MS73 - ADJUSTABLE REAR TRACK AND CAMBER BRACKETS FITTING INSTRUCTIONS.

To facilitate full experimentation in this area, the MS73 kit has been developed to allow accurate adjustment of rear wheel camber AND track. Adjustment of rear track can greatly influence the handling characteristics of the Mini. For reference, toe in gives straight-line performance/stability with more rear end grip (under-steer). Toe-out gives over-steer in corners, and less stability in a straight line - particularly under part/closed throttle conditions. Simple and effective caster/camber and tracking gauges are available from Mini Spares (Tool10 caster/camber gauge, TOOL11 tracking gauge) to facilitate DIY setting of geometry.

TOOL 11 TRACKING GAUGE INSTRUCTIONS

TOOL11 is a supremely simple device to use, essentially an oversized vernier calliper.

Although a billiard table like surface is not needed, it is sensible to have the car on something like level ground without any of the wheels in dips or on lumps. Set the steering straight ahead and roll the vehicle back and forth a couple of times to settle the suspension. Resting the gauge on the ground in front of the vehicle with the arms at each end elevated, set the gauge to suit vehicle track width by releasing the two clamp bolts and sliding the two halves apart/together until the desired position is achieved, positioning the measuring tips at half overall wheel/tyre height (i.e. a line drawn horizontally through the hub centre to intersect the wheel/tyre outer edges) on either the wheel rim or tyre wall then pinch...

the Mighty Minis circus moved to the Northamptonshire track of Rockingham

After the wacky races at Mallory, the Mighty Minis circus moved to the Northamptonshire track of Rockingham. Looking to build on his solid start to the season Alex, in the number 3 Mini Spares.com car, was keen to capitalise to bolster his championship hopes.

By the end of the qualifying session...

Mini Spares at Brands Hatch Track Day 2017

Mini Spares at Brands Hatch Track Day 2017

We had a fantastic time at the Brands Hatch Track day on the 12th July.

Track Day 2019

The Track Day Car

Our fabulous MINI SPARES Sponsored 1460 Fuel Injected 8 PORT Has 2 Roles in its life. 1. Is a product tester, MINI SPARES are constantly developing and testing new products before going into full production and selling to the public.

The Track Day Car

Our fabulous MINI SPARES Sponsored 1460 Fuel Injected 8 PORT Has 2 Roles in its life. 1. Is a product tester, MINI SPARES are constantly developing and testing new products before going into full production and selling to the public.

SUSPENSION - Basic set-up method

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.

Camshafts - Scatter cams, pros and cons

To scatter or not to scatter, that is the question. This whole 'scattering' deal has befuddled many. The only real prose produced on the subject, and 'advice' handed out by many so-called 'specialists' tends to be somewhat tainted with large chunks of mysticism - inferring there's some kind of black art involved. The simple fact is the principle is very basic and easy; it's getting a cam with the right profile and figures applied to it that will actually work as a scatter profile that's the hard part. And this article does not mean I am all for scatter pattern cams. I will illuminate… We are all pretty much aware that the A-series is a real oddity, largely because of the siamese (shared) port work - cylinders 1 & 2 share an inlet port, cylinders 3 & 4 share an inlet port, and cylinders 2 & 3 share an exhaust port. Very weird compared to the more familiar head designs found on almost every other engine type that has one inlet and one exhaust port per cylinder.

Camshaft Design

Elgin Cams is a company that is a direct descendent of such famous California specialists as Isky, Delong, Winfield, etc. etc. Elgin has taken the art of cams into the science of the '90's. Computer designed and handcrafted workmanship guarantee a first class camshaft. Custom designed cams are a specialty. Part No Applications: CAM001, CAM002, CAM003, CAM004, CAM005, CAM006, CAM007 Elgin has made cams or sold his design to General Motors, Ford Motor Co., Nissan Corp., Zakespped International, Porsche Motor Sports, Winston Cup "Engine Builders. Elgin has the largest percentage of cams used at the SCCA Runoffs from GT-1 to Formula-V. He also has provided original or new technology for antique and vintage racers. Much information has been recorded about the four stroke internal combustion engine and yet only a small percentage of people really understand how it works and fewer people know how to modify an engine to suit their needs.

