27 replies to this topic

[Ethel]

I don't think Mk3's, and earlier were very much harsher than later cars and certainly tolerable for day to day use. I also don't recall any fatigue damage, but I have seen split floors and chewed up front panels from worn rubber mounts hammering. I'd opt for solid tower & front mounts with rubber floor mounts - I think at least 2 pairs should be solid, or none at all, to avoid fatiguing bolts with subframe movement about a single solid mounting.

[Cooperman]

I don't think Mk3's, and earlier were very much harsher than later cars and certainly tolerable for day to day use. I also don't recall any fatigue damage, but I have seen split floors and chewed up front panels from worn rubber mounts. I've opted for solid tower & front mounts with rubber floor mounts - I think at least 2 pairs should be solid, or none at all, to avoid fatiguing bolts with subframe movement.

All Mk1, MK 2 and Mk 3 up to about 1980 had solidly mounted sub-frames.
The manufaturers changed when they perceived the market sector for the Mini changing more to 'little old ladies and mums' and tried to improve the NHV (that's noise, harshness and vibration). Unfortunately this spoiled the crisp handling for which the Mini was renowned and gave rise to a new failure mode, rubber mounting failure.
Solid mounting really doesn't make the car noticeably more harsh, but it does improve the entire 'driving feel'.
It's the first thing I do to any Mini I own which comes with rubber-mountings on the sub-frame. It also makes the car stronger in a rash ase. I've never heard of solid mountings causing body spliuts. After all, Minis whih are raed and rallied have solid mountings and have not suffered this way. The only body splits I've seen have been in the front bulkhead where the rubber mountings have failed at the very front and the extra load then carried by the rear rubber mountings (i.e. into the front bulkhead) have caused fatigue splits which have to be plated to repair.

Personally I think either all or none should be changed. If only 2 pairs are solid, then all the dynamic loading will, effectively, go through those 2 pairs. The tower ones do take a big load and it would not be wise to channel all the fore and aft tower loading into the front panel and the floor. Structurally the 6-point solid fixing is excellent in all load cases, including crash cases.

Edited by Cooperman, 01 June 2010 - 01:25 PM.

[mars red mike]

I have a fully solid mounted front subframe on my current Mini. As said it sharpens the handling up a good deal and to be honest I have never noticed any increase in noise, in this Mini or my previous one which was also solid mounted. That said I have noticed small splitting of the sealant between the wing and front panel but whether this is due to the solid mounts or the sealant itself I couldnt say.

Edited by mars red mike, 01 June 2010 - 01:26 PM.

[Ethel]

Cooperman,

That's a reasonable argument. However, I don't think the loads will not be proportional anyway. The body is of variable stiffness (and angles) at the various mounting points. The tower mounts are likely to do the most work, being the stiffest and right above the wheels. I guess we need some real world examples to be sure. What we have suggests all solid frames are fine. I haven't heard of failures with other combinations.

[liam1288]

cheers guys, everyone is very helpfull! i too see that its all or nothing though dont want to damage my mini... what about other bushes like upgrding to poly tie bar ones like mentioned in page 1, i think this is a good thing too and bottom arm bushes...?
are all these fairly easy to fit? i think the subframe mounts would be ok according to haynes but not sure about the other bushes?

[mickyh]

hi guys, ive got a 1990 mini city e... i was wondering if solid subframe mounts are any good as a replacement for standard mounts with rubber...??
cheers!

i agree i have been running solid mounts for a while now, very noisy and the vibration just shocking through is crazy, they do have there good points, i advise you to get some poly bush mounts i will be very soon.

[liam1288]

so would it be good idea to get solid everything and poly tear drops? what about the rear subframe mounts? do people change them or leave them rubber?

[Brams96]

I have solid tower and rear mounts and rubber teardrops and cant say I've noticed any increase of noise or vibration.

[liam1288]

I have solid tower and rear mounts and rubber teardrops and cant say I've noticed any increase of noise or vibration.

i think thats the set up i might go for though if my rubber teardrops are nackered, i'll probably go poly. did you feel much difference in handling?

[scrumpymini]

I have solid tower and rear mounts and rubber teardrops and cant say I've noticed any increase of noise or vibration.

I'm the same but have yellow polly on the front teardrops and also have put the same on tiebars and on the rear also.
I have not changed any of the engine mounts to polly and I wonder if that is a good idea or if that is to stiff for the engine and they will just over stress the metal on the various parts of the engine mounts.

[Brams96]

i think thats the set up i might go for though if my rubber teardrops are nackered, i'll probably go poly. did you feel much difference in handling?

I could feel a bit of a difference as whoever had put in the old rubber tower mounts had FUBAR'd it as they weren't sitting in properly at all but i was running standard 12" steely's at the time so it could have improved it more than I thought. I have 12x5 alloys now and the handling has improved again. Next upgrade for me is adjustarides, adjustable neg cam brackets, poly rear subframe mounts and adjustable tie-rods with poly bushes, just waiting til I get some time to do it all.

[liam1288]

i think thats the set up i might go for though if my rubber teardrops are nackered, i'll probably go poly. did you feel much difference in handling?

I could feel a bit of a difference as whoever had put in the old rubber tower mounts had FUBAR'd it as they weren't sitting in properly at all but i was running standard 12" steely's at the time so it could have improved it more than I thought. I have 12x5 alloys now and the handling has improved again. Next upgrade for me is adjustarides, adjustable neg cam brackets, poly rear subframe mounts and adjustable tie-rods with poly bushes, just waiting til I get some time to do it all.

ok cool! is there a noticable difference between the solid rear mounts of the front subby and poly ones? i'd be quite surprised if people know but someone out there may have tested them out!

[Cooperman]

My advice is just to get a full metal set and fit it. Then you'll have the best driving/steering response and no more issues with broken mountings.
It'll be the nearest you'll get to Mk 1 & 2 driving unless you also fit 10" wheels.