20 replies to this topic

[Bristolmini]

I have just sorted out one problem on my car, I needed to replace a driveshaft.

I used another mini as a donor and used the driveshaft and hub from that car to put on mine. I noticed a problem when I tried to drive it, the steering was vauge to say the least.

Upon investigation it appears that I now have a massive amount of toe out on the front wheels (One wheel straight and one about 2 inches more tread showing)

Any ideas why this might have happened?

I am guessing the other mini may have had metro hubs put on at some point, although I don't know why anyone would. Would metro hubs cause this?

Or is there a difference in hubs between a 1986 Picadilly and a 1995 Cooper?

[cowboy]

have a look at the link arm from the hub to the steering rack ball joint, and compare it with the old one..

did you change anything else when you did this?

[Bristolmini]

New cv joint and then hub and driveshaft from the other mini only.

driveshaft losyt it's splines so needed replacing as did the cv. The hub I took off the cooper wouldn't let go of the driveshaft (was well stuck to the bearings and even a big hammer wasn't shifting it) so I replaced the hub.

Will have a look at the connecting arm

[minidaves]

hubs from 84 on are the same, sounds like u might have metro bub fitted did iit have a sealed ball joint or a little rubber caps

dave

[Bristolmini]

both hubs had little rubber caps over top and bottom balljoints. It could have had metro hubs, the car is nearly 20 years old an you never know what has happened to it. Any other ways of telling apart from the balljoints?

[minidaves]

not metro hubs

dave

[Bristolmini]

no way that mini balljoints could be fitted to metro hubs and then make them appear to be mini items?

Are there any other easy ways to tell the difference?

[minidaves]

Nop no way can u fit mini ball joints onto metro hubs, u can get metro balljoints that will fit a mini but they screw in differant and are sealed as in no rubber cap, my guess is at somepoint someone has bent the steering arm and after changing the hub either the new arm is bent or the orginal one on your car was, so either change over the top arm or go get the car re tracked

dave

[Bristolmini]

Just to satisfy any doubt in my mind I just checked the balljoints and they all have the separate rubber cap.

Hopefully the top arm is bent because that is nice and easy to swap with the other one. Now is not the time to check though, it too cold dark and wet outside.

It seems to be quite a way out for tracking, maybe 10 degrees or more

[minidaves]

defo sounds like a bent steering arm to give it that much

dave

[Bristolmini]

Tell you what, it's scary driving it like that though, only made it about 20 metres and had to go back. Need to try and find some time when it's light to have a look at the arm. Good escuse for a day off work I reckon.

[Steve@RetroDash]

sciver

[sirmarky]

this sounds deffo like a bent steering arm , there's no way a top arm would throw the track out like that...
it does'nt take much to bend a arm substantially , check that next before you dive again as otherise you will need 2 new tyres



mark

[Bristolmini]

too right, I can sit in the office 5 days a week any time of the year. It makes a nice change to crawl arund under a mini getting oily and taking all the skin off my knuckles.

[Bristolmini]

I am not sure if it can be the steering arm, it was spot on before I changed the hub. It's the first mini I have owned which drove in a perfect straight line.

It must be something different between the hub I took off and the hub I put on.