A telescopic damper mounted between the engine and a long bracket running from the front to the rear of a transverse engine compartment.
Check the dampers during major services, every 12,000 miles (20,000 km), or if you suspect that the engine is moving abnormally. This may show as a thump when accelerating or braking, sometimes accompanied by excessive movement of the gear lever.
Inspect the bushes for distortion, softness, perishing, cracking or oil contamination.
Try to move the bar by hand or with a lever. If it moves at all, one or both bushes may be faulty.
Remove the bar and fit new bushes. On some cars the bushes are integral and you have to replace the whole bar.
Unbolt the bar at both ends and remove it. Inspect the bar and its bolts and mounting points, to make sure they are not damaged, bent or rusted. Replace any doubtful parts.
Replaceable bushes are usually a simple push-in fit. Early Minis have metal cones which fit inside the bushes: press these in with a vice to make the bar easier to refit.
When refitting the bar, you may need to lever it into position while you tighten the bolts. Check a telescopic damper in the same way, but also look for signs of hydraulic leaks.
If you find a faulty damper, check the other engine mountings to make sure that the excessive movement has not damaged them.
Check also to see if the mountings have softened, cracked, perished or separated at the rubber-to-metal bond.
Replacing steady bar bushes