26 replies to this topic

[miniman5]

is it danjarus leaving them? i qwit lie kthe look as the front is lower on mine i like it!

[Dan]

The front is meant to be lower than the back, it's if it's really stupid low (like the rubber touching the arches) or collapsed at one corner only that there's a problem.

And yes, shot knuckle joints are dangerous. The words 'collapsed' and 'suspension' aren't good together.

[Brawlyrox]

here is a pic of it.... so i need to replace my knuckles and nylon cups?
how much am i looking at?


i hope that this shows how bad it is.

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[dklawson]

I can't tell how low it is from the photograph. The Haynes manuals used to have ride height specifications. These specified the distance from the center of the hub to the wheel arch. Is this data in the manuals for the newer cars?

[Brawlyrox]

my manual is in the mini, i had to take the pic at that angle as there was a car parked close next to it.. will try get a better one tomorrow i just took the pic to confirm to you guys that it really is low just over that corner.

Nick

[Verno]

I have the same problem, mines lower on drivers side. I've took everything off and all looks good nothing wrong. Please can someone help
Thanks Jake

[dklawson]

When you say you took everything off, did that include the rubber cones and did you examine/replace the nylon cups on the top suspension arms?

 

Cones collapse over time.. a lot.  It could just be the passage of time with your driver's side cone collapsing more than the passenger side.  Also, if the suspension is not regularly serviced, the nylon cup on the top suspension arm can wear.  In really bad cases you can wear through the nylon and develop metal on metal contact.  That wear can lower a corner of the car but not as much as age collapsed cones.

[Verno]

I didn't take the rubber cone of as it looked nearly new as it had the sticker on still. I've just ordered some new cups hi lo and knuckle joints just in case. Do you think this will help??
Only just bought it and it's my first mini so rather new to me
Jake

[Steve220]

Well it'll put a good standard on the car to work off, so if it still leans to one side then would need further investigating. My cones look new but as soon as you put the weight on it they sink quite significantly. The rubber breaks down over the years and tires out.

[Verno]

Ok thanks guys I'll have a look at the cones

[Spider]

Have a look at the subrame tower for cracks too.

[tiger99]

There have been quite a few cases where the knuckle ball has worn right through the top arm, or jammed and snapped before it got that far, both leading to instant suspension collapse, possibly a very serious crash, and definitely a ruined top arm, probably ruined trumpet, broken damper pin, and scraped or bent car bottom or front, depending how it hits the ground. Before that point the ride height will drop, if it is really low it could mean that the knuckle ball is perilously close to breaking through the arm. In other cases the seating for the nylon cup in the arm is too badly damaged, so the arm is scrap.

 

Look up the price of knuckles (use genuine only, cheap) and top arms (plus bearings and new pivot pin, very expensive) and you will see why it is worth changing the knuckles, as a matter of routine, at intervals of not more than 40k miles. If it has to come apart to check the cones, or anything else, such as top arm bearings, replace the knuckles anyway. The extra cost is trivial. A few quid spent on prevention is well worth it. Skimping costs dear later, a gamble that can't be won. (On many modern cars a timing belt costs about £20, maybe £50 in some cases, and a smashed engine upwards of £3k, yet numerous people skimp, with the absolutely inevitable result...)

 

The same goes for the rear knuckles, so you may as well buy a set of 4 if you suspect any of being worn. Changing the rear knuckles and/or cones is quite easy, if you have made the little trapdoor often described by Cooperman to get access to the nearside top damper nuts without moving the fuel tank. Just jack up, remove wheel and support under subframe. Undo damper, drop wheel as far as possible. Prise trumpet out of cone, and the rest is obvious.