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Suspension Cone Replacement


Best Answer stuart bowes , 28 April 2025 - 09:59 AM

or you could cut at it with a recip. saw until it comes away, and order a replacement 

 

https://www.ebay.co....:Bk9SR9LRoL3PZQ

 

i mean that is kind of the brute force an ignorance method but they're not expensive really.  if you're that desperate come and get one from me in Dagenham but petrol for that journey is probably equal or greater than the cost of new

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#1 CDY

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Posted 27 April 2025 - 05:22 PM

Hi everyone, can you help?

 

I was changing the front near side cone (by the radiator) and unfortunately forgot to check the alloy trumpet made a correct fit to the donut (rubber cone).

 

once I released the compression tool the cone twisted as the trumpet was at an angle. I now need to remove it all and tidy them up so they fit but am unable to get the compression tool to thread in to the donut as it sits at an angle so they fit but tool won’t thread in.

 

Any ideas how I can resolve this?

 

Any help appreciated.



#2 Spider

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Posted 27 April 2025 - 06:28 PM

One way is to remove the top arm. If you can, remove the Rebound Stop (that's the little square one on an L shaped bracket under the arm) first.



#3 CDY

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Posted 27 April 2025 - 06:53 PM

Unfortunately as the donut is still under pressure removing the top suspension arm is not possible as the donut needs to be compressed first and I am unable to do that, for the reasons stated.



#4 Spider

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Posted 27 April 2025 - 08:40 PM

There is some pressure on it but it can still be removed.



#5 andyapanel

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Posted 28 April 2025 - 06:29 AM

Have tried pry bars ?

#6 DeadSquare

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Posted 28 April 2025 - 09:47 AM

Unfortunately as the doughnut is still under pressure removing the top suspension arm is not possible as the donut needs to be compressed first and I am unable to do that, for the reasons stated.

 

With chocks under the footwell and secure supports under the front cross piece of the subframe, lift the body away.  This makes it much easier to drive out the Top Arm pivot shaft............................................

 

Seriously.  Before compression tools became widely available, removing the shaft was the only way to extract the trumpet and doughnut, and often, the most difficult obstacle was first releasing the taper on the top Ball Joint and disconnecting the Swivel Hub. 

 

Fortunately, as you have worked on it, the area should be fairly clean.  Disconnect the Damper, and as Spider explained, by removing the little Philips head screw that holds rebound rubber between the subframe and the underside of the Top Arm, dislodge the rubber and extract it.

 

The shaft is going to come out towards the front of the car, so clean the shaft threads at the other end and slacken the nut until it is almost half off the end of the thread.  Lubricate the exposed thread as it helps to reduce damage.

 

Ignore the nut at the other end, it fastens the shaft to an oval plate which is held in place by two small hex head set screws which have to be removed.

 

With difficulty, drive the shaft out far enough to get a screwdriver blade between the oval plate and the subframe, by carefully hitting the loosened rear nut. Remove the rear nut, this deters the temptation to hit that end of the shaft.

 

Keep levering the oval plate away from the subframe, moving from screwdriver through chisel to tyre leaver etc:, and once the exposed thread at the rear has cleared the subframe, the shaft can be pulled out with your left hand as you hold the Top Arm.

 

Please forgive me, if all this is "Teaching Grandmother to suck eggs"

 



#7 stuart bowes

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Posted 28 April 2025 - 09:59 AM   Best Answer

or you could cut at it with a recip. saw until it comes away, and order a replacement 

 

https://www.ebay.co....:Bk9SR9LRoL3PZQ

 

i mean that is kind of the brute force an ignorance method but they're not expensive really.  if you're that desperate come and get one from me in Dagenham but petrol for that journey is probably equal or greater than the cost of new



#8 Cooperman

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Posted 30 April 2025 - 03:49 PM

I did exactly this and couldn't get it to pieces. In the end, I drilled a ring of holes half-way around he trumpet about half-way up, then used a big cold chisel and club hammer to smash the trumpet (wear eye protection!). Real delicate precision engineering  :ohno: .

It will then all come out, you can re-fit the compression tool and fit a new trumpet. I have a spare trumpet which you are awelcome to for free and you can just fit the new ball end.



