17 replies to this topic

[zerobelow]

If you are keeping it OEM, then you will likely get a fair bit of mileage out of simply refreshing all the rubber parts, back with rubber. Just new rubber bushings in the engine stabilizer, new rubber subframe mounts should help out with the major issue reported by the tracking guy.

[adcyork]

As above, all solid or all rubber, but not a mix & match.

IMHO the rubber mounts were one of the worst things they ever did to the classic Mini. With a solidly bolted-in front sub-frame the entire car is stronger and steers better. 

I can't think of any modern car which has the entire front suspension/sub-frame mounted on rubber bits. It's very poor design. I know my BMW has its front sub-frame solidly bolted in as has my son's Audi A4 and Grandson's Mondeo.

 

If you look closer you'll find the mounting points are in fact fitted with rubber bushes. A modern vehicle design requires a form of vibrational mode isolation to meet the modern day NVH requirements.

 

 

Helter Skelter - Just buy the solid subframe mount kit and have done. As has been said above, this is how the car was designed and the rubber mounts were only brought in as a poor fix for the uncompetetive NVH performance compared to more modern design vehicles that came out as time went on.

 

Keep in mind that between 1959 and 2000 a hell of a lot happened in the rest of the automotive world and the mini had to remain bearable from an NVH perspective in comparison to the other vehicles then on the market. The rubber mounts were a last ditch effort to bridge that gap slightly to the detriment of handling.

Edited by adcyork, 14 May 2015 - 12:08 PM.

[Helter_skelter]

Okay well I'm up for going solid as from the points you made and my basic knowledge it dose sound better. However the possibility of cracking does worry me but I'll check over the areas for rust(when I find them haha) as far as I'm aware my mini is pretty solid think there's a very slight soft spot near the drivers footwelh (hhowever I was told it's not rust or rotten they think someone's jacked on it) but I have a welder if needed just need some lessons haha.