12 replies to this topic

[dread]

i have a little (big) problem with my mini (Mk3).
it was recently bought and i was following behind it while my dad drove it.
i realised that the car was moving at an angle (check attached drawing).
i assume that this would be a problem with the rear radius arm.
has anyone had this problem before?
is this correct?
what must be done to correct this?

Attached Files

•  mini.jpg   11.68K   8 downloads

[Guess-Works.com]

commonly called crabbing... and can be the result of all sorts of things, from worn bushes, pins to a total miss-alingment of subframes and body.

[marc]

Nearly every mini i've followed does this! I wouldnt worry about it unless you can really notice it yourself when driving, as GW says, just check over the bushes etc and you should be fine.

[Dan]

You can do the body alignment measurements that are listed in the back of the older (and actually useful) Haynes manuals, all you need is a flat, level floor and a plumb bob to check if the subframes are aligned. Other than that, inspect the suspension as said above.

[taffy1967]

Yes if it goes around corners like an old shopping trolley/Vauxhall Corsa and wears out tyre treads with alarming speed then it will need sorting.

Unfortunately a non-genuine rear subframe can cause this effect.

[pinch]

when you follow minis they all look like they are doing it sometimes! i think mini bodies are narrower at the back than the front, so you can usually see some of the drivers side of the car, if i'm making any sense. i know what i mean.

[dread]

thanks for the assistance.
i have a spare rear subframe.
can anyone tell me how to check it out (measurements etc) and refurbish it in order to swap with the old one?

[Bungle]

in the hanes manual there is a section where you can test if your cars square

[THE ANORAK]

when you follow minis they all look like they are doing it sometimes! i think mini bodies are narrower at the back than the front, so you can usually see some of the drivers side of the car, if i'm making any sense. i know what i mean.

ah, at last, some one with some common sense.

yes, minis are wider at the front so if your behind and to the left it will appear to crab this way and if your to the right it will appear to crab that way. i have known a few people mention this when we started doing convoys in the club.

save yourself a lot of time and expense and check this out before you do anything else !!!!

[brightsparkz]

Hi,

I have a question about suspension, but not to do with crabing. I am modifying a rear subframe and need to know what poundage springs you guys are using. I will be using coil overs connected to a linkage system to take the weight of the rear of the car. Would be useful to know what Z-Cars are using as the engine will be in the rear in my design too.

Cheers

[Sprocket]

Nearly every mini i've followed does this!

Thats because the rear end of the Mini is narrower than the front, you are sitting one one side in the car following so you see more of one side.

Its an optical illusion.

General perception tells you that the front should be narrower than the back because its further away, your brain gets confused and it looks like its crabbing when its not.

However this actaul crabbing is common. Iv never had a mini thats had the toe setting on the rear the same side to side. It can be worse with some pattern subframes, they are pants when it comes to line them up. It can be any number of things as said before.

[taffy1967]

I guess the first step would be to get it set up on one of those 4 wheel laser tracking things to find out if it is crabbing and take it from there?

[fikus01]

Hi,

I have a question about suspension, but not to do with crabing. I am modifying a rear subframe and need to know what poundage springs you guys are using. I will be using coil overs connected to a linkage system to take the weight of the rear of the car. Would be useful to know what Z-Cars are using as the engine will be in the rear in my design too.

Cheers

ask on the z-cars part of this forum im sure they'll be able to help you better!