11 replies to this topic

[STICKMAN]

Just discovered a serious problem on my '65-68 Cooper mutt.
I have the rubber ball type springs. Noticed this from the engine compartment. At the top of the tower where the spring mounts, there is a crack almost all the way around.
Hard to describe this. The rubber ball is nested up into a tower of sorts with a metal disc above the spring. Along the perimeter of that upper metal disc, it appears to have fractured. There is a gap, maybe 3mm wide at the widest point. That crack appears to go at least 270 degrees around.
That's on one side of the car. The same area on the other side, there is just a slight crack. But obviously both need repair.
Has anyone else had this type of failure? What is the cause? Any recommendations on the repair? I assume we'll need to pull the engine/trans, move some brake lines, grind and weld.
I would appreciate any input from all you Min experts with more experience than me. Thanks!

[Cooperman]

Could you post a photo of this?

[bmcecosse]

The subby tower is an assembly of parts - are you sure you are seeing a 'crack' - not just the normal assembly ?? The subby is a very strong unit - I seriously doubt it has cracked... As above - let's see pictures!

[Cooperman]

I've never seen a cracked sub-frame tower either.

[Simon@minispares.com]

I could be wrong, but that more sounds like the metal disc of the rubber cone has fractured, not the tower. If so, new cones would fix the issue. Pics would confirm. Thats the only metal disc above the cone

[Cooperman]

That does sound the most likely Simon.
I feel an order for 'genuine original type' cones coming your way!

[STICKMAN]

To everyone who doubts it's broken... I wish you were right.
I do believe the weld along the top edge of the tower has let go, or a fracture has occurred along that weld.
Is the upper part of the tower prone to rusting from the underside? Wonder if it's possible it's become weakened from corrosion and then let go due to overload. I do autocross race it a bit, so some extreme cornering loads. And it does sit very low, so I suspect the previous owner may have adjusted the hi-lo's as low as possible.
On the other hand, I may have no idea what I'm blathering on about. I've had the car for some years, but it's been very reliable so I've got very little experience fixing anything on it. So, I'm still a Mini noob.
And I'm in the US where we see about as many old school Mini's as we do solar eclipses. Everyone over here is a Mini noob.
I don't have a photo to post yet. I'll try to snap one tomorrow.
Meanwhile, thanks for the input anyone may have.

[minidaves]

yeah seen afew cracks on towers of subframes

[bmcecosse]

I suppose it's possible if you have been battering about with the suspension far too low and bump stops missing........ But not something I have ever come across .

[liirge]

Yer seen loads of cracked front suframes here, quite a common mod to reinforce the welding around the front

[STICKMAN]

Bump stops? Hmmm... bump stops missing? Excellent point, I'll need to check on those. I'm not sure what they look like or exactly where they belong, but I'll look. Thanks for the tip.

[bmcecosse]

Yes - it is standard to reinforce the front subby for extreme use (spent many happy hours doing that!) - but this thread never mentioned that sort of use at the start.......