I would, but I don't know any mini specialists around here. The one mechanic I showed it to was going to replace my shocks when there's nothing wrong with them. Going by the amount of time I've spent tracing this, I would be paying a huge sum and they would be replacing anything that they could.

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Copper 4 lyfe!

That's a lot of extra work to go to. Maybe if it has a centre speedo, I'd disconnect the cable, but the other items are OK in situ. Maybe the Haynes manual says to do all that other stuff......

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I agree ^^, and I've heard people say that hydro makes it harder, I don't see how it could.
I did drop the 2" exhaust off at the LCB...

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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.

Ordered my Dr Mini (TM) refurbed rack from Mini King, picking it up on the weekend. I'm actually looking forward to doing this . I reckon it's not as hard as changing the radiator or throwout bearing.

Edit: I should say, because I have already worked on everything that needs to moved, besides the rack.

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Copper 4 lyfe!

Maybe they are holding their tounge in the wrong place???? Makes no difference.



Easy but does take a few hours. Easier if you have someone to help undo the bolts in the floor.

I'm sure you'll be happy with your Dr Mini Rack

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If the car is near original, with no extra steadys, big exhaust, LCB etc warn mounts yes you can get away with loseing a lot less but, standard Mini 50 years on.. No such luck LOL

Take your time

Kiwiinwgtn

Yesssss!!! Installed the new rack and clunking is goooone!! Took me about 4 hours on Saturday to pull the old rack out, mainly undoing lots of crap to get the subframe to lower. With supercheap balljoint splitters, wasn't even 30 secs to get both ends out. Eventually got it to budge 3/4 inch at the back, then stuffed around with U bolts for a bit, but eventually, the wretched thing was out! If I hold it like a dumbbell and shake it, the rack inside plus both ends clunk around independently of the body, feels like about 1/2 in play. In contrast DrMini's rack is one solid block.

Next day, I adjusted the new rod ends as per the old rack, measured the threads, also measured end to end, then installed the rack in. Getting the U bolts back in wasn't as hard as I expected. My car has U-shaped plates which goes on the other side of the rack, between it and the body. What was a **** bitch of a job was getting the steering column bolted back into the crossmember. I followed the advice of not tightening the U bolts until the column was in and locked to the rack.

After that it was a another **** POS to get the lower subframe bolts aligned with the holes, and getting a spanner on the inside and a ratchet from the outside. Wish I was an octopus!!

Then I did something really dumb, I thought that the hubs weren't straight so I backed out the tie rod ends a few turns. Of course when I put the wheels back on, it was obviously wrong. So I pissfarted around getting them back to roughly straight (wish I left them alone). Spent yonks tightening everything up again, feeling really tired and sore after two days of this. Pinched my finger in the door and now I have a bruise.

This morning I got my wheel alignment done for $60, and Went for a lap around the track, been doing unnecessary detours around roundabouts, doing 3/4 turns to turn left . I forgot how much fun it is to drive.

Steering is still quite tight, I probably have to wait for the rack and new rod ends to bed in. It's not righting itself easily because of that.

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Copper 4 lyfe!

nice work, glad you got the gremble fixed I just have to do mine now... im dreading taking mine out... dont have the time atm either...

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Bluey-1973 Clubby - 1330, high lift, big cam, 7 port madness in progress..

Gumby-1978 Minivan, British Racing Green - 1310, high lift, mild cam, enlarged porting and chamber shape with big valve head, supercharged build in ever slow progress!

glad to here you got it fixed.

just so people are aware, collapsed suspension cones can cause this noise. (Thanks to those in Melb who helped diagnose it) Because the car is lower, the drive shafts sit at the wrong angle, the inner knuckle joints (on pot joints) roll on an angle and can click across the bearings.

This also puts stress on the CV joints. Making them not last as long.

My two cents

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Aussie Leyland, Aussie Factory, Aussie Mini S.

These recon racks feel a bit tight at first, but it's not the new tierod ends. The rack bush (in LH end of rack) they sell now is a hex bore Nolathane one instead of the old round felt type. They bed in but it takes a while.
All the MiniKing racks have 200mL of Castrol 85/140 gear oil in them.

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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.