17 replies to this topic

[propjock]

I am in the process of changing my cones on the mini. I have one more front cone left. I decided to keep the stock trumpets but as I make my way around the car and finish each side I can’t believe how high the car sits. It almost looks like something is wrong because of how high the car is sitting. 🤷‍♂️

[Quinlan minor]

It'll settle to a normal height after a couple of days driving, but will still look high compared to when it was on old, collapsed cones.

[bpirie1000]

Hi lows would be something to consider. Also makes the changing of the cones alittle easier as you can wind them down and up as you require..

They will settle down so long as they are seated correctly and always make sure the rubbers for the knuckles are covering g the ball joint.

Tricky to get them fitted in my experience..

[Stevie W]

Hi-Lo's are definitely worth considering as mentioned above.

 

I installed these on my Mini many years ago and am currently replacing my cones as they are worn out. Having Hi-Lo's negates the need for a cone compressor tool as the trumpet can be wound fully in for removal of both the trumpet and the cone, once the top arm has been removed.

 

This is also safer then having to use a spring compressor and setting up the ride height is simple. I set my Hi-Lo's at 85mm high (measured from the face that sits in to the cone, to the joint with the knuckle). This will still make the car still sit high on its suspension initially but as said above, the ride height will settle down after several miles of driving. 

 

If you're still not happy with the ride height, then it's quite simple to re- adjust the ride height again.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Cheers, Steve.

[mbolt998]

I am in the process of changing my cones on the mini. I have one more front cone left. I decided to keep the stock trumpets but as I make my way around the car and finish each side I can’t believe how high the car sits. It almost looks like something is wrong because of how high the car is sitting. 🤷‍♂️

 

The cones really squash down over time. Here is a picture of one of my old ones (about 40 something years) next to a new one (and my homemade Special Tool 18G574B :)

 

Once they're all on it will sit higher and ride better.

 

 1.jpg   56.28K   0 downloads

[nicklouse]

Standard ride height is a lot higher than people think even after it has settled.

[mini-mad-mark]

If you had the suspension apart and were buying new cones, (around £200 for "proper" cones)  the price of the cheap hi-los (around £50-60)  is almost negligible and would have been easy to fit at that point, plus giving you adjustability to keep the ride height set to where you want it while the cones settle. As mentioned standard ride height does look quite high; it will settle, however time frame is dependent on how much you use the car (obviously?)

 

Sorry if this is hi-jacking the thread  - there may be discussion about cheap hi-los - People may say you should buy more expensive hi-los with a better (correct/improved?) contact profile to the cone; I have cheap ones on one mini and mini spares one on the other mini and can't tell the difference but maybe I have an uncalibrated @rse    My actual opinion: I prefer the handling of the mini with the cheap hi-los but the cones maybe different (1981 vs 1991 - I think I read somewhere that the cones got softer on later minis but the 1980 cones maybe more degraded - too many variables to be certain - e.g. Yokohama tyres vs Falkens although using the same dampers on both) 

 

 

I believe (some of) the more expensive/better hi-los have a specific shape to the contact area to give "improved",  or should that be "altered",  suspension performance - Another topic maybe for discussion on here - preferably scientific explanation about trumpet to cone contact area and suspension performance?

 

 

I have an opinion; the standard trumpet has a small flat area and then a radius that goes away from the cone; the cheap hi-los have a much wider flat profile (of varying diameter depending on actual supply/manufacture) that I would think causes a linear increase in stiffness in suspension due to the increased contact area; the "posh" hi-los have a kind of raised concave shape but generally appears to be of less diameter than the cheap ones so does something different maybe causing an increasing stiffness but with a non-linear increase so increasing faster as the cone is compressed more - this is probably a load of rubbish, but I'd be interested to hear others opinions (maybe the suppliers opinions?) or preferably tested facts with some kind of empirical data as to what the contact profile actually does.... (Also the variability of cones may have an effect - Moulton/Avon, Dunlop, Moulton smooth-a-ride, cheapos, red dot, yellow dot, MS evo) 

 

You would think that people would make hi-los with  the same contact profile as a standard trumpet. the benefit being adjustable ride height not a change in suspension performance as a whole but they do have different contact profiles  so...

[mbolt998]

I have an opinion; the standard trumpet has a small flat area and then a radius that goes away from the cone; the cheap hi-los have a much wider flat profile (of varying diameter depending on actual supply/manufacture) that I would think causes a linear increase in stiffness in suspension due to the increased contact area; the "posh" hi-los have a kind of raised concave shape but generally appears to be of less diameter than the cheap ones so does something different maybe causing an increasing stiffness but with a non-linear increase so increasing faster as the cone is compressed more - this is probably a load of rubbish, but I'd be interested to hear others opinions (maybe the suppliers opinions?) or preferably tested facts with some kind of empirical data as to what the contact profile actually does.... (Also the variability of cones may have an effect - Moulton/Avon, Dunlop, Moulton smooth-a-ride, cheapos, red dot, yellow dot, MS evo) 

 

You would think that people would make hi-los with  the same contact profile as a standard trumpet. the benefit being adjustable ride height not a change in suspension performance as a whole but they do have different contact profiles  so...

Are you sure the trumpet is really supposed to touch the cone in the sense of rub on it? I know it kind of does a bit, but the cone has a metal insert glued into it and the trumpet bears on that. I assume most of the force is meant to go through that interface. I'm also assuming those inserts are the same sizes on all the different cones or you would need to get trumpets specific to your cone (maybe you do?)

[nicklouse]

 

I am in the process of changing my cones on the mini. I have one more front cone left. I decided to keep the stock trumpets but as I make my way around the car and finish each side I can’t believe how high the car sits. It almost looks like something is wrong because of how high the car is sitting. ‍♂

 

The cones really squash down over time. Here is a picture of one of my old ones (about 40 something years) next to a new one (and my homemade Special Tool 18G574B :)

 

Once they're all on it will sit higher and ride better.

 

1.jpg

 

Yes the profile of the rubber and the profile of the trumpet can be adjusted to change the spring rate of spring. The original Hilo claimed to increase the spring rate by some percentage. I forget the figure. The way the two come together is actually quite important to how they work together.

[propjock]

So here is what it looks like after install with standard trumpets. Something is not right. It is sitting so high that when I drive the from tires are skidding as if they are not getting any traction. I just purchased a set of high lows and hopefully this will help. I’m at a complete loss as to why they sit so high.

Attached Files

•  IMG_1727.jpeg   58.66K   2 downloads

[Spider]

That's 'topped' out. It's not right.

Who's cones did you fit ?

[Bobs2293]

That’s not right. I’ve recently done my cones and it does not sit that high!  A fists width from tyre to arch is what I had. It then settles over time as you drive it. 
 

Are you sure you’ve installed them correctly? Is the cone sitting correctly in the turret? Cone of the right way round? 

[Steam]

If the engine is in the car then something is not fitted correctly or seated properly. You will need to check all components are where they should be. Check the cone to subframe, trumpet into the cone and the ball into the trumpet.

[timmy850]

Did you use the standard knuckle joints or the spacer type?

GSV1118 or GSV1264 ?

[propjock]

Did you use the standard knuckle joints or the spacer type?

GSV1118 or GSV1264 ?

Spacer type.