Anywhere up north that's good with suspension?
Discussion
Hi people, I need your recommendations for garages as i'm purchasing some negative camber arms + tie rods + spax shockers but obviously in order to get them set up properly I need to get someone to sort it for me. I'm in and around nottingham also so anyone down there would be good...I'd rather not go to an unknown chap as I wouldn't know whether he'd done a bad job or not
Thanks
Thanks
Set them all up yourself
I always took my car to someone and paid 80 odd quid for it to be set to low!
Its not actually that hard to get it right and the adjustable parts on mini's are all very adjustable so its not that time consuming. Make some adjustments then go out see how it feels then go home and make more.
I run my off side tie rod about 5mm longer then my near side (due to old accident) and the car handles better now then it ever did, so you dont have to be exact to half a mil to get it right.
Look at Cooperman guide to setting up mini's or start another forum on what other peoples setup are.
I gotta thank Cooperman and Chris for setting me off in the right direction!!
I always took my car to someone and paid 80 odd quid for it to be set to low!
Its not actually that hard to get it right and the adjustable parts on mini's are all very adjustable so its not that time consuming. Make some adjustments then go out see how it feels then go home and make more.
I run my off side tie rod about 5mm longer then my near side (due to old accident) and the car handles better now then it ever did, so you dont have to be exact to half a mil to get it right.
Look at Cooperman guide to setting up mini's or start another forum on what other peoples setup are.
I gotta thank Cooperman and Chris for setting me off in the right direction!!
Best bet is to fit 1.5 deg negative camber arms to the car, then fit adjustable tie rods, any more than 1.5 and you will get massive tyre wear on the inside, I used to run 3 degree on mine and I killed a set of Yokos in about 6 months of daily driving, no tracks.
The tie rods can be temporarily set up by setting them to the same length as the originals until you can get to a garage, most garages will set these up for you. Ideally you want 1 degree of toe in IIRC.
The shocks should be set half for the front and then almost fully soft for the rear. This is a good starting point, then you can tweak, especiall if you have SPAX as they are eaisly adjustable.
To fit the lot I reckon 1 hour max for the shocks, for the bottom arm, depends on whether the metal collar inside the lower arm bushes has siezed to the bottom arm pin. If it hasn't maybe 1 hour max to do this, if it has no telling how long. First time I did it took me 2 hours to get the pins out, had to angle grind one out in the end.
Done it quite a few times, my bros only took about 1,5 hours for the lot, last summer.
The tie rods can be temporarily set up by setting them to the same length as the originals until you can get to a garage, most garages will set these up for you. Ideally you want 1 degree of toe in IIRC.
The shocks should be set half for the front and then almost fully soft for the rear. This is a good starting point, then you can tweak, especiall if you have SPAX as they are eaisly adjustable.
To fit the lot I reckon 1 hour max for the shocks, for the bottom arm, depends on whether the metal collar inside the lower arm bushes has siezed to the bottom arm pin. If it hasn't maybe 1 hour max to do this, if it has no telling how long. First time I did it took me 2 hours to get the pins out, had to angle grind one out in the end.
Done it quite a few times, my bros only took about 1,5 hours for the lot, last summer.
Its mad the different specs people run
If the car is purely for road use then I wouldnt bother with adjustable tie rods as they can have a detrimental effect on steering feel + you can end up with steering that wont self centre because they adjust the castor.
Sorry wildfire but if you want to reduce understeer then you want to run the back allot stiffer than the front. My AVO's are only 6 clicks on the front and 10 on the rear and it has almost removed the understeer and stabilised the rear allot as it used to snatch in fast cornering.
Also you want the rears towing in half a degree but the front you want dead straight.
But as I said before in so many words, you wanna set it up as close to std and then play
Are you going to fit hi-lows?
If the car is purely for road use then I wouldnt bother with adjustable tie rods as they can have a detrimental effect on steering feel + you can end up with steering that wont self centre because they adjust the castor.
Sorry wildfire but if you want to reduce understeer then you want to run the back allot stiffer than the front. My AVO's are only 6 clicks on the front and 10 on the rear and it has almost removed the understeer and stabilised the rear allot as it used to snatch in fast cornering.
Also you want the rears towing in half a degree but the front you want dead straight.
But as I said before in so many words, you wanna set it up as close to std and then play
Are you going to fit hi-lows?
I got my settings from Ian at OAP racing and they seem to run fine, much better than, std. So if you reckon they're wrong I'd take it up with him. Never really tried, setting the back harder. I tend to run mine a bit stiffer. Pretty sure Keith Calver said thoes were the starting point settings for suspension in a mini mag a few years ago.
No I dont reckon there wrong I suppose its just different people with different ideas on how a car should handle.
For best front end grip i've been told by a old circuit/rally driver who set my car up the first time, Cooperman and a chap he introduced me to was to set the track to dead straight, 1.5 degrees neg camber,
Castor not so sure on as anything from std feels pretty horrible. Want to keep the shocks much nearer the soft end and not to lower it to much (Cant remember mine right now)as stiff front end suspension has a much harder time keeping the wheel in contact with the road.
