Racing Green 89 Mini

Started by MiniDave, August 19, 2016, 01:37:24 PM

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MiniDave

#325
Today I got the left side torn down, it was in much better shape than the right side. the needle bearings were somewhat rusty but all there, the shaft was worn but again, not like the other side - but it was definitely due to be rebuilt. The left side was also the one with the leaking wheel cylinder so it will be nice to get that all sorted too. The right side had ball bearings in the hub, the left side has roller bearings, they look in good nick so I'll just clean and repack them. I put new roller bearings in the right side while I was at it so both sides will match now.

The right side is all done, I'll take the left side parts up to school tomorrow and bead blast them then bring them home to do the final clean and paint - unless it's raining, in which case I'll do it all at school where we have a paint booth. I should be able to put it all together again on Sunday, hopefully early enough in the day to drive it up to school and do an alignment too.

Now that I've done one it's pretty easy to get them apart - the trick is to remove the needle bearing first, then drive the bushing and the plastic sleeve out the larger end...easy peasy. Installation is the reverse, drive the bushing in from the outside, turn it over and install the plastic sleeve and tap the needle bearing in.

A few pics then..... a before shot of the left side for comparison.....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#326
Today I finished assembling the left side, I had already done the clean up and paintwork. Disassembly is a lot easier and faster when you know how it's all supposed to go.....I found that if you bear down a little - not hard - on the end of the reamer it will walk itself right thru the bushing as the threaded bushing on the other end will hold still and the reamer will "thread" thru the bushing. It's easier than my description.....suffice to say it works easily and well. I like using the 20 ton press to push the bushings and bearings into place, turns out I have a tool that fits the bushes perfectly and has a shoulder to push them in with. I use it both to remove and install them.....

I installed the completed assembly in the car partway, but the damn inner shaft seal keeps coming off the end of the hub so I'm going to have to remove it one more time....odd, the other side went together so easily but this is my third try on the left, for the same issue.

I also found that you can install the handbrake quadrants two different ways, one of which won't allow you to get the cable end to reach the arm it hooks onto......we learn, we grow.  ::)

I have to break off for a bit to meet the guy with the 71 Cooper S up a school so we can look at where his suspension leak is coming from so we can order parts.

Yesterday I also went out to my south property to retrieve the ZTR so I can get it ready for the summer, charge the battery, air up the tires and so on......the grass out there is already more than a foot tall so I have to get after it. The battery was dead and it had a flat, so I had to use the come along to drag it up onto the trailer, what a PITA! But I'd rather do it now on a 60* day than when it gets hot and humid in a few weeks.

Edit: Took a good look at the 71 Cooper S for cornholio, but CSS, sorry.....found the leak tho.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

#327
Left side in now, all I have left to do is bleed the brakes, final adjustment on the brake shoes, reinstall the gas tank and take it up to school and align it.

I don't know when I can get on the alignment machine, but it will have to be before Sat - and I'd like to drive it a few days just to be sure I haven't missed anything before I take it on a 200 miles run.

Don came over for a bit yesterday in the Pup, and when he went to leave his right front tire was flat! I aired it up but we couldn't find any nails, and there was nothing coming out of the valve stem - still a mystery as this morning it hadn't gone down a pound since we filled it.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

When you installed the adjustable brackets in the rear, are they mounted with bolts into captive nuts in the subframe?

I have the same brackets for going on the Moke when I get to putting everything on the new body.


MiniDave

#329
Yes, the bolts go right into the same spots....but be aware that they usually are rusted in there pretty bad so use some penetrant.....and you might need to use some heat on them, especially the ones that go horizontally - acetylene works best.

Edit: Never mind, I forgot you'll be working with a new shell, so they'll bolt right in.

Which ones did you get? Having worked with all three styles I like the ones MiniSport sells best, MiniSpares version second best and Huddersfield's the least.

