29 replies to this topic

[edp]

Hi. I have a 1985 Mayfair, largely original. After great effort with removing the suspension arm, we have managed to remove the cone on the drivers side. The ride was awful and we suspected cones had not been changed in a long time. 
What is the best option for improving ride - go for 'original' cones or an after market alternative? 
This is what has come off - labelled Dunlop and Moulton. Uncompressed, off the car, they measure approx 80mm top to bottom.





Many thanks!

[nicklouse]

The ones made by M part and sold by MiniSpares and some other retailers are from the original tooling and to the original specs. There is info on the MiniSpares page with info as to the registered trademark info. 

[rock1day]

I replaced the front cones with Minisport cones - which also claim to be the original Moulton spec.

 

Ride was much improved but the ride height was 11.5 inches (should have been 9.75), so I had to fit Hilo's to correct.

[nicklouse]

I replaced the front cones with Minisport cones - which also claim to be the original Moulton spec.

 

Ride was much improved but the ride height was 11.5 inches (should have been 9.75), so I had to fit Hilo's to correct.

Minisport just bought the rights to use the name Moulton. Just like they bought the right to use the name Paddy Hopkirk. Means sweet FA.

[rock1day]

 

I replaced the front cones with Minisport cones - which also claim to be the original Moulton spec.

 

Ride was much improved but the ride height was 11.5 inches (should have been 9.75), so I had to fit Hilo's to correct.

Minisport just bought the rights to use the name Moulton. Just like they bought the right to use the name Paddy Hopkirk. Means sweet FA.

 

Interesting, so you reckon the Minispares cones are a sight better then.

[surfblue]

Could do with new cones on my mk1 but don't want it to look comically high and as it does so few miles they would take years to settle.

[Revd]

I went for Red spot cones and MED hi-los on my 87. Very little settling, I set the ride height when I fitted them last July and immediately drove 1500 across northern France and didn't need to adjust them on return.

[nicklouse]

 

 

I replaced the front cones with Minisport cones - which also claim to be the original Moulton spec.

 

Ride was much improved but the ride height was 11.5 inches (should have been 9.75), so I had to fit Hilo's to correct.

Minisport just bought the rights to use the name Moulton. Just like they bought the right to use the name Paddy Hopkirk. Means sweet FA.

 

Interesting, so you reckon the Minispares cones are a sight better then.

 

Than what?

[FDW]

You should have a look at the Minispares new Evolution cones, I've been considering them. Not a huge amount of information yet from owners but what I've heard has been positive. They're basically like standard plus, a mixture between the best of the originals and the red spots. 

[Spider]

As Nick has suggested, for everyday normal type all round use, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better Rubber Cone than the M-parts ones, as offered by Mini Spares.

 

 

 

 

I replaced the front cones with Minisport cones - which also claim to be the original Moulton spec.

 

Ride was much improved but the ride height was 11.5 inches (should have been 9.75), so I had to fit Hilo's to correct.

Minisport just bought the rights to use the name Moulton. Just like they bought the right to use the name Paddy Hopkirk. Means sweet FA.

 

Interesting, so you reckon the Minispares cones are a sight better then.

 

 

As Nick mentioned, Minisport have just bought legal rights to use a name. It's like buying an existing business, might have the same face to the public, but what's inside is often vastly different from that of previous.

The cones made by M-parts are made to the original rubber formula, using the same methods as Dunlop did for Rover, and these are also made on Original Tooling, so while strictly speaking are not original, they are as damn near close as anyone is ever going to get.

[timmy850]

I bought the Minispares (M-parts) standard cones and they’ve been fantastic

I have hilos to adjust the ride height

[bob01b]

I installed new M-Parts from mini spares 16 months ago in the front of my 63 to replace original (at least they were marked dunlop and moulton).  I have original trumpets.  Also replaced the knuckles, top arm kit and lower bushes at the same time.  They started high as expected, but by June of last year they had settled to lower than the old cones I took out and that with very few miles on them!  And they have gone lower since.  Mini Spares did replace them for free, but I have not yet installed the replacements as I now wonder if the same will happen again.  I am considering trying the new Mini Spares Evo in the front and using the replacement M-Parts cones in the rear where they may fare better with less weight.  However, it would be easier to decide if we had more user feedback on the new Evo cones.

