16 replies to this topic

[Ouster]

Suspected bent tie bar is causing the car to pull to the left, so I've decided to replace them.

I can either get these: http://www.minispare....aspx?pid=34995
Or just standard replacements: http://www.minispare....aspx?pid=36397



If I'm going to the hassle of replacing them, I might as well get the heavy duty ones right?
Also, if I'm doing both sides then do I need two sets of these? http://www.minispare....aspx?pid=37257

Do I need to get any extra bolts/washers/etc before I go ahead and order? Don't want to get halfway through the job then find I can't reattach the bars!

Cheers

[WiredbyWilson]

you should be able to reuse the nuts that attach to the subframe and the lower arm - as long as they dont shear or cross thread etc.

As for the bushes, it is a pack or 4 - 2 for each side so you will only need to order one.

I bought the heavy duty ones as i had to jack my mini up on the tie bar as the cones were that worn i couldn't get a trolley jack under it!! Just beware the reust pretty quickly so im gonna take mine off and paint them up this weekend

(As an aside you might want to check out ebay for the tie bars as they might be cheaper ebay lists scroll down and they are about £25 the pair!! )

Edited by Wilson1275, 06 March 2008 - 09:53 AM.

[Rodders]

dont forget if you go for the heavy duty adjustables and its not just the tie bar thats bent you will need to get a geometry set up done.

Its fine to adjust them to the same size as the origionals but it may not make any difence if the plate that they bolt into at the front of the car is bent.

It only takes a couple of mm and it will always pull.

I have recently bought the full geometry setup kit from MiniSpares. it comes with all the bushes, but you will need to reuse all the bolts and nuts.

[Jammy]

If the tiebar mount on the subframe was bent, I wouldn't expect it to make much difference, as to move the hole it would have to be seriously bent! I'd expect it to be more of a problem with the bush, as it will be squished in a way that it was not designed to be squished in.

[Guess-Works.com]

Don't forget this....

If you upgrade your tiebars to stronger items, the condition which occured to bend the tiebar in the first place possibly wont bend it a second time, which means something else may bend instead

[Ethel]

I think tie bars only get bent by abuse. The suspension can only put a tensile load on them so if the weren't up to the job they'd stretch. Badly placed jacks and chucking up huge rocks playing at rally driver does the damage. To check if it's a tie rod causing handling problems: swap them over L for R. Get some new nuts 'n bolts for the arm end, they cost little and are prone to rusting. Stick some heat shrink on your new ones to keep the chipping and rust at bay.

[Ouster]

I think they got bent by the guy who owned the car previously - there's a good sized chunk that has been taken out of the alloy where I expect he biffed it on the curb, which caused it to bend slightly.

[icklemini]

DONT reuse the nut at the front - its a nylock nut, throw the old one away and use a new one.

TTFN,
Dave

[il-barba]

im going to replace the tie bars and the rubber bushes, how tight do i have to do them?

[WiredbyWilson]

Tight as you can i guess il-barba, it will only go so far (failing that get a torque wrench and find out the value for tie bars)

Never had any probs with re-using nylon nuts (pesonally i think it is a myth to sell more), as long as it si done up tight.....

[Dan]

Re-using a Nyloc on the same thread it's been cut onto is one thing. It's not best practise and it isn't as secure as the first time it gets cut but everybody does it sometimes. Cutting it onto a new thread however is very different, it may well not grip at all. I would never advise re-using a Nyloc on anything that is holding the suspension on to your car, however tight you can get it. You can get a plain nut tight too, they designed it to be a Nyloc for a reason. The end of the rod is stepped, you are only ever tightening this nut against the rod itself and not against its fitting so it doesn't matter how tight it is. You aren't ever going to stretch the section of the rod that the bushes are sitting on against the mounting bracket, you will only stretch the thread (and break it if you go too far).

Edited by Dan, 07 March 2008 - 10:38 AM.

[WiredbyWilson]

fair point dan - so why dont people sell the rods with new nuts? seems kinda irresponsible for them to sell them without

[Ethel]

fair point dan - so why dont people sell the rods with new nuts? seems kinda irresponsible for them to sell them without

Price - you'd lose sales to someone who doesn't include nuts 'n undercuts you.

[Jammy]

Most things don't come with fixing bolts and nuts... rocker cover..alternator..fan...steering wheel...fuel pump...

[WiredbyWilson]

most things like wheel bearings/driveshafts come with new nuts / bolts. Just think it is a rip to have to buy nuts/bolts as well as the replacement item.

but then i have never had any problems reusing nuts. but that's just my opinion. things like flywheel bolts, head botls and internal bolts id never re-use. but some things im happy to reuse