#9 CDY

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Posted 02 May 2025 - 06:47 PM

Thanks everyone for your help.

in the end I did as Stuart Bowles suggested and cut the trumpet with a reciprocating saw (which I happened to already have).

 

Acquired a second hand pair of cones, cleaned them up but needed a press to separate the knuckle. (Luckily a garage mate of mine had one in his workshop so no problem).

 

I think it is mostly back together now, just the bolts to do up, grease and fit shockers. The hardest outstanding one will be trying to get the small bolt in to the captive nut on the retaining plate on the top suspension pin. It looks nigh on impossible unless you remove the radiator etc. my fingers aren’t long enough. 
 

I don’t think it would be an issue if this was left out as I have the other bolt through the retaining plate etc. Any views on this?

 

Many thanks



#10 mini-mad-mark

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Posted 02 May 2025 - 09:24 PM

Thanks everyone for your help.

in the end I did as Stuart Bowles suggested and cut the trumpet with a reciprocating saw (which I happened to already have).

 

Acquired a second hand pair of cones, cleaned them up but needed a press to separate the knuckle. (Luckily a garage mate of mine had one in his workshop so no problem).

 

I think it is mostly back together now, just the bolts to do up, grease and fit shockers. The hardest outstanding one will be trying to get the small bolt in to the captive nut on the retaining plate on the top suspension pin. It looks nigh on impossible unless you remove the radiator etc. my fingers aren’t long enough. 
 

I don’t think it would be an issue if this was left out as I have the other bolt through the retaining plate etc. Any views on this?

 

Many thanks

I wouldn't leave that 1/4 UNF out myself, although I do think you might "get away with it" if you really can't be bothered but......

 

Doing it at the radiator side is considerably easier than at the other side thanks to the inner wing "window"

 

My best tip for fitting it is to make sure the captive nut/thread in the subframe is absolutely clean and good (screw a spare bolt/screw in from the inside first) and then make sure the bolt/screw is really good (or a new one even) and with a little light lubrication to help it screw in easily but yes it is quite fiddly. You can do it; I have and I'm the worlds least left-handed person. (My wife laughs at me as she can write fairly legibly with her left hand whereas I cannot even do up a zip hardly)  

 

Just to mention - don't fully tighten the other 1/4 UNF or the main shaft nuts to make sure the retaining plate can easily align with the hole



#11 CDY

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Posted 03 May 2025 - 07:03 PM

Hi One Carb or Two?

 

Thanks for your comments.

 

just one question, when you advise fitting the inner 1/4 unf from the radiator side, do you have to remove the radiator first as I can’t see a way to reach it otherwise?

 

Thanks in anticipation.

 

i should add, this is for a 1275 gt (clubman style) so the inner wing might be different from a standard shape mini.


Edited by CDY, 03 May 2025 - 07:21 PM.


#12 Spider

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Posted 03 May 2025 - 09:46 PM

One way I get to those screws is to come in from the front with a very long extension from 1/4" drive socket set.



#13 mini-mad-mark

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Posted Yesterday, 10:01 PM

Sorry - didn't realise you were asking me....

 

I've never noticed that "one carb or two" bit before and I'm absolutely certain I never typed it into my profile - anyone on here know how to edit that as it makes no sense and is nothing to or about me 

 

As Spider says a long extension bar can do it or just a bit of patience and perseverance - removing the radiator is  one way to do it but its probably quicker to fiddle and persevere



#14 Spider

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Posted Yesterday, 10:40 PM

I've never noticed that "one carb or two" bit before and I'm absolutely certain I never typed it into my profile - anyone on here know how to edit that as it makes no sense and is nothing to or about me

 

It's linked to the number of posts one has made, supposedly to help build a profile on here.
 



#15 68+86auto

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Posted Yesterday, 11:44 PM

Sorry - didn't realise you were asking me....

 

I've never noticed that "one carb or two" bit before and I'm absolutely certain I never typed it into my profile - anyone on here know how to edit that as it makes no sense and is nothing to or about me 

 

I kind of wish they'd remove that feature as all it really does is confuse people, especially new members. As Spider says, it changes depending on the number of posts that you've made.






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