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 - 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.
GEARBOX - Syncro vs 'Dog' engagement
NOTE ; A 'high' or 'low' ratio gear is in reference to it's performance, not it's numerical number. To illustrate - a 'high' FD ratio will give 'higher road speed', but will have a numerically low figure. A 'low' FD ratio will give lower road speed, but have a numerically high figure.
part numbers: C-AJJ3371, C-AJJ3319, C-STN39, C-AJJ4014, C-STN76, C-STN77
A by-product of this will be reduced acceleration capability on the 'high' ratio, increased acceleration capability on the 'low' ratio. The main gearbox gears work in the exact same way.
Cog swapping
Elsewhere we've considered what alternative standard production ratios are available - but that still leaves you with the power-consuming and limited-ratio alternatives helical tooth type gears. Not desirable in a competition orientated car. The solution to this comes in the form of several types of straight-cut gear sets (teeth are cut at 90 degrees across the gear as opposed to the angled helical type).
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,
Brakes - Fundamental Considerations
When looking to increase their cars performance, most folks immediately turn to
considering higher engine power outputs. Because of this pre-occupation brakes
tend to slide down the improvements priority list. However, they are far more
important - being able to accelerate at warp speed to hyper-space in the
twinkling of an eye is all very well, but disastrous if you can’t stop. You
will make a very big hole in the scenery, and possibly end up wearing an wooden
over-coat.
Getting the braking system sorted out can help to make the car quicker, as you will be able to more confidently, therefore maximising speed in any given situation. Being one of those ‘sciences’ used in the automotive industry I hope to shed some light on the subject as it's another of those where many questions from confused and mislead folks that clog up my e-mail board.
The advent of the Metro, and the brakes used on it has spawned a lot of activity in this direction. It was soon discovered that they could b
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.
Suspension - King Pin Offset
Adverse Effects of Fitting Wide Wheels
part numbers: C-AJJ3359
Terminology used:
KPI - King Pin Inclination
KPO - King Pin Offset
LSD - Limited Slip Differential
In the 'Suspension - Terminology' section, I covered what KPI is, as it is an ancient but still oft-used term despite being pretty redundant. Not that it isn't attendant in current cars - it has to be. It's just that the mass car manufacturers have settled the angle at which it is set down to a fairly universally used envelope, and there's nothing the individual can do to alter it without entirely re-fabricating the hubs of drastic surgery on the existing ones. So is, to all intents and purposes, fixed. Even the most technically advanced race teams can do little more than keep a wary eye on what it is doing when playing with suspension set-up.
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
HPS5 – IN LINE OIL PICK UP MAGNETIC TRAP WITH FILTERHPS6 – IN LINE OIL PICK UP M...
FITTING INSTRUCTIONS
Mini oil pumps are susceptible to premature failure caused by excessive large particle contamination of the oil, mainly metallic debris created by the gearbox. The situation is not helped by the oil getting to the pump before being filtered. Mini Spares has developed components to help minimise this problem, including these in line magnetic oil traps. Their design allows easy fitment, as the adapter simply replaces the standard oil pick up pipe blanking plate on the back of the gearbox. It’s position in the oil supply gallery necessitates frequent removal of the trap to clean collected particles out, more so for the filtered version. Failure to do this will cause premature failure of the pump and possibly engine bearings.
There are no hard and fast rules for this periodic maintenance as vehicle usage will determine debris build up. Obviously a carefully driven road car will not need as frequent attention as a race car. Certainly clean it at e...
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 ...
C-AJJ4022 4 POT ALLOY CALIPERS FITTING INSTRUCTIONS
These calipers are intended for use on 12” wheels with 8.4”diameter solid discs.
When fitting vented discs, spacers are required to fit between the two halves (Spacer kit C-AJJ4021) If using vented discs the drive flange must also be changed to the relevant type NAM6450F. When fitting the calipers ensure the wheel studs are sitting flush in the flange or disc as they should be in standard form and not fouling in any way.
C-AJJ4029 Vented disc/Caliper conversion kit
For use when converting cars which already have hubs fitted that hold calipers except 997/998 Cooper which will also require larger Constant velocity joints and Timken bearings, If you have brake shoe front drum brakes a kit C-AJJ4029A is available which contains all parts required..
The contents of this kit ...
C-AJJ4023 4 POT ALLOY CALIPER CONVERSION KIT
These calipers are intended for use on 10”wheels with 7.5”diameter solid brake discs.
The kit contains:-
2 calipers, one right and one left hand. Please ensure that they are installed correctly with the bleed screws in the vertical position (i.e. at the top)
4 longer hub fixing bolts(53K1049)
4 bolt washers(21017Z
4 round spacers (AN1380) which go between hub and caliper where the fixing bolts locate. Bolts and spacers not required when fitting to vented discs
1 set of brake pad split pins (GBK1025) BUT NO BRAKE PADS.
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...
MINISPARES HISTORIC RALLY TEAM - 2005 SEASON - PART1
After a major engine rebuild carried out by MED in Leicester designed to give a stronger bottom end with a fully specified crankshaft and their special high torque camshaft (STR 930) to make the car more driveable.
The S rods were smoothed, polished and whole assembly balanced giving a very usable power band from 3000 to 7000, but capable of revving to 8000 safely.
Mini Production dates
We have tried to get together as complete list as possible to show all the models made from 1985 onwards, hopefully this will help identify those cars that have been modified over the years. If you have any information that you know is correct or anything that you think is not right please let us know.
03.04.10, Cadwell Park Race Report by Keith Calver
Getting the car ready for the first race was not quite the last minute flurry of panicked activity it usually is. Largely because the re-fit and re-furb were kept to a minimum following complete strip re-build plans shot to pieces by tradesmen being somewhat hard to pin down to get very necessary domestic work done.
Most importantly the doors and windows in the garage. The special concertina type front doors have been falling slowly decaying over the past few years....
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