That's exactly what I was thinking of, but currently mine is working. If anyone wants to send me a dead one to experiment with I'm game though :D

For the non-engineers amongst us, whats a "rose joint". It sounds rather like something you might get at a '60s music festival.

Isn't it just the normal type of robust ball joint you get on a track rod end for example?

Yeah pretty much:

http://berrisford.co.uk/media/catalo.../c/bcc4902.jpg

That looks like a more robust joint than the plasticky ball & socket used but how would it stand up to the wear and tear from the rotation though? Was the plastic stuff used for self lubrication?

Joints like that have various lining materials between the ball and socket. Cheapo ones are usually nylon and don't last long, but proper racecar joints have teflon which is self-lubricating and should outlast the car in that environment. They can be fitted with rubber dust boots too to protect them, but there may not be space in the mechanism for that.

I'd be looking at 8 or 10mm joints which have static load ratings high enough to support the weight of the whole car. The reason for making them that large is because the linkages themselves would have to be pretty strong to resist the twisting moment which the motor will impose on them. The stock ones look flimsy, but because of their folded shape they are immensely strong in compression and horizontal bending. A 6mm joint would happily take the forces involved, but the corresponding link arm would not be strong enough (that's an engineer's opinion rather than anything calculated). A 10mm ID thin wall tube ought to be plenty though. It all depends on how much room there is in there, and its been a while since I had mine off the car.

MGF wiper linkages were pretty easy to overhaul as their design allowed a m8 nut to be braised on to the end of the linkage rods and a suitable rose joint screwed in to place. The modern folded steel linkage rod is a bit more difficult to work with. You cant simply braise the rose joint on as the bushing inside gets melted by the heat and you end up with new 'worn' links straight away :(

I've got a spare worn linkage that I can send if you PM an address to me. I'm happy to have it as an 'experiment' and understand that it might not work! :)

Actually, I don't need it, even if it does work so, if David pays the postage, he can have it if it works!

Remanufacture UK!
 

Hi Guys (and Gals),

Sounds like I've stirred up summat here! +++

It must be worth us all who love the 8 to try to find ways of refurbishing bits that fail and are perhaps becoming very rare, eg wiper mechs. :-(

At the same time I respect the support that Our Sponsors give the site and would not want them to "chuck the teddy out of the pram"... :ROFL:

Any thoughts?

Robert

I can't see our sponsors getting upset about us fixing things that are rare as rocking horse poo anyway.
It keeps another car on the road for them to sell other bits to. +++