42 replies to this topic

[Boycie]

Looking good.  They drive so much nicer when they're not resting on the bump stops, don't you think? 

[CityEPete]

Mine have been delivered today so I'll be riding high with you soon

[CityEPete]

Looks great, nice colour.

[M700FGT]

I would love to agree....... But ive only driven him once.

 

I haven't driven a classic properly since 2009, and that one was a bit of wreck. Great fun to drive though 

[Boycie]

Get some miles under her belt! (when the roads aren't salty!)

[Boycie]

DSC00199 by David James, on Flickr

 

These were the cones from my 1976 car.  From left to right, original front, original rear and a new Minispares one.  I think they were untouched originals because they had the old imperial thread.

I did the job on that car in 2011 and the Minispares springs are still holding up well and working perfectly.

[M700FGT]

DSC00199 by David James, on Flickr

 

These were the cones from my 1976 car.  From left to right, original front, original rear and a new Minispares one.  I think they were untouched originals because they had the old imperial thread.

I did the job on that car in 2011 and the Minispares springs are still holding up well and working perfectly.

Thats an amazing picture. Shows just how much they compress over time. I think my current fronts look about the same as yours do.

 

To put it in  perspective - here is the car with the old cones, then with a new one fitted today

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[Sprocket]

Those will settle in well. You need to give them some work to do !!

[Boycie]

Nice pic, it's amazing how the cones sag.  The early ones (like in my picture) were of a different rubber mixture and actually lasted better than the later ones.  This is because, in the 80s (maybe when 12" wheels were standard fit?), the rubber was changed to a softer compound, presumably to give the cars a more comfortable ride.  I suppose they thought the 70-profile tyres would upset auntie Doris on her weekly shopping trip!  As a result, a lot of Minis on the road today will have very worn out suspension unless it's been changed.

You might think there's no 20/30+ year old cones still running around out there... but there is !!  To a certain extent you used to get away with it with 145/10 tyres because the balloon sidewalls took a lot of shock loads.

Regardless, your car will drive very nicely with new springs :)

[Spider]

 

Ok So looks like the Mini spares ones are the genuine ones, as the Mini Sport ones i have say Alex Moulton - Not genuine.

 

My question is should i get a set of the Mini Spares ones with the nut on top, and sell the Mini Sport ones on eBay? 

 

The ones you have were made (as best I've been able to work out) by Avon and those from Mini Spares are mad by a company called valley Rubber (though there's been yet again a recent name change again).

 

In test, both on the bench and in use, I found the Avon types quite disappointing. They are slightly softer in rate than the originals and definitely don't last in use like the originals, I don't think I even got a year from them.

 

The Valley Rubber types are made on original tooling, to the original rubber recipe. In test and in use, I have found this to be the case.

 

 

I have a memory like a sieve at times,,,,,,,

 

From another forum where I made a post and Roger from M-parts filled in some gaps;-

 

"  Hi Spider

You've got most of the facts right but I thought I would fill in some of the gaps.

Back in 2008, Dunlop ceased production of the original Moulton rubber cone. With a certain amount of foresight, John Lloyd from M Parts negotiated to buy the original rubber cone tooling along with the test and production line equipment. There are very few manufacturers that have the expertise to bond rubber to steel and John built a relationship with Valley Rubber to recommence low volume production. During the recession, Valley Rubber went bust but production of the rubber cone continued at a new company called Polyolia after there was a management buyout.

M Parts has manufactured in excess of 25,000 units for Mini Spares since then and they are made according to the original Moulton recipe.

I don't think that BMC relied solely on Dunlop for the supply of cones and maybe Avon Rubber had their own tooling for the rubber cone and also supplied BMC. I don't know whether this tooling still exists or not. The cones that Mini Sport supply are made by Avon but use Alex Moulton's prototype mould. Cones from this mould were never used on production cars.  "

 

So the Avon Cones only use one of no doubt many different prototype moulds and to an unknown rubber recipe.

[M700FGT]

 

 

Ok So looks like the Mini spares ones are the genuine ones, as the Mini Sport ones i have say Alex Moulton - Not genuine.

