Stripped my front subframe tonight. Noted the following:

Both tie bars are bent. Should they be dead straight or have a slight warp in them? if they should be straight, how do they end up bending?

The front cones look fooked. They are squashed flatter than the rears. I think Kev has already said that you can use rears on the front. Is that right?

Also, there are rubbers on the front subframe that look like either bump stops or returns. The sit under the upper arm. Whats the correct name for these? Mine are absolutley FUBAR!

Cheers.

Yeah those are the bump stops under the upper arm. They have a habit of disintegrating - I don't think mine has any at all (unless that's just a hydro thing!)

so should i replace them or not bother?

You may as well they shouldn't be expensive. On the other hand they are only useful if you have a habit of getting your car airborne!

yea thats what I thought. The last owner of my clubby must have thought he was the dukes of hazzard!!

What about the tie bars being bent? Is that right?

Tie bars are supposed to be straight.. they get bent by people towing on them, or jacking under them.

Best way to straighten I reckon is take off, put in a vyce, apply judicious use of BFH until it looks straight.
Or go buy adjustable ones, they're thicker...

<edit> rubbers under top arm are called rebound rubbers. If not there it can put more load on the shock mounts, when you get big air...

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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.

JAM U are putting your Clubby back to original. If the Tie Bars are bent, You may be it is LOL but they should be straight. If you wish to do a comparison againest my Heavy Duty one's New and see how out your's are you have untill tomorrow.
Lock down in the House, I hate the the all these girls that will b around me LOL

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Stop Licking the Dog...I Don't Care Who Started It

Jim ya smart ass.......

OK Kev, a vice and BFH it is. When I held them side by side I knew something wasn't right, because they were both bent differently.

Went to Heritage MG this morning and bought the rebound rubbers for $6.50 each.

Will have to take a run to Pick 'n Paymore for some cones. I am sure my front ones are stoofed.

That about covers it. Cheers guys.

Anton,

when i did up the Mini Minor front end years ago, both tie bars were bent, so i got some straight 2nd hand ones, put some clubman van rear cones in the front, also the left knuckle had worn through the nylon cup in the upper arm, and ground into it. I got new knuckles for the trumpets, new nylon cups, and i had to add some weld to the hole in the upper arm and then grind it to shape before i put the nylon cup back in. i also replaced the needle roller bearings in the inner end of the upper arms, and the rubber bushes in the lower arms, and at the front of the tie bars. The ball joints were renewed while i was at it. i painted the subframe red and the suspension bits white (i was a real ricer in my youth). It handled like a brand new car after that.

I still have the original bump stops, but i will have to cut them down a bit, because i have put hilos in and sometimes it rides onto the bump stop which is a little uncomfortable.

So don't forget to check all that stuff i mentioned

michael

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the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page
66 Mini Minor sponsored by http://www.lifeonthehedge.com.au/ The Dog Harness Specialists
It was a pleasure ausmini. I'll miss all you misfits and reprobates

Got it all covered Michael!!

I bought all the rubber bushes a few weeks back and I have 2 brand spankin new knuckle joints from way back (a stoopid ebay purchase ages ago)
The whole front end will be brand spankin new, so I look forward to that first corner when its on the road.....

......and then the first tree when it understeers off the road

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...in a Mini?? pffffffft...as if!!