18 replies to this topic

[da2428]

hi there,

 

i have a 1989 austin mini mayfair and the drivers side ride height is completely out

to rectify so far i have tried

new upper arm, new knuckle joint, new rubber cones and also fitted hi-los, all minispares parts and the hilo for the drivers side is adjusted approx a centimetre and a half higher than the passenger side.  the drivers side will still rub the wheel arch on bumps and when cornering, and the passenger side is sitting up quite high, i don't know where to look next, any light on this issue would be much appreciated or i might pull all of my hair out!

cheers

 

da2428

[bluemoon4444]

What size are your wheels and tyre profile? If they're 13 " you need to cut the wheel arches. Otherwise check the rubber cones have centred correctly on the subframe.

[sonikk4]

Subframe mounts if the knuckles and cones are good.

[Spider]

The tower on the subframe isn't cracked is it?

[nicklouse]

Or the whole car could just be off.

Instead of just throwing parts at it get it looked at and measured.

But note the comment above about wheels.

And some pics could help.

[da2428]

Wheels are 12s

Found the rear subframe mount was completely split and separated so put a new one on hoping it would sort it but still no luck, certain the the cones are in properly, and th subframe has no sines of cracks and it's not really that rusty, the front subframe mounts are also split and I'm gonna get some new ones, not sure if they would cause such a drastic drop in height though

Cheers for the help, I'll try and get some pics today

[sonikk4]

Its possible the tower mount rubber has perished badly, this is the one that sits between the crossmember and the top of the tower. If that is in good order there may be something else.

 

Have the front wings been replaced?? has the car been in an accident?? Do the wheels protrude outside of the arch or in line with arch. Rear quarters can suffer from impact damage with too wide a tire or wider wheels being fitted hitting the flange which in turn will over time deform the quarter raising the arch height. Lowers a car is a prime example of this. Or a overloaded car hitting a pothole etc.

[da2428]

The rear is fine, and as far as I'm aware the cat hasn't been in an accident, and the wheels are in line with the panel, and nothing looks deformed, the rubbers at the top of the turret are fine, just the front mounts split so I'm gonna replace them but I can't see them causing a drop in for height

[da2428]

okay, so I'm sorry for a such a late reply, and thankful for the help so far, I've been sick in reading for two weeks on a training course with work and had a little play with the car this weekend and also took some pictures, so here are some pictures and if anyone has any clues then please, any help will be much appreciated!

 

this is the drivers side suspension trumpet and the height of the wheel when retsina on the ground on a fairly level driveway:

 

 IMG_0434.JPG   37.21K   8 downloads

 IMG_0429-2.JPG   27.17K   35 downloads

 

and this is the passenger side, the drivers side is still slightly lower than the passenger side still with such an aggressive difference in height

 

 IMG_0433-2.JPG   35.3K   8 downloads

 IMG_0430.JPG   35.45K   31 downloads

 

as i said, any help is better than no help, i also tried to get some measurements of the subframe while its in situ, and found that the length from the front corner of the subframe to the back of the turret where the top arm bolt goes through, has a difference of around 1 cm from the drivers and passenger side, the drivers side being 1 cm shorter, and am curious as to wether a 1 cm difference could cause such a change in height, also the front teardrop subframe mounts do not line up, they are to high in relation to the body work holes, but it has had body work done at some point, like many minis these days so this could be the body work askew, and the rears were split until i changed them recently

 

thanks a lot 

 

da2428

[nicklouse]

A number of things.

Get the rubbers fitted correctly.

Looks like it has had a new top arm fitted. Is it correct? Was any work needed to fit it?

Who fitted it!

You say the front mounts don't align. So how are they attached? If not then that is a MOT fail.

But it sounds like you really need to have the car looked at by someone who knows how things should be.

[da2428]

i fitted the top arm, (i work at a new bmw garage as a third year apprentice) and it is fitted correctly, went in no problem, the rubbers pop off every time i jack it up as the trumpet is adjusted so aggressively, and the subframe teardrop mounts aren't attached at all, the mot isn't due yet, but i am trying to sort everything in one go, the top arm got fitted as the old knuckle joint had worn through and damaged the old one, i live in the south east area of London, is there any recommended people, id rather spend slightly more and get it right first time, than skimp and get a mis diagnosis, I've herd of some guys called ML Motorsport, is there anyone else, they're slightly far down the motorway for me as the car isn't right, but still if i can sort myself i would like to

 

cheers

[nicklouse]

Those boots should not pop off every time you jack the car up.

Do you have the rubbers under the arm. Looks like they may have come off and you just have the metal backings there.

But back to the issue.sounds like you may have something that has been well twisted out of shape.

[da2428]

do you mean the bump stops, the drivers side is off as it just sits on the bump stop and snaps the rubber eventually so haven't refitted but i do have one to go on, or the knuckle joint dust boots?, and i feared as much, not sure I'm ready to spend 420 on a subframe

Edited by da2428, 27 September 2015 - 05:00 PM.

[Stevie W]

I would change the teardrop mounts at the front as a matter of urgency, as this will affect the handling of the car. This may or may not help your ride height difference, but would rule out the mounts if the height is still different. 

 

What bothers me is how different the adjusta ride height settings are. With the drivers side adjusted that much out, this corner should be really high. As a rough guide, my front adjusta rides are set at 15mm gap between the underside of the large nut and the top side of the smaller nut. This gives about 4 fingers width of height between the tyre and wheel arch both sides.

 

Similarly, with the adjusta ride height that low on the passenger side, that corner should be sitting really low.

 

Maybe the new top arm is bent upwards on that side, or at some point the car has been in an accident and the front sub-frame is twisted slightly. 

 

Hope this helps your quandary!

 

Cheers, Steve.

[nicklouse]

do you mean the bump stops, the drivers side is off as it just sits on the bump stop and snaps the rubber eventually so haven't refitted but i do have one to go on, or the knuckle joint dust boots?, and i feared as much, not sure I'm ready to spend 420 on a subframe

No the return bumpers that sit under the arm.