Round 1, Mallory Park. 30th March, 2003

At long last, the first race of the season - Mallory Park. This would be the acid test of all the winter work to get the Mini ready for the Super Mighty Minis Championship.

This would be the acid test of all the winter work to get the Mini ready for the Super Mighty Minis Championship. With...

Super Mighty Mini championship to rounds 3 and 4 at Snetterton, Norfolk.

A barmy mid summer-esque May weekend greeted the Super Mighty Mini championship to rounds 3 and 4 at Snetterton, Norfolk. Jokingly nick-named the Far East round by some drivers due to its location, Snetterton is a circuit that as seen some of my better results.

Saturday qualifying saw me achieve a hassle...

Brakes. Pad Types and Choices

I know I keep dragging this one out for an airing but it’s continually ignored by far too many folk - the only way to get the best from what you have is to be totally honest with yourself about your Min’s main usage. Delusions of grandeur cause severe disappointment, and tears before bedtime. Fitting a set of pads to your road Mini because you think you drive like Michael Schumacher, and your Mini’s built around a ‘race’ theme, with ‘race-spec’ brakes is going to get you into severe bother. Nine

Despite a particular pad type having a high ‘Mu’ designate doesn’t mean to say it’ll give you the best braking potential. They’re generally made in a harder compound so may also give unacceptable levels of disc wear, noise output (squeal), or judder. A pad that gives excellent performance at lower temperatures may have unacceptable pad wear, and create excessive corrosive dust.

So what you need is a pad tha...

Brakes - Fitting Discs and Required Ancillaries

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,

Gearbox - Limited Slip Diffs, What they're about

Modified engines producing more power generally induce owners to drive with greater verve, particularly when competing in one of the many motorsport disciplines. Terminology - LSD - Limited Slip Differential In fact this isn’t isolated to modified Minis. Owners of relatively standard machinery competing in a discipline or merely out on a country lane blast are subject to the same determination. The more verve/determination applied, the more of a struggle keeping your Mini on the designated track becomes. Generally the problem is down to grip - or more precisely the lack of it. Suspension modifications and extensive twiddling of geometry settings can provide improvements in stability, both for straight lines and turn in/mid corner performance. But even throwing bucket loads of cash at super high grade dampers, and the odd arm/leg/lung handed over to ‘professional’ chassis tuners doesn’t solve the particular grip problem we’re interested in here - corner exit/acceleration grip, or

GEARBOX - Limited Slip Diffs, what's available.

‘Salisbury’ is the word banded about by most un-enlightened folk when discussing LSDs for Minis, mistakenly believing the word covers all Mini orientated LSDs. This is grossly incorrect. Terminology - LSD - Limited Slip Differential The ‘Salisbury’ was designed in the ‘50s at a time when racecars were a good deal less sophisticated than today. Tyres were usually cross-ply with severely limited grip due to poor compounds developed ostensibly for rear-wheel-drive cars; the front wheel drive of the Mini being a rarity. And tracks were more than a little ‘bumpy’. Agriculturally built cars needed an LSD designed along similar lines; enter the Salisbury - effectively developed from a tractor diff. High static pre-loads were more than common to help compensate for severe short-falls in chassis, suspension, and tyre design. To all intents and purposes the diff was practically locked up, making the car a real beast to drive.

GEARBOX - How they work

Having decided on or even implemented a course of action to bolster the performance of your Mini’s engine, maximising it’s potential should encompass a good look at the gearbox.

GEARBOX - How they work

Having decided on or even implemented a course of action to bolster the performance of your Mini’s engine, maximising it’s potential should encompass a good look at the gearbox.