8 replies to this topic

[jjscatchard94]

Hi guys, I just bought a 1975 850 mini at auction and I have some technical questions for you. After removing the wheel nuts I noticed a huge amount of play. It's almost as if the studs are too small for the holes in the wheels? I can upload a video if that helps?https://youtu.be/YsdqyqAo_x4Also anything you could tell me about the suspension and brakes currently fitted would be very helpful as I am unsure what is standard and what has been changed. The wheels are 10" J5s and rub on the wheel arches at the front. Would I be better off with wheels not as wide such as 4.5"? Thanks, Josh

Attached Files

•  IMG_20190915_184003.jpg   52.83K   3 downloads
•  IMG_20190915_184107.jpg   53.09K   2 downloads
•  IMG_20190915_184649.jpg   58.06K   4 downloads
•  IMG_20190916_154044.jpg   50.16K   5 downloads
•  IMG_20190916_153914.jpg   30.38K   1 downloads
•  IMG_20190916_153958.jpg   44.61K   1 downloads
•  IMG_20190916_154057.jpg   33.03K   2 downloads
•  IMG_20190916_154103.jpg   34.56K   1 downloads

Edited by jjscatchard94, 17 September 2019 - 05:10 PM.

[mini-mad-mark]

Can you post a picture of the holes in the wheels?

 

Some movement is normal but it might be that there is an issue with the steel inserts in your wheels where the nuts fit (assuming here they are taper or radius nut fitting) 

 

Maybe you are used to modern cars that usually have a boss on the hub that locates in the centre bore of the wheel to give the wheel location whereas on a mini the location of the wheel is only performed by the wheel nuts (usually)

[DeadSquare]

Wheels are not carried on the studs, but on the taper on the nuts.

 

Nip the nuts up just tight, slack them 1/2 a turn and see how much play there is.

[mini-mad-mark]

Rubbing is due to the offset of the wheel usually and whether you have standard drums or discs/spaced drums as the wider track causes the wheel to be further out

(Assume you have discs at the front or spaced drums to match the rear ones?)

 

Changing wheel width may help but does depend on the wheel offset still i.e you may get a 5x10 wheel with a lower offset to work - your wheels may be "drum" offset, designed to look wide on standard non-spaced drums but using them on discs/spaced drums they are too "sticky-out" and cause rubbing

 

I use older 6x10 wheels on both my minis (discs/spaced drums) but with low-ish offset  - newer 6x10 seem to have higher offset to give the fashionable wide "stance"

The only time I get slight rubbing is in reverse - to give perspective my wheels don't look any wider than yours on the outside and still fit under standard mini special arches like yours.

 

 

You have high-low height adjuster(s) at the rear (at least the side in the picture does  ) but can't tell you anything else much without more pics/details 

The shocks maybe G-max (if the yellow paint is OE) which is a budget, slightly uprated shock (I use them and find them OK but maybe not everyone's choice)

 

If you have high-lows all round you could try raising the suspension slightly as that might alleviate some of the rubbing (but that may bugger up other suspension settings (if they were correctly set originally)

[mab01uk]

Looks like your alloy wheels have lost their correct chrome shaped/sleeved nuts and someone has instead fitted the standard Mini wheel nuts meant for steel wheels used under hub caps.......hence all the play shown in your video, not really safe !

 

A 1975 850 Mini would have had unspaced drum brakes all round and 3.5" x 10 steel wheels as standard. The spacered drums were originally fitted on the rear only of Minis fitted with front disc brakes.

 

It is possible and common to trim the front part of the front wing wheel arches back a little and bend up a new flange to clear wider wheels with offset when on full steering lock. As said you also have Hi-Lo style adjustable suspension struts at the rear shown in your photo.

Edited by mab01uk, 15 September 2019 - 09:55 PM.

[jjscatchard94]

Can you post a picture of the holes in the wheels?

