit one to the LHS of the gearbox to the subframe. Ive already got a standard one which goes from the front subframe to above the sump plug.

[Cooperman]

I always use the one from the top of the stat housing to the bulkhead and it's the only one which really works. I know it makes access a bit difficult, but it does hold the engine in place. The problem with the lower ones is that they are too close in height terms to the mountings themselves, so they don't take out the rotational forces so well.
The description of the one I use is "The Ultimate Engine Steady" and it really is just that.

[danwebster]

Kad do a nice pair of rose jointed steadies that go on the back of the gearbox back to the subframe which I have on mine. I also have a rose jointed steady on the water pump that I fabricated myself, it wasn't too difficult really.

[twelve_75]

I've tried an ultimate on mine but for some reason would it fit? Hell no.

The case of it wouldn't sit down to the head due to the water jacket,

Anyone else had this trouble. Its a 12hD12 from a metro lx 1275.

[jellison]

I like my W&P one - a sod to fit but is ultra cool - fits to water pump, rad out job!

[haynes]

The w&p one is the same as the avonbar one but a couple of quid cheaper, looks as though itll be much less intrusive on the waterpump than the thermostat. The cars a bare shell at the mo, hopefully off for spraying in a week or 2, so no worries about access.

Is it my imagination or coincidence, but has this forum improved quite a bit now thats its real minis only?

[jellison]

You know it!

had the wrong single manifold delivered for my twin 1.75 su this morning - one hole down on the right number of carb inlets!

[haynes]

jellison said:

I like my W&P one - a sod to fit but is ultra cool - fits to water pump, rad out job!

Incidently, just to check, does this type of steady hold the engine rock solid? You say its a sod to fit, purely in terms of access or does it need bashing and grinding?

[Cooperman]

Remember, folks, the higher up on the engine the steady mounts, the more effective it will be. That's why the 'Ultimate Engine Steady (UES)' is so very effective. I used to break the big rubber steady bush at the back of the Mk 1 Cooper 'S' remote gear linkage casting very frequently until I fitted a UES, since then I have broken none. I have none of the lower steadies from the base of the g'box to the front subframe, just the original steady and the UES. Consider the reversals of load a rally Mini gets flat out on a rough and unsurfaced forest road. It works for me.

[haynes]

Cooperman, following your advice ive ditched the idea of using an additional gearbox mount. The W&P type mentioned stills mounts to the bulkhead heater hose bracket, but then bolts on to the water pump, so a few inches lower down, what dya think?

[jellison]

I prefer it on water puump seems less strain going into water pump (a straight bolt on with rad out), but water pump one alot easier to fit. I seem to have steadies all over mine (well littlereds!)

[Cooperman]

haynes said:

Cooperman, following your advice ive ditched the idea of using an additional gearbox mount. The W&P type mentioned stills mounts to the bulkhead heater hose bracket, but then bolts on to the water pump, so a few inches lower down, what dya think?

Sounds OK to me. It's still high up and so long as it's easy to fit/remove it will be fine.
I've never had any real problems with the UES myself, although it can be a but of a 'brute force' job to get it over the thermostat housing bolts sometimes. Once on and properly adjusted it always seems fine.

[Wildfire]

I have around 4 engine steadies on the car, but not the water pump one. The "Ultimate" Engine staedy which goes from Thermostat housing to bulk head is the only one that really made any difference, but it's a complete sod to get it to fit. They are nice if you get a chrome one, but whether it fits first off is a different matter.

[Cooperman]

The one I have on my Mk 1 is fully adjustable and I got it from Mini Spares quite a few years ago. There ate two lock nuts with front tie bar rubber bushes each side of the lug. Tyou can just undo both of the 5/8" (or is it 3/4" a/f nuts and it comes off easily. On the 1991 Cooper I prepared a couple of years ago the two nuts were replaced by a welded on flange on the forward side, then just one nut, but still with the tie bar rubbers. To get the length right I had to use a couple of thick packing washers in front of the lug, then when I did do the nut up I was not able to set the compression load correctly as it only pulled up on the rear side of the lug, if you see what I mean. I guess this can put a pre-load on the engine mounting, but it did hold it in place very well. It's more difficult to remove as well. A bit of a b****r, in fact. I don't know it you can still get the two-nut type.