Howdy Folks!

I'm Miniature's buddy here in San Francisco, CA, USA. Miniature's got the Mini K and mine started life as an '89 998 but is now a frankenmini of different parts (head from UK, 1098 crank from canada, hypatecs from OZ...). I'm at the "tail end" of my rebuild and am running into some problems with the rear subframe (repost of my very quiet thread on MM) :

Posted: Apr-16-2007 10:21PM

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Howdy Folks,

I'm finishing up a rebuild and am having problems refitting the trailing arms. The original subframe was rusted very badly so I replaced it with a powdercoated replacement. I suspect the replacement may be a non-oem item as I had to shave about 1/4" off the rear trunion bushings in order to get everything bolted in. I am now in the process of refitting the trailing arms and am running into another clearance problem-I simply cannot get the trailing arm brackets to line up. No matter what choice words I use the brackets on both sides are about 1/4" away from lining up with the subframe holes. As a sanity check I yanked the powdercoated subby out and compared the dimensions with my original subframe and they match perfectly: 50" diagonally both ways and the same lengths up front and back. I then then thought that the new thrustwashers may be thicker than the originals but when I test fit the rebuilt trailing arms and bracket to the old subby the bracket bolt holes line exactly with subframe holes without any use of muscle.

So first of all, is it acceptable to shave the thrustwashers so that everything lines up? Secondly, is there a way to determine if a subframe is genuine or aftermarket?

I bought the powdercoated subframe fora pretty good deal a couple of years ago but am beginning to think it wasn't as cheap as I initially thought.

Thanks in advance Ausmini

Jeff

Big Bloke
I dont know the answers to your particular question but somebody will. Leave the post up until it dissappears off the screen and then repost it again in a couple of days if you dont get the answer - your question has also been asked before so try doing a search on this forum.

Jeff,

It does indeed sound like your subby is a bit dodgy.

Rather than shave/(machine the thrust washers, maybe you could re-position the holes in the brackets by welding them up & re-drilling, seeing they're only 1/4" out.

No doubt the good Doctor will hammer me for suggesting this bodge & has probaly got a better suggestion

Given the dramas you have encountered, I would recommend a thorough wheel alignment once you have got it sorted. Good luck mate.

PS If you can provide fotos of the frame, no doubt the many experts on this forum will be able to spot any differences

_________________
1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - Slow progress. No time or money!
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.

Thanks for the quick replies! I'm taking the evening off but will be back in the warehouse tomorrow and will take some pictures. It was pointed out that I did not measure the distance between the inner trailing arm mounting face on the new and old subframes and will do so tomorrow. I really don't want to go down the route of welding and drilling but it may turn out to be easier than grinding down the hardened thrustwashers....ugh. Regardless, I definitely will get a full alignment done. As a side note, I'm fitting adjustable camber/toe brackets to the rear and thought that maybe I got a set of wonky brackets. No such luck(!) as they have the exact same dimensions as the fixed brackets they are replacing.

Jeff