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Time to arrange all those agonised over, carefully selected and applied suspension components to give of their best.

Suspension - Basic set-up method

part numbers: TOOL10, TOOL11, HILO, HILO-01

Time to arrange all those agonised over, carefully selected and applied suspension components to give of their best.

This is one of those subjects viewed as a ‘black art’, largely because of lack of understanding and confusion. The confusion part is because folk encompass the whole suspension set-up deal with suspension arrangement and design, lack of understanding instilling terror at the thought of ‘fiddling’ with the suspension components. The latter also fuelled by the knowledge that expensive specialist measuring equipment is needed. Well, there is no black art – you can work the magic. More a case of a long day...

SUSPENSION - Terminology

Glossary of terms used in the suspension on the mini. The Mini has consistently more than proven its capability in competition with very limited and cost-effective modifications based on the standard equipment fitted. Having first ensured the bodyshell (in reality little more than a complex bracket to hold suspension and driver securely in place) is well sorted out by removing all cruddy or rotten metalwork and into something like straight, square and strong we, maximising suspension stability and geometry pays dividends in the enjoyment that is driving a Mini. Understanding what the individual ingredients are helps in pursuing what you want from the experience. Smooth Mover Good, reliable, and consistent handling is dependent on a number of factors. At this stage, we’re concerned with clapped out or badly adjusted suspension components. Stiff, seized, partially seized or slack, sloppy, worn out suspension components will cause inconsistent, wayward, confusing and – more important

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.

What you actually need for the disc/drum conversion is pretty straightforward. Disconnect the steering arms, top and bottom swivel-pins, CV joint, and flexible brake pipes at the subframe - that’s it. There are, however, a number of ancillaries to consider.

Basics

Basics Fitting discs designed for the Mini is easy enough. Just make sure you use CV gaiters for the disc-brake set-up - these have a different bellows shape to stop the gaiter rubbing the inside of the hub. The drum type will rub, then split, shedding grease all over the place. Moly grease is mighty mucky stuff to deal with and doesn't assist braking at all! A tip for racers - to stop the gaiters over-expanding when getting very hot and imitating the aforementioned, put either a decent sized split pin or (my favorite) a piece of very small bore pipe - as in the type supplied with WD40 aerosols, etc. - under the retaining strap on the drive shaft. This allows air to escape and return,

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.

This is one of those areas where there is more than one way to skin the cat - depending on who you speak to. This is the method I have used for eternity, which has been totally reliable and never had a problem with.

This only applies to non-Verto type clutches, as the Verto types are not adjustable. You just have to make sure all the operating linkage components are in good order.

First off, ensure your operating linkage is up to scratch. For details on this, see 'Engine transplants - Clutch and flywheel'.

Satisfied all is OK, you can proceed with setting the linkage up.

1 - Remove/disconnect clutch return spring.

2 - Undo throw-out nuts (15/16"AF nuts on outer end of plunger) lock nut and back nuts off away from clutch cover.

Lubrication - Temperature critical

The correct running temperature of the oil is perhaps even more important than the water/coolant temperatures - so let us consider how to control them.

Mainly because it seems to be the most misunderstood of the whole process, and oil cooler fitment almost a reflex when over-heating occurs where a tuned engine of any type is concerned. And in many cases on standard production road cars for that matter.

Almost since the appearance of the immortal Cooper S, fitting an oil cooler has been the essential thing to do to any tuned Mini without any comprehension why. The original fitment was necessary because oil and bearing technology wasn't too advanced. Asking an oil of yester-year to cope with lubricating an engine at racing speeds, and a gearbox pushed their performance to the edge of their all too narrow capability, so extreme control over their working environment was essential for reliability. Hence oil cooler fitment.

Modern technology continually sweeps its ever-growing arm across all manufactured products and the SU was no exception. From closer scrutiny, and more demanding emissions control the HIF variant was born. So what have they done to improve it over its predecessor - the HS - and is it worth hanging out for? PROS. Integral float - the 'IF' in the new type number HIF. The previous H and HS type carbs with their side-mounted remote float bowls worked fine until used in racing where serious cornering speeds generated enough G-forces to lean-out the fuel mixture. The remedy was to fit a spacer between the float lid and float bowl to raise the fuel level held in it. OK when running, but at idle and rest, fuel would bubble out of the jet - causing bore washing, poor pick-up, and horrendously rich CO mixtures at idle! Fitting the float integral with the carb, directly below the jet hole (port/orifice), eliminated this problem. Jet temperature compensation - This was first aired on HS types

Suspension - Dampers, basic knowledge

The damper's job is very simple to explain - to keep the tyre in contact with the ground wherever and whenever possible...

