OK spent 5 hours swapping shims and playing with the ball joints.

Cant get them just right - see the diagram - looking down on the pin I can get it too loose to the outside and too tight to the inside with it just right on the sides. I have rotated the seat through 90* steps but makes no difference - rotating the pin makes a little difference but not 180* so it makes me think the recess for the pin seat is out of square. The bottom pin was similar but once the spring is in it evens up nicely.

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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!

Did you "lap the pin to the cup"?

It seems to be the go these days when replacing your ball joints.

Chers Shane

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If it's not a Cooper S, the mini was designed to be modified!

Well and truly lapped

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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!

Poorly made stuff these days, I fitted 2 NOS Australian made ones recently that I've had for years, and they were perfect. No need to lap.
Nope sorry, I don't have any left...

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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.

I take it when the pin & cup are off they feel perfect together due to your lapping!

Does the base of the pin foul on any part of the housing as you rotate it around?

Cheers Shane

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If it's not a Cooper S, the mini was designed to be modified!

Hmm that's a point - might try lapping (using the drill method as before) but concentrate with the pin to the rear more. Will need to mark the location of the seat and nut to get them lined up. - next Tuesday's job

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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've always done the lapping without a drill, and that's because ball joints don't go round in circles when on the car! I've always gone from 12 o'clock to 6, then 1 to 7, then 2 to 8 and keep working around.

Using a drill you can accidentally make it looser in some places more than others.

Thanks Irish - something to think on. Did some googling and came up with a couple threads on the Minispares Forum. - use fine paste only, lap by hand , even lap the face of the nut. One guy puts the shims under the lock washer and another no lock washer but loctite - might do both when I got them right.

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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!