Think of all the individual rubber components you find in a car. The cooling system has rubber hoses, rubber fan belts and rubber seals in the heater taps. The braking system has flexible rubber hoses and rubber seals in the master cylinder, wheel cylinders or callipers. The electrical system has rubber insulation, rubber seals around light fittings and rubber grommets where the loom passes through the body. The engine has rubber seals on the valve stems to stop excess oil running into the cylinders and rubber seals on the crankshaft to stop the oil leaking out of the engine. The gearbox and rear axle also have rubber seals to keep the lubricants in and doing their job. The body has rubber seals to keep the rain out and hold the front and rear windscreens in place. Engine and suspension mountings, wiper blades, and let’s not forget the allimportant tyres – the list of rubber components goes on and on. Age is not beauty Rubber is of course a natural material and degrades with time. This ageing process can be accelerated by exposure to heat, stress and corrosive fluids – exactly the conditions created in a car. We often see shiny classics in our shop that live a pampered life.

Some are 40 or more years old, and one car we look after is over 70! Many have already been restored once, 20 or more years ago, and have only travelled a modest distance since. While the paint and chrome still shine and the leather remains supple, many of the rubber components are well past their best. Get behind the wheel of one of these superb-looking cars and very often the drive does not live up expectations. Hard, old tyres that spend most of their time in one position may still have plenty of tread, but little grip or compliance. Rattles and bangs come from the suspension as you traverse the potholed tracks the RTA laughingly calls roads. Brakes can be spongy as the hoses swell under the hydraulic pressure. Engine mountings have dried out to the consistency of wood or sagged under the weight of the engine (which now sits on the cross member, sending unwanted vibrations right through the body shell). FOLLow the signs There are signs, too. That cloud of blue smoke from the exhaust when you start the engine after a week or two’s slumber lets you know your valve stem seals have gone hard. That puddle of oil under the engine could be the hardening of the crankshaft main seals. The pool of water that collects in the foot well after you’ve washed your pride and joy indicates the windscreen seal is no longer doing its job properly. The sudden failure of a radiator hose on the highway can dump the entire contents of the system in no time at all. All this can lead to the premature destruction of an engine, which will be very costly to repair. The good news is these rubber bits are generally not expensive or difficult to replace. Many parts are generic and not marque specific. You can get them from any number of independent suppliers and home mechanics can fit many of them with simple tools.

If you do decide to update some of your car’s rubber components, here are some useful tips to remember: 1 When you are bleeding the hydraulic brake system, it is easier on the rubber seals if you use a pressure bleeder. If you do not have one, then be gentle on the pedal. Also be very careful when working with brake fluid, as a spill could damage your car’s paintwork. 2 Before you fit those new Jubilee hose clips, check the edges. Some are so sharp they can cut into your new rubber hoses. 3 One important point for your own safety: before you remove any suspension parts to replace the bushes, make sure the road spring is safely clamped, as these springs contain an enormous amount of energy when under compression. Repla ce tired tyres Finally, a word about tyres. All tyres have a TIN or tyre identification number that shows the manufacture date. How old are your car’s tyres? If you cannot remember when you last bought new tyres for the old girl and want to check how old your tyres really are, go to: bridgestone.com.au/tyres/ passenger/care/age.aspx. Fitting some new compliant rubber tyres, engine mounts and suspension bushes can make any car feel young again. I am always pleasantly surprised and impressed at the greatly improved ride quality, handling and refinement this achieves. The benefits in reliability and your own renewed confidence in your car’s ability are things not to be dismissed lightly. Information courtesy of Cummins Classic Cars – www.cumminscars.com, (02) 9743 4479.