13 replies to this topic

[pdaykin]

When my minis were used regularly I used to swap out the donuts every 10 years or so. This was due to use rather than ageing.

I don't clock much mileage up on them these days.

with the indifferent quality of rubber components, what are people's experience of new donuts ?

I have a 30 year old car with 15k on the clock. No signs of sagging. Don't want to change donuts if the new stuff is quite poor.

The last donuts I bought were NOS about 5 years ago. Seem OK. But obviously susceptible to ageing before even fitted. Is NOS stuff ang better than new new donuts ?

[nicklouse]

I would leave them. M Parts are the only company making with original tooling and rubber mix.

[luismx123]

at what point do current donuts fail? I just swapped my whole suspension setup except for the donuts cus my main man said they seem fine. I know the owner swapped them about 10 years ago. :/

[Dan the Van]

They don't actually 'fail' as in break,but over time they lose their suppleness and compress(especially on the front where most of the weight is).IIRC rover specced a service life of 7 years.Eventually they compress to a point that the front is resting on the bump stops!.My 89 Mayfair was like this when i got it,still on original fronts i reckon.Our test used to be if you can get 3 fingers between the top of the tyre and the lower edge of the wing(on standard suspension,ie not on hi lo's),they were ok.After 10 years some of the suppleness will have gone,if you change them i'm sure you will notice a difference in ride quality.If you do change them,the car will sit comically high for a 100 miles or so until they settle.Hope this helps.

Edited by Dan the Van, 23 December 2018 - 04:38 PM.

[CityEPete]

I changed mine at the beginning of the year, the passenger side is still too high!

[SolarB]

I fitted MiniSpares red dots 7 years ago and the front hase never settled down.

 

[pdaykin]

There is no doubt that the donuts degrade over time and not just mileage.

My low mileage car is 30 years old. No huge sign of sagging but I'm pretty sure new donuts would really highlight their loss of performance.

I was really wondering how good new donuts are long term - the rubber items I've had recently simply don't last.

[beardylondon]

get a fat friend to ride with you for a bit@

 

I changed mine at the beginning of the year, the passenger side is still too high!

[CityEPete]

get a fat friend to ride with you for a bit@
 

I changed mine at the beginning of the year, the passenger side is still too high!

I think I am the fat one! Lol

[GT Jimmy]

I find the older I get the more donuts I eat, if that's relevant

[pdaykin]

There’s no doubt I’m more softly sprung than my minis now - maybe time for another failed New Year resolution ?

[wile e coyote]

With the abysmal reputation of recent offerings and preponderance of ebay specials  mine was treated to a complete set of NOS Dunlop kosher  originals (last of the Hartwells clearance auction lots) must date from the mid nineties put in a year ago - they're still perfectly supple (which may have more to do with careful storage) and still riding  too high with no discernable deformation....

[Dusky]

I fitted MiniSpares red dots 7 years ago and the front hase never settled down.

Because those are designed for hilos

[SolarB]

 

I fitted MiniSpares red dots 7 years ago and the front hase never settled down.

Because those are designed for hilos

 

 

Yep, fitted with Hilos.