C-STR627 Tie Bar Bush kit for every use

IMPORTANT NOTE
The use of very stiff or hard tie rod bushes on both side of the subframe bracket is most definitely NOT recommended.

Use the hard poly bush (often marked Minispares) on the outside only and the soft rubber bush on the inner side. This is to prevent the tie rod end shearing off through over-stressing when tightening up the retaining nut to achieve the required seating of the retaining washer against the step on the tie...

C-AJJ4004 New road-use front anti-roll bar

This bar has been developed to complement those road cars fitted with post 1990 rubber springs. Being the softest compound yet used on the Mini in an attempt to improve comfort, they allow more body-roll. This bar will not only reduce body-roll, but also slightly reduce dive under braking and squat under acceleration. The bar is aimed at the general daily driver. For more progressive drivers it is highly recommended that its used in conjunction with rear anti-roll bar kit C-AJJ4009. By testing various settings its possible to attain a very well balanced fast road car with improved steering response to compliment the other advantages of these bars. It is made to only fit the standard diameter/dimensioned tie-rods.

SUSPENSION - Basic Priorities

Suspension - Basic priorities for improved suspension performance. Having studied the 'Suspension - Terminology' article you should now have a ‘job description’ understanding of previously possibly un-comprehended words associated with suspension control. Now - what to do with it? The first thing we need to establish is an order of priority before distributing hard-earned 'beer vouchers' in all directions. Fortunately, this is a good deal less complicated than is generally believed. Despite the five main factors that control the front suspension geometry – kingpin inclination, caster angle, camber angle, track, and bump-steer – we are only really able to alter three of those easily. King-pin inclination is non-adjustable, as it’s a feature of where the swivel-pins are mounted on the hub at the factory. It will alter as other adjustments are made, but we can do nothing easily about correcting/optimising it independently, as these are fixed in position on the swivel hub.

SUSPENSION GEOMETRY - Buy the right parts to do the job correctly

It is baffling to see so many companies advertising mini suspension geometry parts in kits that are a waste of time as they rarely complete the job on either the front or the rear.

C-AJJ4004 FRONT ANTI-ROLL BAR FITTING INSTRUCTIONS

FOR USE WITH STANDARD TIE BARS ONLY

This bar has been developed to complement those road cars fitted with post 1990 rubber springs. Being the softest compou

C-AJJ4006 ADJUSTABLE FRONT RACE ANTI-ROLL BAR

Instruction Sheet (Please read in full before installing anti-roll bar)

The mounting blocks are to be fixed at each end of the bar under the front of the subframe where there is a double thickness of metal close to the forward tie-bar brackets. Loosely assemble the blocks to the bar, one positioned between the locating rings - offer the bar up to the lower front edge of the front subframe.

C-AJJ3363 - SPHERICAL ENDED ADJUSTABLE BOTTOM ARMS

These are to replace the standard bottom arms to facilitate easy adjustment of camber angles.

To fit, pace car safely on axle stands, remove front wheels to ease access, remove tie bar bolt where it joins the bottom arm, break bottom hub ball joint on outer end of arm, then remove the inner arm pivot pin. Adjust the spherical rod end by screwing in or out to set it to a similar length from the centre of the inner pivot point to the centre ...

Bill Sollis Races in the Mini Miglias at Spa-Francorchamps

Spa-Francorchamps the best race track in the world?

Well there are many Formula 1 driver who would agree and in my humble opinion, it is certainly true. Brands Hatch GP circuit, Suzuka in Japan and Dijon in France come close for me...

Standard Classic Mini Winter Checks

In order to keep your Mini in full working order this winter, we have put together a small guide of things to check, besides the routine servicing

Cooling System
Antifreeze is a must in a Mini for the winter. A Winter mix of Antifreeze to water over the winter will stop any potential problems with freezing conditions.
Cooling Hoses. Check the condition of all...

Engine Stabiliser Bush Kits- Is poly the answer.

For several years now, the Mini has always struggled with wearing out engine stabiliser bushes. The combination of heat and oil on the standard rubber bushes has always caused a problem, and on standard mini’s often causes problems with making exhaust manifold downpipes blow. The widely accepted “modification” has always been to fit a set of polyurethane (or equivalent) bushes

These kits look nicer...

11.08.07 - Snetterton Report by Keith Calver

Having made some improvements and progress at Croft the decision now was – what to do next? The increase in toe-out on the rear, despite being a small amount, seemed to help get the car turned better. Should I add more? In my 'softly softly' approach to getting the car sorted so I don't loose my way I contemplated this for a while and decided that on the whole it would be better to go to Snetterton with the car as it finished at Croft....

Dunlop Suspension

Historical Article - March 1992 - Wild Thing!

In 1988, a humble 1973 Mini 1000 was minding its own business somewhere in London, when along came a young Mini freak called Jason King, who wanted to change it for ever, and make it famous.

Jason persuaded the owner to take £450 for the car, and then proceeded to throw £12,000 worth of presents at it for the next 3 years. Every minute of Jason’s spare time was spent working on his new car and every minute of his working time was spent looking for spares.

Historical Article - Nov 1992 - Visit Across the Pond

Every year in America and Canada, Mini enthusiasts get together for a Mini “Convention”. In fact there are two held, due to the copious quality of “surface area” that makes up North America and Canada! One designated Mini Meet West and the other (Surprise surprise) is the Mini Meet East. Each year one of the numerous Mini owners Clubs volunteers to arrange and conduct the meeting at a venue in their area.

Historical Article - Nov 1992 - Visit Across the Pond

Every year in America and Canada, Mini enthusiasts get together for a Mini “Convention”. In fact there are two held, due to the copious quality of “surface area” that makes up North America and Canada! One designated Mini Meet West and the other (Surprise surprise) is the Mini Meet East. Each year one of the numerous Mini owners Clubs volunteers to arrange and conduct the meeting at a venue in their area.

Historical Article - Nov 1992 - Directional Stability and Safer Wheels

It is widely known that when cars have suspension designed for standard road use, shortcomings are exposed when under, erm, “progressive road driving. The situation is even worse under competition conditions where regulations inhibit use of rose jointed suspension. The Mini is no exception. The soft rubber tie rod and bottom arm bushes produce excessive weaving under heavy braking and wandering under fast cornering...

Historical Article - Nov 1992 - Directional Stability and Safer Wheels

It is widely known that when cars have suspension designed for standard road use, shortcomings are exposed when under, erm, “progressive road driving. The situation is even worse under competition conditions where regulations inhibit use of rose jointed suspension. The Mini is no exception. The soft rubber tie rod and bottom arm bushes produce excessive weaving under heavy braking and wandering under fast cornering...

Historical Article - Nov 1992 - History in the making

Having built one Cooper ‘S’ for Timo Makinen to use in Historic Rallying, in which he won two International Rallies, I decided to build another one with more power and less weight than the previous one.

One lesson I learnt the hard way building the first car, was that a reliable source of new parts with in-built quality, especially where obsolete parts were being remanufactured, was essential. Mini Spares of London...

Historical Article - Nov 1992 - History in the making

Having built one Cooper ‘S’ for Timo Makinen to use in Historic Rallying, in which he won two International Rallies, I decided to build another one with more power and less weight than the previous one.

One lesson I learnt the hard way building the first car, was that a reliable source of new parts with in-built quality, especially where obsolete parts were being remanufactured, was essential. Mini Spares of London...

Historical Article - Nov 1992 - Little Red Booster 2

A strange choice, you might think, for inclusion in Mini Tech News but, surprisingly the GTM has more Mini parts on it than the Elf! (because the Elf is nearly all space frame).