31 replies to this topic

[Recogniseman]

Hi everybody. I have had to replace the hi-los on both sides of the front of my mini as the adjusting threaded shaft had bent. The drivers side is worse (I'm guessing because of driver weight). I cant really see why this has happened. I have been running the Huddersfield spring kit (the mid-level 'road' type) which I have installed following all the correct guidance. (Found a good guide from a well known Mini mag) I did have the car running reasonably low but not excessively.

could this have altered the suspension geometry enough to cause this added stress and bend the hi-los? 

I've replaced both knuckles as well as they are stuck in the shafts due to the bend.

 

I can't be the only Mini person that has had this problem surely!?

 

Any help as always is hugely appreciated.

 

Many Thanks

 

Rob.

 

 

[Carlos W]

I've just moved away from springs as I find them far too hard.

I wonder if a lack of travel or the springs binding have caused the hilos to bend?

[Quinlan minor]

 I have been running the Huddersfield spring kit....  I did have the car running reasonably low but not excessively.

could this have altered the suspension geometry enough to cause this added stress and bend the hi-los?

There's your answer, right there.

Springs are just not suitable for a road car, particularly given the state of road surfaces nowadays.

[imack]

I think this is a fairly common issue when running spring conversions.
Stick to rubber donuts and decent quality hilo's, not the cheap Chinese ones.

Edited by imack, 01 June 2024 - 05:48 PM.

[nicklouse]

Your answer is you are using springs. You got off lightly  they have been known to brake subframes.

 

bin them and fit original rubbers.

Edited by nicklouse, 01 June 2024 - 06:29 PM.

[Spider]

The Coil Springs - regardless of brand or type - all of them - don't give enough travel and so when they get in to coil bind, something has to give. In your case, you are lucky it was just the Hilo Bolt. Usually they cause the tower of the subframe to pop off.

[and90cooper]

I can’t ever see that springs are a good idea-used to be a lot of posts a while back about them-some people absolutely raving about them-what are the advantages if any of springs?
My car had them fitted when it was restored, but thankfully the guy I bought it from saw sense and put rubber cones back on

[Spider]

I can’t ever see that springs are a good idea-used to be a lot of posts a while back about them-some people absolutely raving about them-what are the advantages if any of springs?
My car had them fitted when it was restored, but thankfully the guy I bought it from saw sense and put rubber cones back on

 

Of the people I have asked, here and on other platforms as well as in person, the only 'argument' they have against rubber cones is that they settle / sag over time. Some think they give a smoother ride, but when further analysed, what this really is, is an under-dampened ride. Rubber Cones on their own have a fair bit of damping (shock absorber action) in them due to the nature of rubber, this is what Minis always had what seem like piddly shock absorbers fitted.

I have an open mind on the issue, to me, it's technical, not emotive as some seem to get bound up in. I spent over 3 months back in the 80's working with a Spring Engineer, his slide rule and the factory where he worked where we tried all manner of things - bee-hives, double springs with different rates, (so called) variable rate coils, even torsion bars for the rear suspension, Coils with Coil Overs - lots of different things. We took a base line of the stock rubber cone set up in the front and rear, with both Mini and Van type Trumpets. The minimum outcome we were seeking was to at least replicate the Rubber Cone with something in spring steel to get around the issue of sag over time. Anything we could achieve over that would be a bonus (I was seeking a slightly firmer rate for the rear).

In the end, we made a LOT of scrap spring steel, and we couldn't replace the characteristics of the Rubber Cone, let alone better it.

[Recogniseman]

Thanks guys. Loads of help there. So back to rubber it is then. 😅.

You live and learn. I really appreciate everyone’s input as always.

Does anyone recommend a certain brand or manufacturer of Hi Lo that is superior? I thought I’d bought the better ones as they were the most expensive. But I’d been keen to know if there is a recommended option.

Rob. 🙂

[Designer]

Interesting how way back in the distant past when Whealer Dealers did up a Mini and they claimed they were the first to combine Hi-Los with springs and reconned that was the Bee's Knees and everyone would be fitting them.

 

Paddy

[Spider]

Does anyone recommend a certain brand or manufacturer of Hi Lo that is superior? I thought I’d bought the better ones as they were the most expensive. But I’d been keen to know if there is a recommended option.

Rob.

I know you're probably not going to order these, but all the same, of all those currently available, these are the only ones I recommend.

https://www.minisplu...able-suspension

 

Of the others available the black bodied types I found have poor threads in the bodies and the others have an almost square edge when they should have a 1/4" radius. This gives a very harsh change in rate as well as doing the cones no good in the process.

[nicklouse]

Interesting how way back in the distant past when Whealer Dealers did up a Mini and they claimed they were the first to combine Hi-Los with springs and reconned that was the Bee's Knees and everyone would be fitting them.

 

Paddy

Yep it’s a TV show. And it would not be interesting if they just replaced the service part with the same. There would be nothing to talk about.

[imack]

I've been running the same set of Ripspeed HiLo's for almost 40 years now. Only modification I made to them has been the addition of a grease nipple.
No idea of the quality of the current 'genuine' HiLo's.
KAD and MED make some nice looking billet alloy 'HiLo's'. A friend has the MED ones and they appeared very nicely made.

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[nicklouse]

I remember talking to someone who commented on the thread form and they should be made. The thread on the adjuster should be rolled rather than cut. And this give a slightly different profile, I think Spider has mentioned this above.

[coopertaz]

have run minisport adjusta rides on mine with standard rubber cones for years they have the curved seat edge, have tried others as a comparison and found they bottomed out easily at the rear even when set to the same ride height on the same car as the minisport one

i also fancied springs just for a change but saw all posts on here and would encourage anyone considering to do the same first so you are informed before hand

Edited by coopertaz, 03 June 2024 - 09:31 AM.