9 replies to this topic

[myblumini]

I have just bought a genuine heel board panel HMP441008 for my MK1 mine from minispeed. When you look at panel from the back the captive nuts panels seem closer to one side of the folds than the other side seems a bit more away. If you look as if mounted to car the bolt holes are out by about 5mm each side. Closer to drivers side that passenger side.
As genuine panel would have thought it to be perfect ie it would be even from side to side. I also checked from lower sub mounting holes center to center as per mini alignment diagram and are 1283mm to nearest mm which would seem to be correct. Minispeed say this is ok and would be taken up with the mount rubbers?.
Would this be correct as don't want to weld on and then get alignment problems later.

See attached pics. sorry they are not great but you get the idea.

 rhs_drivers_rear.JPG   95.42K   22 downloads  lhs_pass_rear.JPG   86.19K   12 downloads
 rhs_drive.JPG   92.03K   16 downloads  lhs_pass.JPG   115.83K   19 downloads

[Tupers]

Try fitting it up to the car with a subframe before you get to panicked. As long as the holes are spaced apart the right distance you should be able to fit it with a little modifying.

[myblumini]

Try fitting it up to the car with a subframe before you get to panicked. As long as the holes are spaced apart the right distance you should be able to fit it with a little modifying.

Cheers for that but reason I bought correct panel was to save modifying. Will give it a go next week when on holiday and see how I get on.

[lrostoke]

Repaired a couple of minis with these panels now, Do one side at a time and just get the distance between the holes the same across the car. So measure distance between old holes, Or check in Haynes pretty sure it gives the dimension in there under the subframe measurements.

Also found a straight edge is good for making sure the new panel is aligned with the old heel board. This gives correct distance then between front and rear subframe mounts.
Worked for me, both subframes went straight back in no messing.

[myblumini]

It is a full heelboard panel and not just the ends.
Trying to fit this new heel board. Just put it in and fits perfict with the floor panel edges and sills when clampped up. But when I offer up subframe none of the bolts will line up on heel board. I bolted up to boot floor first tight just to see how things would line up. But heel all seem out between 5mm-7mm.
Should the holes be even from side to side. Could loosen the bootfloor bolts and then force heel board end to fit and tighten all up but would that not mean the subframe would be squint and cause tyre wear.


I have now taken better pics.
You will see from the pics that from side to side that the driver side is closer to the folds at the edge where it meets the sill that the pass side. You can see this even better from the pics from the captive nuts at rear.


The bottom hole is 26mm from edge to centre of hole


This side is 20mm from centre of bottom hole to edge.


You can see from this pic that the captive nut panel is close to folds


But on this one its a bit away.


Any help on this would be great as this was a heritage panel so not cheap crap and I have not bored any holes in it yet so if wrong would return it. Maybe all like that they or just this one has slipped through the net.

As said above more worried about the alignment causeing tyre wear etc as subframe would be squint if I just weld in and force the bolts to line up.
Help and advise please!!!

[AndyMiniMad.]

Its up to you. If you are concerned about the quality of the part, then best to return it and get a replacement sent out. The allignment of the subframe has a fair amount of adjustment due to the rubber mounts.
But if your not happy with it, then for peace of mind.....Send it back....

Edited by AndyMiniMad., 09 June 2011 - 02:08 PM.

[Timify]

Rear subframes are the worst to get in some times.

Its always a bit of a pig getting the holes to line up, made a lot harder if you have fitted new rubbers to the subframe mounts. I normally start the thread on the heel board mounts, leaving them loose, then start on the boot floor, get all the threads started and tighten up.

I cant say I have ever measured up the holes to see if they are even distances on the panel, then again I've done one heel board replacement on a clubby estate. But replaced plenty of rear subframes.

[v21ash]

Where the brackets are spot welded will be determined by the holes which are punched when the panel is pressed, i'd say if one's like it there's a good chance they all will be, which isn't good
I've had to send a couple of heritage panels back due to a poor quality finish, especially wings.

With the subframe off the car, how do the holes line up? Is it miles out?
If it was me i'd take measurement from the existing panel, drill the two spot welds out to remove the brackets, weld the holes up and redrill them according to the existing panel and then weld the brackets back on in the correct position. (you could even weld them on while it's bolted to the subframe so you know there in the correct position) Not a big job really.

[myblumini]

Cheers for replies.

Will not be to next week now till I can get back to this.

Will try a couple of things first.

1.Get centre of car and centre of panel then clamp up and see how subframe fits then.
2.If not bolt to subframe and then offer up and see how it fits to floor then.

Also just found a diagram with all measurements of hole to hole sizes etc and if I drop a plumbline down and mark points of mountings for rearsubframe bolts and front subframe bolts and the draw lines between front and rear they should all cross through at the centre line at same point. Or should if everything was ok. Will see how I get on next week and will let you know.

[mk3 Cooper S]

I feel your concern, you dont want a crab.

Looks like attention to detail is not too good by the panel supplier as they are expectant that the rubber bushes will take up the difference.
IMO you pay for top quality panels and that is what you should get.