KAD and MiniSport are virtually identical in design (I wonder where MSport got the idea?  ::) ) but the KAD ones are really expensive in comparison. But then I find pretty much everything KAD sells to be really spendy.

Edit II: Looks like our Saturday run to Atchison will be postponed due to weather
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

I got the MiniSport ones.

I will be working with a new shell, but likely the old subframe.  I have not yet decided whether to do all new subframes and had been leaning more to trying to refurbish the existing subframes.


MiniDave

#331
2 of the bolts go into the subframe (the ones from the bottom on the bracket) and two go into the body - those you have to be particularly careful on so that you don't break them off or break the captive nut loose. Doing either means cutting a hole and patching in new metal - not a problem on an old moke body you're going to replace.

If the subs aren't rusted, I'd have them blasted and powder coated.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MPlayle

I'm going to be trying my hand at soda blasting to clean up the 998 engine and may try the same on the subframes when that time comes.

It will be a slight challenge on the subframe removal as that is some of the areas that are patches on patches and where only the barest of the original mounts still exist for the subframe to attach to.

I may have to get creative with the paraffin wicking technique to get thing loose.  (Along with getting some form of torch.)


MiniDave

Well tonight I got everything back together, the brakes are bled, gas tank is back in, just one less puzzle to solve....I can't seem to get the hand brake cable hooked up on the right side, the left went in just fine, but the right seems to be about 1/2" short. I tried backing off the adjustment under the handle and that got me 5 or so clicks as I raise the handle, but it doesn't seem to help. I thought I might have the cable quadrant on wrong, but it turns out they do only go on one way after all......

I've decided to let it sit for tonight and I'll take a fresh look tomorrow. I know the cable isn't caught or wrapped around anything....it came out of there, it should go back in! 
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Turns out I had to back the cable adjustment off quite a bit to get both sides to hook up, now that I have a few miles on it and the brake shoes are bedded in a bit I might take it back up a bit, but the brakes work well and I'm not getting any drag so I'm putting it down to thicker brake linings or sumthin.

Today was my last official chance to use the shop, as next week is my last week at school, Thursday I turn in my credentials and keys so I took advantage to toss the Racing Green back on the alignment rack. The problem I've been having is on the rear, I can get everything into spec, but when I tighten the serrated nut the end of the shaft walks around as those serrations bite into the flat it tightens against, and once I get it tight it's all out of whack again. So. Today I took a new regular nut and a hardened flat washer up, got everything into spec again and tightened the nut. Perfect!

Driving the car home I could definitely feel the difference, it feels planted and solid now. Finally!

I made some marks to see if the end moves but so far so good, if it does move I know exactly where to set it back to, and I'll tack weld the washer so that it can't move. Actually, I might do that anyway......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Some more repairs to the '89 Racing Green......

I bought new door and pop out window seals from Phoenix trim, they're supposed to be the best supplier out there - their door seals are supposed to fit without causing the doors to stand proud for example.

The pop out window seals were torn and hanging down so I'm doing them first - the originals are all one piece but the seal from Phoenix has to be cut to length. Looking for suggestions on where to locate the split - I'm thinking the bottom of the window opening, in the middle. Anyone have a better idea I'm all ears.....I'm thinking the same place on the door seals, middle of the door opening at the bottom.

I also bought new front and rear windshield seals, I was going to just replace the fillet strip but realized the rubber was hard and cracked in places - now I'm debating ordering a windshield too - if anyone else needs one we can split the freight. Windshields themselves are pretty cheap from MiniSpares - only about $40 plus shipping. Bruce ordered one for his car recently and it shipped with no problems. Getting one from either of the US suppliers is over $200 plus shipping.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

Looks like I answered my own question.....once I got the old seal off I could see it was split right where I was going to do it, and it looks like some black silicone sealer covered the split......so that's what I'm going to do too.

