OK... opinions/assistance/offers of help.

Have dry subframes with wheels, brakes, suspension attached.

Have hydro car with everything attached.

What is the best way to swap one to the other. Is it easier to drop the subframes from the existing car (and everything attached) and then connect the new subframes, or am I looking at it from a completely way too simplistic view..?

Swapping the complete subframes is definately one of the easiest ways to go, If you are swapping the brakes as well, make sure you keep the best ones.

Also, if the brakes on the dry are twin cuircuit, you will have to swap back to the single cuircuit of the hydro.

How much you want for the hydro bags?
Why you swapping? Hydro is much better ride, and with front shocks and rear competition bumpstop, the handling is way better than dry too!!

Nothing to gain by dry except 'reliability'.

Cheers
matt

Plus you'll have to change your signature pic!!!
Wouldn't seem appropriate with rubber cones now would it??

_________________
Bob Slattery
Duffman Says A Lot of Things - OH YEAH!!

Signature pic is the last thing to worry about... ha ha.

OK the deal is that I was looking at a set of twin SUs for Mo. This was connected to a manifold, connected to a 1275 engine. Talking to the guy. Talked more. The conversation went from getting the SUs, to getting the SUs and manifold, to getting the SUs, manifold and engine, to getting the SUs, manifold, engine and disc brakes (cause would need to upgrade) to getting the whole front end, which meant changing suspension set up which meant swapping sub frames which means I am now talking to the guy about buying the whole car...

Plan would be to drop subbies from one, then the other, then swap the things over.

Result would be Mo with dry subbies, disc brakes, 1275 engine and twin SU...

And a whole car worth of parts including the hydro set up, 998 engine from Mo, etc etc in parts.

I thought this was been keeped quiet... and remember the motor has head work and lightened flywheel to.

Hmm I agree Hydro is much nicer, I dont understand changes to dry - it's jiggly, get's unsettled easier over bumps and seems to pitch a lot more as well.

If you really want to stiffen things up perhaps but I think hydro is gold - the next gen of classic mini owners growing up wont even know what it is because everyones ditching it..

_________________

whhy go to dry, pull the motor and brakes off both and swap them. leave the subframes where they are. IF either is bent, your gonna have to deisambled cars that will end up going back together as i discribed. Leave the subframes be and swap motor's and brakes. Make sure you get it engine blue slipped afterwards.

Cheers

Aaron

_________________

hehe i dont think ANY of our minis have hydro.. All the earlier ones that had it got swapped to dry and the later ones haven't had it

I think dads reason was always that the hydro suspension was just another thing to go wrong kind of thing? leak and what not? but shrug i dont haev a mini .. i want one !!

Having come out to my car yesterday and seeing it on a nasty lean, I can understand the switch to dry. When your hydro leaks, you really know about it. I had about 5mm of clearance for the front wheels on the right all the way to the mechanics, it was a very rough ride, especially with the left side being all bouncy.

true but dry suspension is just as notorious for having sagging rubber cones and brittle spacer cone(dunno what you call them) Seems a major hassle to me, but hey eah to there own and if thats what you want to do marcello, you should do it. Just relaying the risks that may well pop up.

Cheers
Aaron

_________________

Trumpets

Also my dad used to rally mums mini with drys.. never had any trouble with it. Infact all of our minis we've never had any trouble with rubber cones/trumpets.. and even when we have it doesn't take much to swap them out (at least the rears).

While i'm not quite up to speed with the hydros, they sound like alot more trouble

Tada! we have a winner. I knew that just couldn't get the brain to start. Needs a new battery i think.

Cheers

Aaron

_________________

Trumpets

The hydro is 35 years old or there abouts would you expect to 35 years out of your shock absorbers cause the hydro is doing the jobof shocks and springs (so it's really one less thing to go wrong well 4 less if you count the shocks individually )

I like it cause I reckon it was and probably still is a good idea, and it's unique, and show creativeness and individuality by Sir Alec and Mr Moulton

But if you change then over I could use your rear subframe

_________________
---
Roads need more corners
A Deluxe(CG13DE), 2 Clubbies(998 and 1275) and 2 Morris 1100Ss

*throws hands up in air and runs around in circles*

Oh its all too hard. IMHO suspension is suspension. I understand the pros and cons of things but at the end of the day, you can have wet or dry and they can both fug up. My left side is sagging (gotta get my hands on Dr Mini's pump) but true to the form, I actually LOVE hydro. Always have.

I guess my question comes from what is easier... swapping brakes and an engine or swapping subframes. I always look at the car and think I can unbolt the two subframes, drop them out, put new ones in and voila...

Might try to grab some assistance at MCC tomorrow night... you will see/hear me coming in Mo.

Oh and glenneaux you ever thought of having a Traveller Mini Van..? I might be having to put this baby up on the market.

RE the hydro set up and subframes... already have 3 offers to sell it... we will wait and see eh...

engine out and swap brakes is my opinion. while the motor is out you may as well replace your front brake lines being that you have to bleed them anyway. You could do it all in a day. Swapping subframes can be easy but as i said before any knock will throw your whole car out and you can have a nightmare of a time getting it back in let alone a completly different setup. If you need it done quick leave the subframes if you have time to kill an you really want to swap them over the do it!

Cheers

Aaron

_________________