 

My question is should i get a set of the Mini Spares ones with the nut on top, and sell the Mini Sport ones on eBay? 

 

The ones you have were made (as best I've been able to work out) by Avon and those from Mini Spares are mad by a company called valley Rubber (though there's been yet again a recent name change again).

 

In test, both on the bench and in use, I found the Avon types quite disappointing. They are slightly softer in rate than the originals and definitely don't last in use like the originals, I don't think I even got a year from them.

 

The Valley Rubber types are made on original tooling, to the original rubber recipe. In test and in use, I have found this to be the case.

 

 

I have a memory like a sieve at times,,,,,,,

 

From another forum where I made a post and Roger from M-parts filled in some gaps;-

 

"  Hi Spider

You've got most of the facts right but I thought I would fill in some of the gaps.

Back in 2008, Dunlop ceased production of the original Moulton rubber cone. With a certain amount of foresight, John Lloyd from M Parts negotiated to buy the original rubber cone tooling along with the test and production line equipment. There are very few manufacturers that have the expertise to bond rubber to steel and John built a relationship with Valley Rubber to recommence low volume production. During the recession, Valley Rubber went bust but production of the rubber cone continued at a new company called Polyolia after there was a management buyout.

M Parts has manufactured in excess of 25,000 units for Mini Spares since then and they are made according to the original Moulton recipe.

I don't think that BMC relied solely on Dunlop for the supply of cones and maybe Avon Rubber had their own tooling for the rubber cone and also supplied BMC. I don't know whether this tooling still exists or not. The cones that Mini Sport supply are made by Avon but use Alex Moulton's prototype mould. Cones from this mould were never used on production cars.  "

 

So the Avon Cones only use one of no doubt many different prototype moulds and to an unknown rubber recipe.

 

Might sound a little sad, but im actually finding all of this really interesting. I love a bit of car production history. 

 

Hopefully should be able to see what it looks like on 4 new cones this week! 

[CityEPete]

I've just changed a rear knuckle joint and I could see on the original rear cone I took out that the new "genuine" minispares ones are identical with the exact same wording but with the brand names removed from the moulding process. Looks like they just ground the writing off the mould with a flap wheel.

[Spider]

 

To put it in  perspective - here is the car with the old cones, then with a new one fitted today

 

 

 

I bet that feel a world away from what it was.

 

 

I've just changed a rear knuckle joint and I could see on the original rear cone I took out that the new "genuine" minispares ones are identical with the exact same wording but with the brand names removed from the moulding process. Looks like they just ground the writing off the mould with a flap wheel.

 

Here the story gets a bit merky.

 

While the Valley Rubber types that M-parts are having manufactured are the same as those fitted in production, Avon actually bought the Patent and the Intellectual Rights to them, and while the Patent Number is what is on the Avon Cones, they are made in a different way with different materials. I have read claims by Avon (while a legally correct) that their's are 'original'  but only because they own the Patent.

 

" Our Mini suspension cones are British Made produced exclusively for ,,,,, by Avon Rubber who manufactured the original cones for Dr. Moulton back in the 1960s."

 

https://www.minispor...abs_description

 

I note they say 'made for Dr. Moulton' and not BMC, who actually owned the patern at that time and were having them made by Dunlop for fitting on the production line and sold by them as genuine spare parts. While I can speak here for Alex Moulton, I would say his only interest in Rubber Cones these days would be one where he could make some money on the side by those who wish to use - and pay for - his name.

 

This is why the patern number is removed from the latest 'genuine' replacements

 

Not surprisingly, Mini Spares have a different take;-

 

" Neither Moulten or Avon Rubber ever produced any cone springs for any Mini built by Rover from 1959-2000 or sold as spare parts. "

 

https://www.minispar...ic/FAM3968.aspx

 

Having been around these cars for a very long time now and replaced countless Rubber Cones over the years, going back to the 70's, I can't say I've ever pulled out a Rubber Cone from an untouched car, that was made by Avon. They have all bee made by Dunlop.

 

Also, I can't ever say I've removed a factory fitted Rubber Cone that has the inner metal parts the shape of the Avon with the threaded hole, they have all been pressed with a welded nut.