9 replies to this topic

[sc-em]

Despite having time on my hand recently, i still haven't ordered up my body panels from M Machine. A to do job tomorrow. Anyway, I thought i would build the front subframe up once blasted in the week. Just got a pair of top arm to refurb. One of mine was seized so wondering what bottom arms and tie rods. Obviously adjustable. I have seen two types of bottom arm. The one with two large nuts and the ones with an odd looking adjustment on the side. I was wondering apart from aesthetics which is better. Also adjustable tie rod with one poly and one standard bush. I was also going to extra weld the turret and add a bit of triangulation to the front tie rod mount.
Are there any suggestions that i can do regarding making up the subframe please?

[nicklouse]

MiniSpares bottom arms with rubber bushes. Tie bars depends if you want ones that can be easily adjusted.

[Shooter63]

If the existing set up is similar both sides ie nothing bent etc I would go with fixed camber bottom arms at the desired rate, 2 times now I've seen the adjustable ones break at the threaded section where the bush is (MS type) but never the rose joint type inner ends, now it could have been operator error in fitting them but to me it nag in the back of my mind


Shooter

[Cooperman]

Unless the car is for real competition, the fixed camber lower arms are fine. In fact I use 1.5 deg neg camber arms on both of my rally Minis and both the road-holding and handling are great. The really critical suspension setting is the rear toe-in which should be 1/8" to 3/16" for optimum road-holding and predictable handling. You can drive a Mini with 2 degs neg on one side at the front and 1/2 a degree on the other side and not notice the difference, although it might be different if you are trying to knock a few tenths of a second of a lap time I guess.

[sc-em]

As far as I can tell nothing is bent.  I recall I had negative bottom arms back in the 80's and the camber looked and felt right. I didn't do anything at the back though apart from cut the trumpets down as per Vizard. I did the same at the front. I couldn't afford Hi los then, although I will fit them this time, as relatively speaking they aren't that dear any more. So adjustable plates for the rear subframe then? I have just taken off the rubber mounts to take that along with the front and have them both shot blasted and see what I am left with. I can see me having built up subframes without a car at the moment.

However, I will need to get a new set of bushed for the rear so I can use it as a pattern for checking alignment for any new boot panels I fit.

Cheers

[sc-em]

Thinking about what you said about fixed negative camber arms. If I fit Hi los which I intend to with the intention of lowering a tad, then surely the camber with increase without the ability to adjust if I don't have adjustable arms. That said, which of the two types would indeed be preferable? As I have nearly finished painting the subframes, I thought I would collect the bits now for all the components.

Cheers.

[Pete - W.Sussex]

I puzzled about all this when I did mine. I was worried about the camber with the hilos like you but also the impact on the caster angle of the fixed neg lower arms. In the end I went with the adjustable lower arm and tie rods from MS and so far so good. I run camber at 1.5mm neg and 3.5 degrees of caster angle for what it’s worth.

[sc-em]

Thanks Pete. Looking at the options, as I say, there are the more aesthetic ones of the odd site nuts ones. When you say MS. Mini Spares or Mini Sport?

http://www.minispare...s~fittings.aspx

 

https://www.minispor...nsion-arms.html

 

I see Mini Spares do this kit, complete with the offset bushes. A pity they don't do all the nuts and bolts as a matter of course.Lol

 

http://www.minispare...c/MSSK3013.aspx

Edited by sc-em, 31 May 2020 - 03:32 PM.

[Pete - W.Sussex]

Sorry, I should have said Mini Spares - the ones in the first link above.

 

I didn’t buy the kit In the last link but probably would have done had I thought about it upfront! I have ended up with all those bits. I originally thought I would go standard on the front as all I had done was shot blast and powdercoat the subframe and fit new rubber cones. When I put it all back together (with new bushes etc) it was obviously sitting up in the air with the new cones - that got me started on the hilos. Then the camber was a bit positive and there wasn’t a lot of caster, which also varied side to side so I ended up with the lot!

[sc-em]

You sound like you went the same route as i am going but with a few hiccups on the way. These are my subframes thus far
https://forum.retro-...=2#post-2600791