[rock1day]

The Minisport site

 

As Nick has suggested, for everyday normal type all round use, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better Rubber Cone than the M-parts ones, as offered by Mini Spares.

 

 

 

 

I replaced the front cones with Minisport cones - which also claim to be the original Moulton spec.

 

Ride was much improved but the ride height was 11.5 inches (should have been 9.75), so I had to fit Hilo's to correct.

Minisport just bought the rights to use the name Moulton. Just like they bought the right to use the name Paddy Hopkirk. Means sweet FA.

 

Interesting, so you reckon the Minispares cones are a sight better then.

 

 

As Nick mentioned, Minisport have just bought legal rights to use a name. It's like buying an existing business, might have the same face to the public, but what's inside is often vastly different from that of previous.

The cones made by M-parts are made to the original rubber formula, using the same methods as Dunlop did for Rover, and these are also made on Original Tooling, so while strictly speaking are not original, they are as damn near close as anyone is ever going to get.

Minisport states??  

 

The only Genuine Moulton Rubber Cone Spring for the Mini suspension. Invented, designed & developed by Dr Alex Moulton himself in the late 1950’s for BMC for fitment to the Mini. This design including the correct rubber formula, is exactly the same today as it was when the Mini was launched back in 1959. Each FAM3968 rubber cone spring is produced on the original tooling overseen & commissioned by Dr Moulton during his development, by the same British manufacturer Avon Rubber Company (although now called Avon VMS) in Wiltshire, England. The secret rubber formulas are retained by Avon for their sole use under licence from the Moulton trust, guaranteeing that the FAM3968 rubber cone spring carrying the wording “DESIGNED BY ALEX MOULTON MADE BY AVON VMS ENGLAND” is the only truly Genuine rubber cone spring available on the market today.

The only change to the original specification is that the smaller top plate no longer has the welded nut which has been replaced with a threaded billet steel centre as an improvement and upgrade from the original by Dr Alex Moulton himself & the Mini Sport Engineering Department. This design was then copied and claimed by others for other non-genuine production rubber cone springs.

To be sure that you are fitting the only truly original FAM3968 Rubber Cone Spring, it must carry the Moulton name, as the Moulton Trust are the only people who hold the correct formula for the rubber, which was invented by Dr Alex Moulton in 1959. It has been tried to be copied ever since with varying degrees of success.

[nicklouse]

The only suspension with the name Moulton  on them so they can say what they want. And drones not make them anything like original.

[nicklouse]

From the MiniSpares page

 

From the Mini's onset in 1959 until 2000 every mini and factory aftersales cone spring was only manufactured by Dunlop, under licence to BMC/BL/Rover until 2005 when Rover collapsed.

So if you want to keep your car to its original and correct specification your old or new cone spring can be identified by the following characteristics.

Originally--The name Dunlop and Moulton was imprinted into the rubber with patent number 763432 and a fixed hexagonal fitting nut on the metal top plate.

Currently-- with patent number 763432 only plus identification stickers. 

The Dunlop name was deleted from the original UK Dunlop tooling when the tooling was procured as Dunlop is still a trademarked name and the Moulton name was also deleted to save confusion but now has M Parts Ltd on the rubber in its place. Still uses the original fixed hexagonal nut on the metal top plate for fitting and are still the same correct height of 93mm when new.

If it has Alex Moulton or Avon VMS imprinted into the rubber it is not the original or genuine item as fitted to any production mini or factory after sales unit ever. These aftermarket cones are UK made by Avon VMS owned by South Korean automotive supplier Dongah Tyre