OK so here is the deal. Driving home tonight after work, move inot the turning lane to turn left into the carpark doing around 10-20kms maybe less, put my foot on the brake, and BANG!!!! I thought I'd hit a child and it was wedged under my wheel, totally freaking out. Then I though, nah must have been a concrete block to have stopped me like this.

Anyway the car came to screeching halt, and I mean screeching halt. The flared gaurd snapped off and was on the road, and the car stopped. I ddn't get out, thinking oh my god I hit someone, then rang Mum

I got out and had a look as a couple of people stopped to see if I was OK. I looked at the car, the left wheel had been pushed back, the guard snapped off and all the stuff that use to hold the wheel and disc in place was laying on the road, and brake fluid was coming out the pipe. I rang a tow truck waiting, had about 4 people stop and ask if I needed a push. But the car would go anywhere, and in gear it wasn't driving, and in N it wouldn't budge.

I had Lurker delivered home. Where I could get a better look at my baby

Now I am hoping maybe it's the drive shaft and not the auto tansmission that seized causing the car to stop and the CV joint to brake and the wheel to go flying back into the body of the car and dint my side panels

I am working away this week for work, so I thought, why don't I consult my Mini mechanics on ausmini armed with some snaps, maybe they can tell me what it looks like has happened to the Beast.

Thanks in advance for some help, I am sad Lurker looks like it'll be layed up for a while. I have to, once I know what it wrong with it, get it back to the mechanics. Look out Ben at Link

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1979 Leyland Moke (which is for sale)

ball joints gone?

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OMG is the ball joint snap off?

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Jeeeezus

Your lucky that didn't happen at speed!

Both your Ball Joints have come apart...

You will need a new pair (top and bottom ~$50 side - do the other side as well)

As a result of them breaking you'll need a new brake hose..some brake fluid..copper washers..

Look like the CV cage is out completely so you might need a new CV and boot as well...

Not cool! Glad no one got hurt!

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If that is the cage from the inner pot joint near your cv boot, you will need to find new balls for it.

Very lucky to get away with the damage you did! Running into your own wheel is better than people, trees or cars.

Hope your mini is feeling better soon.

looks like you may have broken the thread on the hub, where the lower ball joint attaches, if this is dammaged, it may be new hub time.
thats not good
hope it all gets sorted and the dammage isint too bad, you are very lucky that didnt happen at 110k.

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speed costs....how fast do you want to go...

Sorry to see that Lurker. I could be wrong as i've never heard of it before. but the only way the ball joints could sheer like that is if the cv joint collapsed and locked solid. Then under power the drive shaft is still trying to turn so the whole hub and brake assy turned instead snapping them off. Lucky in away as it could've gone the other way and torque sheered some thing in the auto instead. Says alot about how strong the autos are! and definately cheaper to fix too i'd imagine. Anyway good luck getting it fixed.

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You have the right to remain silent. Anything bad you say about minis or mokes, be them leyland or bmc, Morris or Austin, maybe used against you on AUSMINI.com .except BMW minis !!

Looks to me like the balljoint nut came undone.
These things MUST be torqued up to 72 ft/lb, and the locktabs bent up properly. Always best to use a new lockwasher each time apart.
You are very lucky this happened at low speed-

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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.

After closer inspection i think i can make out part of the hub casting still threaded on the bottom joint..? - Might have come undone and taken part of the hub with it?

The top ball joint is still attached to the hub, but the pin has come out..?

<edit> This pic:

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Starlet Conversion:
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so the consensus is .... it's mod edit...

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Wow so very lucky this happened in a carpark and not on the FWY!!

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Looks like the Balls have fallen off your Ball Joints (Is Lurker a boy or girl Mini as it may be a bit painful if he's a boy ) Were they already worn and loose?

New Ball Joints (both sides just in case the other side is thinking of going out in sympathy)

Brake hose and fluid (maybe put a new hose on the other side too at the same time so that they are the same age) May as well bleed out the backs at the same time so that you have new fluid in the whole system.

New CV and boot.

Pot joint on the other end should be OK unless it has pulled out and the balls have escaped.

A couple of the shots look like the drive shaft may have been bent too. Easy to check once you get it out of the car by rolling it along a flat surface.

I'd also invest in a new track/steering rod end just in case it's been damaged as it's the only thing still holding the hub and wheel onto the car.

And a good wheel alignment when its all done.

Poor Lurker. Sorry to see, Leigh.

That very same thing happened to me in my Cooper S, the ball joint unwound itself, mine did less damage but i know how you would have felt, real heart in mouth stuff, might pay you to replace all your ball joints & give your front end a good going over.

Doogie

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Hay, it's not about the car, it's not about the venue, it's about the people that come here. Peter Dwyer, Mayor of Hay NSW.

Thankyou so much for all the replies. You guys and girls rock

I rang mechainc today and described what had happened, this was before I got onto here and looked at the diagnosis, and yes you are all right. Go to the top of the class. Ball Joint snapped causing everything around it to break. They actually had on file, Lurker, play in left ball joint. woops, maybe should have listened to them

Worst case scenario, from just me explaining to mechanis what had happened, New ball joints, new CV joint, replace drive shaft, depending on how far I dragged the hub replace that, new bearings, new fuild and line.

All up including labour, around the $700 mark. Anything less will be a bonus. That is over the phone type stuff, so I'm booked in next Tuesday. Tow it down there, and have Lurker mechanically fixed up, then get the guard fixed and the panels fixed.

Thanks again for all your quick responses and knowledge too. Ausmini is a very helpful place, as are the people, YOU GUYS ROCK

And yes, I was so very lucky this didn't happen at speed, considering I had just come off the freeway doing 110kms for 15 minutes, then 5 minutes later this happens. I hate to think what might have happened if this happened at speed. But I can imagine I doubt I would have been posting on here

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1979 Leyland Moke (which is for sale)