When I bought my 2000 (X) Mini Cooper I had already been told by the previous owner that the drivers side front shock had gone. This was obvious from anything other than really slow left turns, lots of scraping and you could see that it had dropped.
I have replaced the shock and it was ok for only about a mile then dropped again. The shock is fine.
Does this mean then next thing to look at is the trumpet?
Any suggestions welcome.
Cheers
Lee
Front Drivers Side Suspension Issue
Started by
leefleming
, Aug 13 2012 07:02 PM
5 replies to this topic
#2
sonikk4
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Twisted Paint Polisher!!!
- Name: Neil
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Posted 13 August 2012 - 07:04 PM
It could be the trumpet or the cone has collapsed.
#3
Tamworthbay
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Crazy About Mini's
- Name: Clive
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Posted 13 August 2012 - 07:23 PM
Shocks don't really affect ride height unless you have the wrong ones! Most likely thing is the rubber suspension cone but you need to get underneath and have a look. If the the top part of the alloy trumpet is hidden by rubber completely then they need changing which is best done in pairs.
#4
Cooperman
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Uncle Cooperman, Voted Mr TMF 2011
- Location: Cambs.
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Posted 13 August 2012 - 07:33 PM
Shock absorbers, more correctly called 'dampers' don't control the ride height. All they do is to damp out the spring bump & rebound.
If the ride height has dropped on one side, check the rubber cone spring and the knuckle joint at the bottom of the suspension trumpet. The knuckle has a steel ball on the end of the trumpet which sits in a plastic cup mounted in the top suspension arm. This plastic cup can split and cause the suspension to drop which lowers that corner of the car.
You need a suspension compression tool, known as a 'Tower Tool' to compress the rubber spring cone and be able to remove the trumpet and check the plastic cup. It's a low cost part to change once the trumpet is out.
If the ride height has dropped on one side, check the rubber cone spring and the knuckle joint at the bottom of the suspension trumpet. The knuckle has a steel ball on the end of the trumpet which sits in a plastic cup mounted in the top suspension arm. This plastic cup can split and cause the suspension to drop which lowers that corner of the car.
You need a suspension compression tool, known as a 'Tower Tool' to compress the rubber spring cone and be able to remove the trumpet and check the plastic cup. It's a low cost part to change once the trumpet is out.
#5
tiger99
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Crazy About Mini's
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Posted 13 August 2012 - 08:51 PM
If you have only just acquired the car and don't know its history you may want to consider changing all 4 knuckle joints. They are cheap enough. When they fail, the upper arm or rear radius arm is well on its way to becoming scrap, because once the nylon cup collapses the ball end wears the seating in the arm. A set of 4 knuckle joints, probably good for 60k miles of normal road use, is cheaper than one arm.
It is obviously the cone, trumpet or knuckle which are the cause of the problem, and they all have to come out anyway to fix it.
It is obviously the cone, trumpet or knuckle which are the cause of the problem, and they all have to come out anyway to fix it.
#6
leefleming
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Stage One Kit Fitted
Posted 16 August 2012 - 01:40 PM
Thanks for the advice fellas.
Much appriciated
Much appriciated
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