23 replies to this topic

[Sprocket]

What wheel bearings are fitted as standard to the rear of 1984 onwards minis and when were taper rollers fitted as standard?

There seems to be an inconsistancy in information and fact. Thats not surprising realy when Rover never followed convention half the time.

Just wondering the general concensus

[minimanclive]

According to the information i've read Minis with spacered rear drums should have the taper roller bearings. But every Mini i've taken the bearings off has had ball bearings. Last one I did was a 1986 and had still had ball bearings.

[maph2]

i would always use taper bearings - they are much better

[Guess-Works.com]

If you are using wide wheels or spacered drums then timken bearings should be used...

[pikey7]

The question is not what should be fitted, but what IS fitted, as far as we know, as standard.

Both the 88 and the 92 had ball bearings (but now have roller bearings!) Neither looked particularly well looked after....

[icklemini]

this could turn into a 'whats better' thread ball or taper.. In my experience i know which ones seem to be better

TTFN,
D

[Jammy]

So does anyone actually know the answer to the ORIGINAL question?

[Sprocket]

the question is what was fitted as STANDARD, not what is better. I know the difference.
I have found that there are a lot of people saying that from 84 on rollers were fitted as standard due to the spaced rear drums. I however have found on every mini I have had with spaced drums, Balls. So which is it to be??

Looking like balls fitted as standard from some of the replies

[icklemini]

the question is what was fitted as STANDARD, not what is better. I know the difference.

which is why i said "this COULD turn into a 'whats better' thread.... "

Looking like balls fitted as standard from some of the replies

I've seen pretty much about equal numbers. Would imagine either because of (a) what they had in the parts bin at rover on that day, or (B) been replaced before.

[Sprocket]

Sorry mate

[icklemini]

*

the 1275GTs i've come across (original ones) all had tapers in the back...

[Purple Tom]

my 1987 Advantage had tapers on one side and balls on the other....

I think Dave's right, it just depended on what Rover had at the time, and I imagine all replacement ones would have been tapers.

[Guess-Works.com]

Most of the time garages replace wheel bearings with balls, because they are considerably cheaper, and hence more profit... as std they 'should' have tapers.

[retrodan]

my 88 mayfair had tapers and i know they where the originals!!! because they where

[maph2]

i think the answer to the question is "whatever was in stock at the time at longbridge". my gues would be that the roller bearings were standard on the non spacered drums and tapered/timken for the spacered drums. as they were producing minis with spacered and non spacered drums, it was whatever was at hand knowing rover, there were probably tonnes of roller bearings still to get through (and cheaper that the timkens) when they went over to all spacered drums in 1984.