JK
11 posts
Joined: 15/09/2004 16:53:23
Location: WESTCLIFF ON SEA United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
ADJUSTABLE LOWER ARMS / TIE RODS + BALL JOINTS
OK. HAVE LOOKED ALL OVER THE INTERNET, AND READ EVERYTHING I CAN BUT IVE DECIDED I AM THICK. i got these s/hand rose jointed lower arms, and new adjustable tie bars brom minispares, along with the caster/camber gague. now does the bottom ball-joint have to be in front of the top one? that is having the ball joints at the 5 o clock position?? or behind at the 7 oclock position?? i have camber set at 1.5 degrees both sides, and have been able to adjust the o/s side caster to the book setting of 3 degrees, eventually i will go to 5, however the ball joints on this side are at the 7 o clock position; the other side i cant seem to get anywhere with. any ideas im stuck :0(
Posted: Jun 04, 2005 05:43 PM
teabag
5 posts
Joined: 28/09/2006 10:21:57
Location: Bedford United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Lower Arm Pin
Hi,
I've done many jobs on a Mini but I've never replaced the lower arm bushes. They look warn and as I have the hub off I thought I'd change them.
Question: How does the pin come out? I'ver undone the nut, but can't work out which way the pin needs to come out. The Haynes manual picture don't tell, and the manual makes it sound easy :)
Does the pin entrer through the subframe from the front? Or do I vever it to the back. Don't want to force it. I'm sure its obviousonce you see it.
Paul
Posted: Oct 01, 2006 04:17 PM
C. Barron
332 posts
Joined: 04/05/2006 21:28:31
Location: Mid Calder United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
The pin has to come out of the 'head' end of the pin, through the subframe hole.
Rather than trying to knock it out on the thread you can get a chisel or a drift in behind the head of the pin and knock it loose
the head is keyed, a piece of metal welded to the subframe stops it from turning when you tighten it up.
So you could hit the thread end after the nut is off, but you kncock it in the same direction and don't damage the thread if you knock it out from behind the head of the pin, towards the front of the car.
Posted: Oct 01, 2006 07:15 PM
Here you go, forgot to post this image, the pin is item 28 in this drawing.
It has a snug fitting head and a flange near the thread end, a flange where it passes through the subframe in fact .
It needs to be released, pressed out about 5mm to the front fo the car and these flanges will clear their holes and the pin will be easy to manipulate out from the space above the arm.
Chris
Posted: Oct 01, 2006 07:22 PM
Thank, that's a lot clearer. I'll give it a 'bash'.
Posted: Oct 02, 2006 09:45 PM
simon whatley
2 posts
Joined: 11/08/2009 22:15:23
Location: plymouth United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
lower arm mount bush
hi, new mini cooper needs new lower arm mount bush , im guessing a pair though. What do i do? go to the bmw mini specialist and have OEMs or order some parts and get someone else to do it AND if thats being done do i have some other suspension trickery at the same time? any ideas? simon
Posted: Aug 14, 2009 01:05 AM
matthew glanville
7 posts
Joined: 06/08/2010 07:48:20
Location: gillingham United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
lower arm pin removal?
hi all,ive got the front subframe out of my mk1 and need to replace the lower arm bushes. the pin is solid! does it just require pressure or is there another way of removing it?
Posted: Sep 05, 2010 09:01 AM
re lower arm pin removal
nice one,one good clout with a club hammer and they both popped out cheers matt
Posted: Sep 05, 2010 05:24 PM
Paul Orbell
9 posts
Joined: 10/03/2011 18:26:06
Location: Cannock United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
How do you fit metal bushes on GRP A HD Rose bottom arms to lower pin
Group A HD rose jointed bottom arms don't use rubber bushes, however there are some metal inserts, and not sure how they should be fitted. See pictures, any advise appreciated. I did notice that lowerpin was in back to front tonight. Just Questioning metal inserts.
Regards Paul
Posted: Aug 26, 2011 06:33 PM
In the uploaded images you can see that I have fitted the bottom arm with the metal bushes with the wider part of bush against the Rose Joint, it looks OK but if anyone knows different please advise.
