14 replies to this topic

[Dolts]

can someone give me the std ride height for a 1991 city?

i think my front donuts are gone!

[sqweaka]

can someone give me the std ride height for a 1991 city?

i think my front donuts are gone!

what makes you think that?

[Dolts]

rear had a new subframe before i bought it and there is quite a gap between the arch and wheels, but the front looke lowered although everything is standard! so either front has gone or the rear hasnt been done right!

you can see it in my sig

[fikus01]

could be worn knuckles but i wouldnt be surprised if the cones were on they're way out!! use genuine items rather than cheap ones!!!

[Sammy D]

As standard, they are always higher at the back. Unless its stupidly low!

[Dolts]

well by sight, the rear must bea good 3" higher

[vasi]

Your donuts are 15 years old and will require changing 5 years ago.

Changed the Mrs's 88 City donuts last weekend as the top arm was hitting the bump stop.

As fikus says, do not use copies, they are pants!

[1984mini25]

Yep, sounds like the rubber donuts have gone, fronts normally go first as they carry more weight.

Probably best to change the front donuts (only use genuine ones) and knuckles at the same time got a cone compressor tool to get the front’s in/out if you need to borrow one.

[THE ANORAK]

just for reference here is a photo a a Mayfair from around that time...



as they started to put more and more in the engine bay then the front got lower and lower, most rover coopers seemed to be very front heavy.

to be honest, the Mayfair in this photo is probably the levelest Ive seen.

as people have already said, at this age of car you should expect to have to change the suspension cones anyway, but i will add... don't just fit adjusta-rides to compensate, do it proper like and change the cones.

Edited by THE ANORAK, 08 December 2006 - 08:30 PM.

[THE ANORAK]

in fact, after looking through my image library at the photos of minis when new, most seem to be reasonably level on the suspension. the one exception is the carb rover cooper, which has a very full engine bay...



...as you can see, these seem to be very nose heavy, but later injection coopers seem a bit more level, generally speaking.





it would seem to me that most late factory fresh minis are reasonably level but soon (couple of years) drop down at the front by about half an inch and stay this way for up to another fifteen years. then all of a sudden they seem to drop by quite a bit. early minis don't seem to suffer to badly.

this is just my observation, i could be wrong

Edited by THE ANORAK, 08 December 2006 - 08:51 PM.

[fikus01]

the sportspack and twin point coopers all sat level from factory, they looked like 4x4's!! after a few roundabouts, either taken in a hurry or the std mini way (sideways) the rears dropped a little and the fronts started sagging!! and it all started to look like a set of hilos were required!!

[Sammy D]

just for reference here is a photo a a Mayfair from around that time...

Haha, is it me or does that woman look really small?

[fikus01]

maybe she does!! petite girlies are my thing tho ME LIKE!! well if it wasnt the 80's anyway!!

[THE ANORAK]

ha ha one 4X4 sports-pack mini cooper.... i see what you mean

[Dolts]

Looks like its a cone job then! i was thinking about maybe changing to coil springs ready for when i get the 1380 etc, seems pointless replacing it all now with std, then uprating later!