And as front wheel drive cars 99% of the time understeer to really cure that you must reduce rear end grip, ive done it by running the shock and tyre pressures harder and setting the wheels to zero degrees camber and towing in half a degree.
And this has left me with a car that is in dire need of some bucket seats!
I suppose that the different settings perhaps came from the fact that the advice I started with was from a rally driver and yours (just a guess) a circuit racer.
The first guy I met gave me a circuit racing set-up and I found that to harsh (girlfriend wouldnt get in it) and I couldn't get over most speed bumps, the wheels touched my arches and on bumpy roads you would start seeing double.
But now i think it is set up lovely for public roads!
Wildfire try setting your back stiffer and increasing your tyre pressures at the rear, would be great to get your take on it.
>> Edited by Dodgy Dave on Thursday 13th November 09:14
For best front end grip i've been told by a old circuit/rally driver who set my car up the first time, Cooperman and a chap he introduced me to was to set the track to dead straight, 1.5 degrees neg camber,
Castor not so sure on as anything from std feels pretty horrible. Want to keep the shocks much nearer the soft end and not to lower it to much (Cant remember mine right now)as stiff front end suspension has a much harder time keeping the wheel in contact with the road.
And as front wheel drive cars 99% of the time understeer to really cure that you must reduce rear end grip, ive done it by running the shock and tyre pressures harder and setting the wheels to zero degrees camber and towing in half a degree.
And this has left me with a car that is in dire need of some bucket seats!
I suppose that the different settings perhaps came from the fact that the advice I started with was from a rally driver and yours (just a guess) a circuit racer.
The first guy I met gave me a circuit racing set-up and I found that to harsh (girlfriend wouldnt get in it) and I couldn't get over most speed bumps, the wheels touched my arches and on bumpy roads you would start seeing double.
But now i think it is set up lovely for public roads!
Wildfire try setting your back stiffer and increasing your tyre pressures at the rear, would be great to get your take on it.
>> Edited by Dodgy Dave on Thursday 13th November 09:14
Dodgy Dave said:
I suppose that the different settings perhaps came from the fact that the advice I started with was from a rally driver and yours (just a guess) a circuit racer.
The first guy I met gave me a circuit racing set-up and I found that to harsh (girlfriend wouldnt get in it) and I couldn't get over most speed bumps, the wheels touched my arches and on bumpy roads you would start seeing double.
But now i think it is set up lovely for public roads!
Wildfire try setting your back stiffer and increasing your tyre pressures at the rear, would be great to get your take on it.
>> Edited by Dodgy Dave on Thursday 13th November 09:14
Yes I know the feeling, I do have the above problems. OAP race the 7 and Miglia Championships, they do the prep for the car.
Speed bumps - go S L O W L Y
Girfriend - It goes better with just me in it.
Arches - raised the car a tad, but just a little.
I spent ages maximising the grip on the front of my car. I run the back flat with 1 degree of toe in. Very rarely lose the back. I tend to get four wheel drift in the wet though.
Would try fiddling with the suspension, but both my minis are in London, I've only got my TVR in Newcastle.
>> Edited by WildfireS3 on Thursday 13th November 13:52
The family has 6 minis. Each of my bros has one (mayfair and Racing green), my dad has 2 ('72 S by Swiftune and traveller) and I have 2 (tuned 1 litre and '71 S). Check my profile for the specs.
I've been at the mini malarky for 6 years now, my dad 25. Good fun.
Dad also has a 67 Alfa Spider.
I've been at the mini malarky for 6 years now, my dad 25. Good fun.
Dad also has a 67 Alfa Spider.
Ahh my last comments dont make sense now!
Still nice selection of cars.
V tempted to get an S myself, been looking at S8's for a while but deep down I know the insurance would be a bit silly (have quite a dirty licence) so want to get me a kit-car!!
My dads got a tuned griff 500 and we share a lotus esprit. He owns it I look after it although it hasnt turned a wheel for some time now.
Keep meaning to get it back on the road but whenever i think "right nows the time" somthing goes wrong with the mini
He wrote an article in the latest TVR sprint magazine if anyone has one nearby and is interested.
Still nice selection of cars.
V tempted to get an S myself, been looking at S8's for a while but deep down I know the insurance would be a bit silly (have quite a dirty licence) so want to get me a kit-car!!
My dads got a tuned griff 500 and we share a lotus esprit. He owns it I look after it although it hasnt turned a wheel for some time now.
Keep meaning to get it back on the road but whenever i think "right nows the time" somthing goes wrong with the mini
He wrote an article in the latest TVR sprint magazine if anyone has one nearby and is interested.
Kit cars are much cheaper to insure. I'm 22, have clean license, and 5years NCB and I still get stung.
There is always somthing worng with a mini, even if it's not broken, you really should upgrade it........