Predominantly 13-inchers, but 12s as well, the main thrust of the questions being 'what do I need to do?'

This subject is a regular visitor to the message board and 'Knowledge' section of Mini Magazine for whom I write - fitting bigger wheels. Predominantly 13-inchers, but 12s as well, the main thrust of the questions being 'what do I need to do?' along with 'which wheel arch extensions will I need?' The answer has always been somewhat 'clipped' purely because of the space availability issues both in the magazine and on the message board, so something a little more detailed was required. Although the Mini suspension was designed around the use of 10-inch wheels with cross-ply tyres, a quick dash through history reveals that fitment of these bigger wheel sizes isn't a recent, 'modern' application.

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.

Jack rear of car up, and place securely on axle stands, positioned to allow maximum access to rear subframe/rear radius arms area. Remove rear exhaust hanger to exhaust clamp or un-hook rubber loop on late type cars. Using suitable saw, cut off centralising tab from bottom center of subframe rear cross member. Remove rear wheels and brake drums. Remove upper most and rear most brake back plate to radius arm nuts and bolts.

These rods have been produced to improve car stability when cornering and braking and to facilitate easy adjustment of caster angle. Manufactured from a high-grade material in a much bigger diameter they are less susceptible to bending than the standard items.

C-STR631 & 632 Offset bottom arm bushes

Aftermarket bushes for suspension and subframes have been a topic of conversation for some time now. Many folk have become obsessed about fitting brightly coloured plastic (polyurethane) bushes in place of any rubber bush they can find in the belief they will improve the performance of whatever bush has been replaced. Whilst it is true that polyurethane is harder wearing - and therefore longer lasting - than rubber in many applications it is not necessarily the best material for the application every time. Polyurethane has greater abrasion resistance and is stiffer for a similar hardness, is much cheaper to produce (and therefore sells at lower cost) and can be produced in a wide variety of gaudy colours.

Mini Spares has now further improved it's quality one-piece forged adjustable bottom front suspension arm to be on-car adjustable and accept all types of non-rod-end (Rose joint) bushings by including a purpose-forged trunnion.

Safety critical, the one-piece forging is of the highest quality; far stronger and with ultimate integrity compared with the now-ancient method of cutting/welding on of adaptors – a process that demands the most specialised equipment and skill to be sure of component integrity. Manufactured from a new forge tool, the bottom arm inner joint boss has been extended to accept a tube-nut adjuster that accepts the purpose-forged trunnion.

The tube nut allows easy adjustment of camber without needing to jack the car up and disassemble the suspension; the trunnion giving all Mini owners an option previously only available to racers – the capability of having fully adjustable suspension without the need to use spherical rod-ends. The trunni...

C-AJJ4064 – 8 PORT CYLINDER HEAD

The combustion chambers are left in a basic shape only with a nominal 16.4cc which allows enough metal for those with the latest advanced ideas of shape to apply them and create the correct compression ratios for the desired use.

Valve and seat material specification allows use of unleaded fuel. Thoroughly clean the cylinder head before final assembly. Check that the small circlip is in the correct position in the valve guide at a point where the guide protrudes through the cylinder head beneath the valve seat. Place the valve spring seat over...

These are a direct replacement for the standard bottom arms and will add 1 1/2º of negative camber to whatever the car has as standard – quoted by the manufacturers as being 1º positive, ±1º.

If the car has 1º positive, fitting the negative camber arms will give 1/2º camber. Measuring what the car has with standard arms will help determine what camber setting will be achieved by using C-AJJ3364.

Negative camber helps reduce under steer, thus improving the car’s cornering performance. Altering the car’s ride height also alters the camber angle and so needs setting before considering the fitment of C-AJJ3364 – lowering the car adds negative camber, raising it adds positive camber.

Excessive negative camber will....

Having now covered 17000 miles in my twinpoint from new it developed bad oil leaks making it a true mini. The rocker cover seals perished along with a diff output shaft seal. The leaks now rectified, Duckhams oil was used to refill the engine.

My own Twin point by Keith Dodd 1st June 2006 making it a true Having now covered 17000 miles in my twinpoint from new it developed bad oil leaks mini.

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...

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