Have rung a couple of mini places and described my problem, basically the front is sitting alot lower than the back (all holding pressure). Have already added two very thick washers on the front, but still not happy. They suggest swapping rear bags to front, will this solve the problem? The front have obviously sagged! My thinking is the back have had not much use so should be ok? Last qu is how hard is it to change the rear hydros?

Thanks,steve

Q1-
I bet the fronts have not really sagged, but the helper springs at rear have stretched. Their purpose is to pull the back down, whick displaces fluid forward and raises the front.
Q2-
The rear bags come out pretty easy once you let all the pressure out, undo the hose and remove the strut (ie trumpet).
You will need to get the system evacuated after assembly (ie a vacuum is applied then it's pumped up with fluid.

I'd look at the rear helper springs first.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

have already done the rear helper springs a couple of weeks ago, and only minimal improvement. I have an original BMC pump up / evacuation unit, so thats not a problem. Will try the swap and see what happens!

how much lower at the front?

standard they were lower at the front

Yeah I know, but even with the two big washers it is sitting just under two inches lower at the front

G'Day Mooman,
Have you checked the spherical ball joints and nylon cups that fit into the upper suspension arms from your hydro bags (or rubber donuts for dry suspension)? Whenever mine sagged it was cause (through lazyness) they had run out of grease and the ball end had chewed through the plastic cup. Made a mess of several suspension arms.....

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Over 1,000,000Km, but now my retirement restoration project

Yeah, all r new.

Can rear bags be fitted to the front? I thought they were different?

Ok then. The only other problem I had with sagging, and then only on one side, was the top of the suspension tower, where the donut (dry suspension in my case) had cracked the spot welds and was parting company from the rest of the sub frame just like the lid on a tin can.....

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Over 1,000,000Km, but now my retirement restoration project

To my knowledge front and rear hydro bags are interchangeable.

My hydro does the same thing no matter what. I have a few spacers in the front, I'm not sure if it actually makes a difference or if the hydro compensates for it. You could also try removing the rear rods and shortening them which should lower the back.

The problem with replacing the rear helper springs is finding a set which aren't equally as shagged as the current set. I replaced mine but it made no difference.

One of these days I'm going to convert to dry suspension and fit hi-los. Long winded way of fixing the problem though!

Will try interchanging as everything else is either new or looks good, so will see how it goes

This thread has been informative. I seem to have a similar problem with my 65 Deluxe.
The front is lower than I feel it should be, while the rear rides at the tolerable hieights (un-laiden).

I am/was unconvinced about 'sagging' hydrolastic units.
These units are not under a great deal of preasure (300 odd psi), they are robust and in my opinion even if they do expand they shouldn't expand enough to reduce ride heights by noticable inches.

On my car these interestingly named rear 'helper' springs sound more like the problem than a hydrolastic unit to me. I'd tend to think "metal fatigue" over hydraulic problems.

cheers

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YDO005 1965 stock standard MORRIS MINI DELUXE

OK, this is either stupid or brilliant.....

You can buy or make Hi-Lo's for a dry Mini..... soooooo... why can't a set be made for the rear of a hydro Mini?

That way, you can fully pump up your hydro, then adjust the back down to make the car level.

I keep a collection of hydro bags in my garage, they're all from rear subframes that I have colelcted as the front bags cop a lot of abuse in their life.

The only bags I have ever had blow was always the fronts.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Hmm ok, I'm happy to be corrected on anything Mini. but I'd guess the abuse your talking would have to be pretty full-on. Something like Race/Rally conditions, surely not just street legal driving?

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YDO005 1965 stock standard MORRIS MINI DELUXE