17 replies to this topic

[dunf]

update from today.

spent another fruitless hour with these parts this morning just to make double sure its not something i'm doing, then with no success I gave up and popped down to the local motor factors and bought a couple of pattern kits in plain white plastic sealed bags. First kit i tried was superb. Even straight out the packet it felt better, no rough faces and bedded down really nice and uniform with only 2 shims on top joint and 3 on bottom. Came with new spring and new seat which the 'genuine' kit didn't have. The contents of the second bag had a different appearance (silver coloured dome nuts, same as the UNIPART ones and instead of black like the first pattern one), didnt have a new spring or seat and lo and behold I had similar fitting issues as UNIPART but after perserverance got them done although had to use about 13 shims between the two joints.

Seems like its a lucky dip what kind you get and how they fit. At least I know its not me for sure. Tomorrow, the UNIPART crap will be going back to minispares. We will see what happens there.....so far I have called them twice with issues and they failed to call back as promised. Not impressed.

[jaydee]

I'll take the balljoints apart for a new visual inspection after looking at this thread, but i dont feel quite safe.. :S

Again .... this is really not recomended unless they haven't been used of course....

Take them all off your car and get them back to UNIPART as soon as possible...

Of course they havent been used, i havent still fotted the hub to the car so no problem..but they're not from unipart (at least ufficially not unipart but maybe the balljoints are made by the same manifacturer?).
Although they're smooth, I've noticed a slight mark on them, will post a picture friday when i'll be back to the garage.

bought a couple of pattern kits in plain white plastic sealed bags. First kit i tried was superb. Even straight out the packet it felt better, no rough faces and bedded down really nice and uniform with only 2 shims on top joint and 3 on bottom. Came with new spring and new seat which the 'genuine' kit didn't have

My kit was exactly like this. But required 6 shims on both upper and lower..

Anyone got a SAFE spare set?

[glowpot]

Mini 1.3 mpi

ok, so working on our mini for the very first time. Got a few jobs to do including fixing some oil leaks and replacing swivel pins, track rod ends and brake overhaul. Things were going along nicely, got advice on here on what tools and parts i'd need. I have an airgun so no drama with any of the hub fixings etc. Did driveshaft seals and gearbox selector seal. Removed n/s hub for cleaning and swivel pin replacement. Got old ones off no problem, but then had two issues with fitting the new ones. First of all I did the lapping thing I saw on here, bedding the pin into the collar with lapping paste. Before i did this they were really rough and jerky to move. Then......

1. Bottom pin took loads of shims to allow swivel once torqued for trial fit. All the old shims, all the new ones and some extra i'd bought. Then when i started to remove shims one by one, I got to a stage where the pin over one half of the joint was loose but in the other half was immobile. After a while i even tried cutting a shim and using 180 degrees on the stiff half but surely thats not right? (p.s, spring not fitted for trial as per instruction)

2. Top pin broke when i was lapping it. The metal has pared away in the seat (pic attached). These are 'genuine' ones as well. Thought i would splash out to avoid potential quality issues with pattern parts.

Where did it go wrong?

I realise this is an old subject, but I recently bought a Unipart kit. I inspected the parts and found that one of the pins had a crack around the circumfrence, the position was in a very similar place to the broken piece of the pin in your picture! I took it back for a replacement. I'm all for buying genuie kits but yoiu have to wonder sometimes!
So far I've used all the shims from the kit, plus all the old ones and the pin movement is solid, so I need to buy more shimms too!