 

Some movement is normal but it might be that there is an issue with the steel inserts in your wheels where the nuts fit (assuming here they are taper or radius nut fitting) 

 

Maybe you are used to modern cars that usually have a boss on the hub that locates in the centre bore of the wheel to give the wheel location whereas on a mini the location of the wheel is only performed by the wheel nuts (usually)

 

 

Rubbing is due to the offset of the wheel usually and whether you have standard drums or discs/spaced drums as the wider track causes the wheel to be further out

(Assume you have discs at the front or spaced drums to match the rear ones?)

 

Changing wheel width may help but does depend on the wheel offset still i.e you may get a 5x10 wheel with a lower offset to work - your wheels may be "drum" offset, designed to look wide on standard non-spaced drums but using them on discs/spaced drums they are too "sticky-out" and cause rubbing

 

I use older 6x10 wheels on both my minis (discs/spaced drums) but with low-ish offset  - newer 6x10 seem to have higher offset to give the fashionable wide "stance"

The only time I get slight rubbing is in reverse - to give perspective my wheels don't look any wider than yours on the outside and still fit under standard mini special arches like yours.

 

 

You have high-low height adjuster(s) at the rear (at least the side in the picture does  ) but can't tell you anything else much without more pics/details 

The shocks maybe G-max (if the yellow paint is OE) which is a budget, slightly uprated shock (I use them and find them OK but maybe not everyone's choice)

 

If you have high-lows all round you could try raising the suspension slightly as that might alleviate some of the rubbing (but that may bugger up other suspension settings (if they were correctly set originally)

 

 

Looks like your alloy wheels have lost their correct chrome shaped/sleeved nuts and someone has instead fitted the standard Mini wheel nuts meant for steel wheels used under hub caps.......hence all the play shown in your video, not really safe !

 

A 1975 850 Mini would have had unspaced drum brakes all round and 3.5" x 10 steel wheels as standard. The spacered drums were originally fitted on the rear only of Minis fitted with front disc brakes.

 

It is possible and common to trim the front part of the front wing wheel arches back a little and bend up a new flange to clear wider wheels with offset when on full steering lock. As said you also have Hi-Lo style adjustable suspension struts at the rear shown in your photo.

 

 

thanks for all of the above replies :) 

 

Took it for a little drive in the garden today and after further inspection found that there is no wheel arch rubbing as i thought there was, one less thing to worry about : )

 

The next issue i am having is with the wheel studs themselves, they seem far too short, barely making it 3/4 of the way though the wheel nuts when tightened.

 

I will upload images of the wheel nuts, studs and the wheels.

I need help identifying the suitable length of stud needed and the correct wheel nut type.

 

Any links to the correct type nuts and studs would be perfect.

 

Thanks again.

Edited by jjscatchard94, 17 September 2019 - 05:15 PM.

[GraemeC]

There are various length studs available, have a search on Minispares.com.

Do the nuts have a curved/conical end or straight/tapered end? For those wheels they should be conical.
The play you have in the video is due to the wheels being run loose, which lets them move and wears the holes bigger. Not I’m
Ossicle to fix, but not easy (or cheap) as inserts would need to be made.

[jjscatchard94]

There are various length studs available, have a search on Minispares.com.

Do the nuts have a curved/conical end or straight/tapered end? For those wheels they should be conical.
The play you have in the video is due to the wheels being run loose, which lets them move and wears the holes bigger. Not I’m
Ossicle to fix, but not easy (or cheap) as inserts would need to be made.

thanks for the reply, the wheel nuts are shown in the images. : ) 

[GraemeC]

There are various length studs available, have a search on Minispares.com.

Do the nuts have a curved/conical end or straight/tapered end? For those wheels they should be conical.
The play you have in the video is due to the wheels being run loose, which lets them move and wears the holes bigger. Not I’m
Ossicle to fix, but not easy (or cheap) as inserts would need to be made.

thanks for the reply, the wheel nuts are shown in the images. : )

They are, but not so I can make out the seat profile. A perfectly side on shot of one might work.