7 replies to this topic

[chuee]

I wondered how I might surely identify whether or not my front brake hubs, which are 8.4" discs, are metro donors or not, or else mini.

The car, orginally an automatic 1000 cc  was given a donor  1275 engine., possibly metro, and  also 8.4" discs.

 

Main reason is to order the most correct swivel pins, as Minispares offer them for metro hubs specifically. 

 

 

Also, do those Metro swivel pins (I.E>. pre-84 with same taper as for mini suspension arms) need  to be shimmed or not?

 

Cheers,

John

Edited by chuee, 07 October 2023 - 09:12 AM.

[nicklouse]

Male thread on Mini hubs. Female thread on Metro hubs. It is not advised to use Metro hubs on the Mini as the geometry is way different. 
 

note there are some aftermarket Mini hubs that use Metro ball joints.

 

metro steering arms are also different.

early Metro ball joints have the same taper as Mini Later ones don’t.

[chuee]

Male thread on Mini hubs. Female thread on Metro hubs. It is not advised to use Metro hubs on the Mini as the geometry is way different. 
 

Brilliant Nick, that sorts my question out.  I have  Mini hubs then after all, with their Male thread.  Phew, am glad given the geometry difference.

Edited by chuee, 07 October 2023 - 10:39 AM.

[Ethel]

That's the thread on the hub is male. Metros had sealed ball joints, that screw into the hub, so no need for adjustment shims. They do have the same taper, but only if they're for the earliest Metros.

[ac427]

Do the KAD hubs preserve the suspension geometry?

[nicklouse]

Do the KAD hubs preserve the suspension geometry?

Not been able to get a definitive answer from KAD. They may have made changes or they may not.

[Spider]

Great care needs to be taken when fitting Metro Hubs to a Mini or even using the sealed Metro Joints in KADs and a few other after market hubs that used them. The stock Mini Ball Joint has 50⁰ of swivel movement and they need every degree of that. While the bump and rebound stops are in place and in good order, you can possibly get away with a little less, but it's not advised as bump and rebound stops seldom are examined properly, they can fail with little warning, if any, more so these days with the highly variable quality of the after market parts that is all that's available to us.

I know the Quinton Hazel MKI Metro Ball Joints do have enough swivel angle, however, there's been a few other brands I've checked that don't and fall well short. This too is where care is needed with after market hubs as while your choice in ball joints might have enough swivel angle, the angle to which they may fit in to after market hubs may not be the same as the factory had them set to. The issue here being that on full Droop or full Compression of the Suspension the pin can hit the ball joint outer cup before these movements are reached, after which, instead of the joint moving, it will try to be bent, being on the harder side, this leads to them in short order breaking.

Getting a little off topic here, when ever any Negative Camber is dialed in, it is very important to pack up the Rebound Stop. Without doing so, on full droop, this situation of running out of ball joint swivel angle occurs on the lower ball joint, leading to breakage if them.

The factory, while not giving the back ground as to why, did advise of the need to do this;-

 

[ac427]

 

Do the KAD hubs preserve the suspension geometry?

Not been able to get a definitive answer from KAD. They may have made changes or they may not.

 

I asked them and received this:

 

"We altered the bottom ball joint angle to allow safer angle as most race applications lower the car and lose articulation in the bottom joint. I believe the actual pivot positions are the same but the angles taken by the joints are different

We also supply ball joint extenders to alter the roll centre when lowering".

Edited by ac427, 18 October 2023 - 09:23 PM.