13 replies to this topic

[crackfoo]

Hi! Can anyone suggest what might be the cause of a harsh suspension but it's only seems to be on the small sharpish type bumps. Like if there was an extension cord across the road it would sound a lot louder than if I hit a pot hole....

Not sure if that makes any sense...

Thanks!

[Ethel]

It's a Mini thing!

 

Partly true, but not helped by stiff dampers, 13 inch wheels & tyres, and the biggest culprit  - old, tired rubber suspension cones.

 

Pot holes hurt less because the wheel drops in to them, extending the suspension.

[crackfoo]

Hah funny, 2nd time today I heard "is a mini thing" when talking about clunks and squeaks.

I'm running on 10's and I can image he might have some tired suspension. He was sat up for 12-14 years before I got him so perhaps I'll have a look into refreshing some of his suspension bits.

Edited by crackfoo, 05 June 2015 - 02:09 AM.

[A-Cell]

Likely to be the suspension cones are old and have lost their compliance (elasticity ). Making small inputs (the secondary ride) very harsh. Well more harsh than if fresh cones were fitted. Minis do tend to be harsh.
One other thing to check are the dampers. Gas filled ones are harsher anyway, but check that one or both haven't partially seized restricting suspension movement.

[RedRuby]

I had something similar, had upgraded and changed all suspension parts and when I hit a trench type dip in the road got a metallic clunk, turned out to be the teardrop mounts where the rubber had separated from the metal mount.

[Cooperman]

As above, it could be a sub-frame mount (fit all solid and really feel the benefits), suspension bushes especially front tie-bar rubbers, lower arm inner bushes, damper bush(es), engine mounting (unlikely) or the old cones/knuckles/knuckle cups.

[crackfoo]

thanks for the suggestions. Will give me some things to check out. Hopefully I can see one thing or another as being a problem but sounds like I should get some new cones at least.

[Cooperman]

Cones 'sag' and get 'work-hardened' as they get older, but don't normally fail. The failure mode of the rubber springs is normally the splitting of the plastic cup in the top arm into which the knuckle at the bottom of the trumpet sits. It is easy to change the knuckle/cup but to change a rubber spring cone requires removal of the top arm.

Check everything else first and it would be a good idea to buy a cone-spring-compressor (tower tool) so that you can undertake the jobs easily.

[Blatherskite]

Hi! Can anyone suggest what might be the cause of a harsh suspension but it's only seems to be on the small sharpish type bumps. Like if there was an extension cord across the road it would sound a lot louder than if I hit a pot hole....

Not sure if that makes any sense...

Thanks!

Did you change anything recently?

[Blatherskite]

Cones 'sag' and get 'work-hardened' as they get older, but don't normally fail. The failure mode of the rubber springs is normally the splitting of the plastic cup in the top arm into which the knuckle at the bottom of the trumpet sits. It is easy to change the knuckle/cup but to change a rubber spring cone requires removal of the top arm.
Check everything else first and it would be a good idea to buy a cone-spring-compressor (tower tool) so that you can undertake the jobs easily.

Agreed, Cooperman, but a good grease-round might be a cheap solution worth a try.

[Cooperman]

Thorough greasing every 1500 miles is a 'must' on all Minis.

[crackfoo]

 

Hi! Can anyone suggest what might be the cause of a harsh suspension but it's only seems to be on the small sharpish type bumps. Like if there was an extension cord across the road it would sound a lot louder than if I hit a pot hole....

Not sure if that makes any sense...

Thanks!

Did you change anything recently?

 

 

Nothing has been changed up recently. It's something I've noticed since I got him. And have only been driving him a couple months.

[crackfoo]

Thorough greasing every 1500 miles is a 'must' on all Minis.

 

I did some greasing last week but didn't seem to make a change. Is there only 2 grease nipples on each side in the front?

[Cooperman]

No, there are 3 each side. One for the top arm and one each for the swivel pins.