Both cars became a bit of an addiction. Had to stop. Will probably run the S next year for the show season as it's mint, along with 70's cosmic wheels.
There is always somthing worng with a mini, even if it's not broken, you really should upgrade it........
Both cars became a bit of an addiction. Had to stop. Will probably run the S next year for the show season as it's mint, along with 70's cosmic wheels.
I cant decide what upgrade to do to it next.
I gonna change the final drive before the year is out and may have the block bored out a bit more but cant remember what the max is as I know that the 1400's achieve that capacity though stroke more than bore.
Still very temped to nitrous it. Great way for more power and if you ever sell your car then you can move the NOS onto its replacement.
Even looked at supercharging but I would have to bin/sell so much of the engine if I did!!
I beginning to think now that I should stop trying to get the best out of small cc engines and buy a monster V8 and tune that.
Do fancy building a Tornado Raptor but have felt all the momentum in a V8 from my dads griff and in a light car it would lead to allot of locked wheels when changing down, maybe I would be better off with a small cc engine!!!!
What confusion but great confusion still!
I gonna change the final drive before the year is out and may have the block bored out a bit more but cant remember what the max is as I know that the 1400's achieve that capacity though stroke more than bore.
Still very temped to nitrous it. Great way for more power and if you ever sell your car then you can move the NOS onto its replacement.
Even looked at supercharging but I would have to bin/sell so much of the engine if I did!!
I beginning to think now that I should stop trying to get the best out of small cc engines and buy a monster V8 and tune that.
Do fancy building a Tornado Raptor but have felt all the momentum in a V8 from my dads griff and in a light car it would lead to allot of locked wheels when changing down, maybe I would be better off with a small cc engine!!!!
What confusion but great confusion still!
Insurance is a big factor in deciding, or mainly who is going to pay for the insurance.
As far as minis got, the max you can go safely is 1380 which is a +60 bore out IIRC. Then you can start stroking it, but this is expensive.
Supercharging is good, but v.expensive for the supercharger. Turbochaging produces better power or so I've heard, but has lag and produces lots o heat.
Also eats gear boxes. You also have to run a low compression ratio to get the best results. I run 10.75:1, but for turboing your looking at more like 8:1. This means less economy, but again that depends on what your using the car for. I used to use mine as a daily drive.
Final drive wise a 3.44:1 would be a good bet, nice acceleration, without screaming on the motorways.
NOS, again you still ahve to mod the engine to take it. And again if it's your daily drive, pants economy if when your not boosting.
Personally if I could afford I'd go with Supercharging, they look cool, sound cool and give a decent power increase.
Kit cars I'm none too knowledgeable.
Insurance is often the deciding factor.
End of thread Hi jack
As far as minis got, the max you can go safely is 1380 which is a +60 bore out IIRC. Then you can start stroking it, but this is expensive.
Supercharging is good, but v.expensive for the supercharger. Turbochaging produces better power or so I've heard, but has lag and produces lots o heat.
Also eats gear boxes. You also have to run a low compression ratio to get the best results. I run 10.75:1, but for turboing your looking at more like 8:1. This means less economy, but again that depends on what your using the car for. I used to use mine as a daily drive.
Final drive wise a 3.44:1 would be a good bet, nice acceleration, without screaming on the motorways.
NOS, again you still ahve to mod the engine to take it. And again if it's your daily drive, pants economy if when your not boosting.
Personally if I could afford I'd go with Supercharging, they look cool, sound cool and give a decent power increase.
Kit cars I'm none too knowledgeable.
Insurance is often the deciding factor.
End of thread Hi jack
I now know you can safely bore an engine to 73.5 which would give a cc 1430 and with stroking you could get it to 1600
For minis supercharging is much better than turbo's but i didnt think lag was much of a problem because the turbos are small anyway.
But as i said if i supercharged then i would have to throw away allot of the top of my engine!
I am actually going for a 3.4 as currently have a 3.1 and with my S/C box I do 40mph in 1st 65 in 2nd 98 in 3rd and tops out about 120
I am impressed with motorway speeds but when pulling away its not quick enough hence the reason i'm changing my final drive.
You only have to drill two holes on the inlet manifold (for SPI minis, carbs is one hole) to introduce NOS, obviously you have to plum and wire up the NOS but you can see why it is so interchangeable
and when ur not boosting you dont use anymore fuel.
For minis supercharging is much better than turbo's but i didnt think lag was much of a problem because the turbos are small anyway.
But as i said if i supercharged then i would have to throw away allot of the top of my engine!
I am actually going for a 3.4 as currently have a 3.1 and with my S/C box I do 40mph in 1st 65 in 2nd 98 in 3rd and tops out about 120
I am impressed with motorway speeds but when pulling away its not quick enough hence the reason i'm changing my final drive.
You only have to drill two holes on the inlet manifold (for SPI minis, carbs is one hole) to introduce NOS, obviously you have to plum and wire up the NOS but you can see why it is so interchangeable
and when ur not boosting you dont use anymore fuel.
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