Can you get away with regular plastic cable ties or do you really need the metal ties that need three hands and two pairs of pliers and a screw driver in a confined space under the car?

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

Plastic ties are usually OK, just need to get then nice and tight. I have them on a few of my cars and they seem to last OK.

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1969 Cooper "S"
1967 Mini Deluxe
1973 Clubman Van (the fleet spare)
1978 ex 1275 LS ("Wizard" Eaton Supercharged)
2015 HSV GenF GTS(occasional drive & tow car)
2019 MINI F55 Cooper S

On the outer (larger), plastic ties are OK but not brilliant. There will be some leakage from the area under the head of the tie. On the smaller (inner) end, tie wire is the onlt alternative I've found that will fit.

To avoid the leakage when using PVC or nylon ties, I use Stainless steel ties as they close up with a uniform profile. Failing that, tie wire works well, just looks crap.

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Found I had some stainless steel flat ties - once you push the tail through the head bit no way are they coming apart

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

They should be really cheap from any CV place. I got a box of them years ago for $20

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Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

what type of boots have you got. The originals had the small end clamped inside the boot and the other after market ones I have seen have the small end outside on the axle.
The original type do not like having a cable tie in the gease, they go brittle after a while.
I would go with the metal type any day.

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Research is the difference between speculation and investment. Anyone who copys some one else will always be second
www.minisprintgt.com

I have the original type boots - I have used the provided metal ties on all the seals as I did them on the bench - it was just that final one under the car that had me scratching my head as there is very little room under there to get at them and bits of the car are in the way - but all sweet now

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

I don't mind using tie wire, it is simple to keep a roll around, they're available from hardware shops and I reckon you can make them look really professional if you roll them right Old skool too..

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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

Yes, you can. The trick is to use nice new, non-kinked wire, run it around twice (so that there's 2 loops) and when twisting the end, pull it while twisting, allowing the twist to come in.

Iron wire works best (concreter's use it for tieing reo), as it will twist without breaking, but it cannot be plated and so rusts - then looks crap

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GT's fencing contractors He is into bondage and can tie anything up

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Research is the difference between speculation and investment. Anyone who copys some one else will always be second
www.minisprintgt.com

Yes, but the way they use tie wire.........looks like crap!

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As above...soft iron wire works well and easily, just tuck the twist towards the rear of the Mini.

I leave the kit ties in the box and gave up on plastic zip ties since the heads often came off with a little knock from whatever.

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Select a gear, bring up the revs and release the clutch...off you go!