Hello Keith,

Part 1 books arrived and were snapped up!  Hope you had a good time in Montreal and at Bethel.

Rick

Mini friends!  Mini rides!

Restored/modified Mini 1000 with 1380cc power unit, 2.95:1 FD, adj. suspension, S discs/drums, 10x5 Minilites, 165x70 A008s, custom trim and matching custom trailer.

Good lord! First involvement for a long time and I can't even get my own part numbers correct! Sorry -that sould be CST5003. KC

 Tuning should be a compromise between what is possible and what is necessary

Hello Folks - it's been a while since I chipped in -

Yes, I do a cheap and easy to use caster/camber gauge. MSC (&MM?) sell itas TOOL10. It's also avaialble on my website - www.calverst.com as CST5001.

I need to double check the articles on my site as I think a few 'got lost' a while back when some up-dating was done. Keep an eye on it in the next few days and I'll make sure they're all there.

Cheers, KC 

 Tuning should be a compromise between what is possible and what is necessary

rosebud:  is this the guage you are after?  http://www.minispares.com/Product.aspx?pid=37707

they are available from Mini Spares.

the DIY gages can work very well, but take patience and experience to use accurately. KC has some articles on using these too, in the articles section here. Our host does sell them, and Keith has their part numbers at the end of each of his articles for reference.

If you don't hit any curbs your alignment ought to stay for a good, long time. My guy said that when he does periodic re-checks his regular client's racing setups he can tell when they've hit something, but he also said that it ought not to need much / any maintenance as long as you don't. Once it is all set up, and the settings are recorded, he can do a re-check / adjustment quickly (costs much less than the first time).

Note, though, that you will want to drive it for about a month before you go for the full monty so that the new rubber cones will take a set. I recommend that you either buy a toe gage and just set that, or have your guy do a quickie set up of your newly completed installation until after that month. I just used a big carpenter's square to "eyeball" my camber to within about 1/4", and a simple toe setting gage to set that within about 1/8" and drove it like that for a bit, and then left it in the garage all winter, then had it professionally set up in the spring.

It handles like it is on rails, unless I go over a bump in mid turn and I can see how a "too firm" set up can actually DEcrease handling as one wheel or another bounces and loses traction for an instant. As it is, with all rubber all around, it is just enough "twitch" to make it joyful to drive, and just enough suppleness to make it fun to ride in.

Norm

It helps me, Norm. Thanks! I did research this forum  and the various links I was directed to and used the info to get me headed in the right direction. Which, it would seem concurs with your take on these issues (donuts vs. springs, poly vs. rubber etc).

The suspention components I've installed (rear swaybar, front end alignment kit, rear camber adjusters etc.) are all adjustable, but I have no idea how to begin setting them up. Looks like I'll be searching for a pro w/ $200 bucks in hand.

Some of the tech articles provided by our host talks about their carrying "inexpensive gauages" for setting up these adjustments, but I have not acutally found these caster, camber & toe gauges on MM's site. Anyone know where I can source this things?

Thought I'd get my car set up by a pro first, then use the gauges to keep things in spec. Good idea? 

Michael  Santa Barbara, CA

Norm, thanks for all the input, and I will do a search and see what I come up with.

tons of discussion has gone on here, do a 365 day search and read previous threads first.

also, there are great articles on these points in the "articles" section of this website.

There are two camps: some who feel that the original rubber cones are best for a mini, others who feel that modern steel springs are better.

In either case, the pros/cons can be found out easiest by reading the (many) previous threads on this debate.

My 2 cents: if you have old rubber cones (old = more than 10 years), then ANYthing will feel like a great improvement, even steel springs. The advantage of rubber cones is that the suspension was designed for that material (very short travel, needs a very fluid rising rate spring material, like rubber is). A steel spring will "bottom out" because at some point the coils will touch, which can be harsh, or if the coils are designed in a spiral to avoid bottoming out the next issue is that the material has a constant spring rate. A rubber spring, on the other hand, has a rising rate, i.e. will continuously and evenly progresses towards firmer and firmer response the more you compress it (important when working with such a small stroke as in a mini's suspension).

Installing hi-lows, new rubber cones, and fully adjustable suspension (front tie rods, lower arms, and rear suspension adjusting brackets), and having it professionally set up for ride height, caster, camber and toe, at all four corners can make any mini ride and handle great. Far better than when it first left the factory, and also gives you the option of setting up the car to handle just the way you want it to.

Installing all of the above, but not getting it properly set up will never give you the full benefit of what you have tried to do, regardless of what kind of spring you use. Note, though, that getting a full, four wheel set up like this done will likely cost you $200, or more, because it takes several iterations to get it right and that costs money, and the shop you want to hire to do it will NOT be a cheap muffler shop, but a specialist who handles racing cars, or fancy foreign cars. They will be expert enough to discuss with you HOW you want it to handle, and dial it in accordingly.

Regardless of what kind of spring you decide on, for the rest of the suspension I recommend using rubber bushings all around, because poly can make things quite harsh on a mini, and a mini already is very firm riding even at the best of times.

hope this helps,

Norm

I'll be watching this thread closly. I too am upgrading the suspention of my Mk IV. I'd like to lower my car 1" to 2" and I've pretty much decided on hi/lows, but I'm leaning toward keepiing my donuts. They're in pretty good shape and I do like the classic Mini ride. In terms of performance handling according to the "experts, if my understanding is correct, it's a toss-up between springs vs. donuts. Yes?

 

 

 

Michael  Santa Barbara, CA

Hello, The wife has a 1980 Mini 998 that we had shipped from England and have had for a couple of months. So far we have put a Stage 1 performance kit on it, which made a huge difference, and done some little things here and there. We are looking to do the suspension for two reasons. First, I'm sure that it has never been done since new, the right rear tire rubs just a little if we have the three of us in the car and take a left hand turn or hit a compression type bump. Second, I would like to get a slightly better ride out of it. I don't want to take the classic "ride" out of the car since that is such a big part of the charm. I was hoping that I could get some thoughts on Hi-Lo's, rubber cones and coil springs from some folks that may have done this work already. Also, since I will be under the car already what other parts do you suggest that I take a look at? All input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Diego