Regards
Posted: Aug 30, 2011 07:47 PM
Advised by Mini Spares:
21A1091 Heavy Duty Adjustable Tie Rods By Bradley Begin date 10-Dec-2005 End date 10-Dec-2010 Fitting Instructions These rods have been produced to improve car stability when cornering and braking, and facilitate easy adjustment of castor angle. Manufactured from a high-grade material in a much bigger diameter, they are less susceptible to bending than the standard items. The standard castor angle is 3º ± 1/2º. This will change when the car is raised or lowered, and when adjustable or negative camber bottom arms are used (these tend to increase castor). The adjustability of these tie rods allows accurate and even setting of the castor angle on both sides of the car. This is important for stability in a straight line and driving out of a corner, more so when a limited slip differential is being used and 13” wheel / tyre combinations. The greater the castor angle, the more “self centering“ action will be when accelerating. Adjustment is achieved by screwing the tie rod in or out of the block that bolts to the bottom arm. This can be done without removing the tie rod from the car by slackening the 11/16” nut on the front end of the tie rod, undoing the lock nut that tightens up against the adjuster block, then turning the tie rod with a spanner on the cut outs provided halfway along the shaft to screw in or out of the block. Shortening the rod by screwing the rod into the block increases castor, decreasing it is done by screwing the rod out of the block – lengthening the rod. The standard length is 14 5/16” from the front of the locating washer to the nearest edge of the bolt hole in the adjuster block. One full rotation of the rod adjusts the length by 1/16” which equates to a little over 1/2º. However, the shorter the tie rod is made, the less amount of alteration is achieved. It is not recommended to use more than 5 1/2º of caster, less than 2º will greatly reduce the steering self centering action. Altering the castor also alters the camber. Increasing castor reduces camber, and vice versa. NOTE: ALWAYS start with the tie rod set to the standard length, as starting with the rod longer can cause a misleading phenomena known as “tea trolley” effect, where the bottom ball joint is behind the top one on a side evaluation. IMPORTANT NOTE The use of very stiff/hard tie rod bushes on both sides of the subframe bracket is most definitely NOT recommended. Use kit C-STR627 fitting the hard bush on the outside only and the soft type on the inside. This is to prevent the tie rod end shearing off through over stressing when doing up the retaining nut to achieve correct seating of the retaining washer against the step on the tie rod, and is more than sufficient to create the increased stability desired when fitting these harder bushes. The tyre trying to drag the tie rod back through the subframe mainly creates the instability, therefore only the outer bush requires increased resilience. Fitting harder bushes on both sides does not noticeably improve stability, nor cornering performance on either race or road cars
use following link fo above info: https://www.minispares.com/Sec/Auth/FittingInstructions.aspx?ty=fd&ReturnUrl=%2fProduct.aspx%3fty%3dfi%26pid%3d34995%26sku%3d0%26tc%3d1%26au%3d1&aid=428
Posted: Aug 30, 2011 08:40 PM
mitchelland
Joined: 12/09/2004 10:53:14
Location: Cumnock United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
I don't think you have got it quite right.
Looking at the pics in your second post
The smallest diameter part of the spacer should be against the spherical bearing and the tie bar mount on to the subframe needs to be rotated 90 degrees
Posted: Sep 05, 2011 08:08 PM
Many thanks for advice.
Posted: Sep 07, 2011 07:38 PM
Maybe you could post a picture of your completed installation
Posted: Sep 14, 2011 06:33 PM
EQUINOX 96
10 posts
Joined: 22/04/2023 09:40:09
Location: Winsford United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
front lower arms
I am thinking of using 1.5 degree lower arms on a std 1275 spi .
This will be a dry day only ride, will this mod make any difference?.
Thanks
Posted: Jul 22, 2023 01:02 PM
Is there any advantage to fitting 1.5 neg lower arms to a car used only on holidays & sunny days?
Posted: Jul 24, 2023 09:57 AM
Tim
1849 posts
Joined: 18/10/2004 09:40:59
Location: Bournemouth United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
upper balljoint
Apologies for the misleading advice re. jacking on the lower suspension arm. In my defence, I've been working on another car where the spring and shock absorber act on the lower arm, and I forgot that on the mini they act on the upper arm.
Posted: Jul 10, 2006 11:00 AM
Jake Holmes
172 posts
Joined: 14/02/2009 21:39:11
Location: Walton on Thames United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
re
Might i also advise replacing the lower arm pin especially if the threads look dodgy. Also a new one will probably be easier to slide onto the new bushes. I was driving around for a long time with the lower arm pin dangling precariously out of the subframe because the threads had stripped. Also don't forget to tighten the retaining nut when the car is on the ground not jacked up.
Posted: Sep 05, 2010 11:19 AM
Tie Bars
It's probably easiest to remove the complete lower arm plus tie bar from the car, then you can apply WD40, heat, hammer, hacksaw, etc.
Posted: Jun 22, 2006 11:07 AM
You need to jack it underneath the lower suspension arm - this relieves the loading on the upper balljoint and you should then be able to see any movement.
Posted: Jul 08, 2006 03:16 PM