Refitting is not exactly easy, you need to be inside and outside of the window at the same time! I may have to get an extra set of hands to help hold the window while I reinstall the fitting screws.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

MiniDave

More work.......damn, it's always sumthin on these cars!   ;D

I've decided to go back to rubber cone suspension - probably should have done so from the get go but on another Mini enthusiast's recommendation I went with coil overs. Now that they're broken in well they actually ride pretty well, but they're just stiffer than I like for the way I drive my Mini - I'm not a canyon carver, more of a cruiser.

So, new cones means removing the fuel tank to access the top shock bolt, and those damn upper control arms in the front. since they only have a few thousand miles on them I'll get to see how they're holding up.....I don't expect to see any wear on them since I just installed them same time I did the coilovers.

I also have new door seals to install as I noticed my left one is torn up, and while I'm in there I'm going to swap the seat belts side to side, the left one works OK but you know the right one hasn't been used even 10% as much as the left.

I need to change out my clock as it quit working, and "while I'm in there" I'll drop the heater and fix the rattling door.

I also need to overhaul the front calipers while I have everything apart......and replace the fluid.

I still haven't changed the windshield seals - I also bought a new windshield - and the chrome fittings.


<sighs>
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

BruceK

It's always something! I recently installed a pair of new retractable seatbelts from MiniSpares and they are top notch quality. 

Going to the tried and true cones, eh?   Makes sense.   I'm sure someone will want to take those coilover units off your hands. 
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

#339
Yes, I think I should be able to sell them easily......hope so anyway!

I went thru a heck of an internal debate about which cones to get, Smooth a rides, standard, or the two upgrades stiffer....in the end I decided on standard. That's what it had when I bought it tho the fronts were dead.

I have a new set of standard shocks and a new set of MiniSport hi-los for it too......
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

gr8kornholio

I'm still rolling around the suspension ideas.  2 things I believe I've decided on.  Coil overs probably not the best due to like you stated the shell isn't designed for the forces there.  So out.  The other is the current setup on my car.  Springs are way too stiff and don't really sit in there the best, a lot I believe is due to the discovery of having a wet suspension subframe. 

Anyone on here ever heard of John and SRacer products?  I've seen people discuss him and his stuff on forums, along with the fact that he can be hard to reach.  Others have stated his stuff is sold at places that sell mini stuff, but I can't find any.  Here's the link to his catalog page.

http://www.sracer.com/catalog/catalog.htm
I am the GR8KORNHOLIO! Are you threatening me?

Saussie Aussie 1965 Australian MK1 Mini.
"Beavis" - 07 MY/MY MCS, B/MY Konig Daylites, JCW sideskirts, TSW springs, TSW lower rear control arms -- Exploring the country with new friends since 11/09.

MiniDave

John Koo
Phone: (510) 301-2930
24 hour fax orders: (510) 465-1329
E-Mail: Srpmini@aol.com
Products also available at authorized Sracer dealers

510 area code is northern Ca., Oakland area.....
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring

Decided not to go with the smootharides?

MiniDave

Yes, the Smooth a rides do ride really nicely, but I think the std ones should do also, my next engineering feat will be to figure out how to build a rear anti roll bar without spending KAD money....I have one off a Miata that should work perfectly if I can figure out the end links and brackets.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring

Doesn't minispares sell an affordable anti roll bar?  Are their big gains by having one on a mini?  When I redid the rx7 roll bars I researched and read for days on the proper stiffnesses to go with as to not make it accidently worse for my style of driving.

BruceK

First...


Quote from: MiniDave on September 20, 2017, 06:06:49 PM

... I'm not a canyon carver, more of a cruiser.



Then...


Quote from: MiniDave

....my next engineering feat will be to figure out how to build a rear anti roll bar...


???   

Those two statements don't seem to go together.   Why do you want an anti-roll bar?   

Minis have won rallys and races and autocrosses without rear anti-roll bars.   And they've sure cruised without them too.

Enquiring minds want to know.   ;D   Just looking for a challenge? 
1988 Austin Mini
2002 MINI Cooper S
1992 Toyota LiteAce (JDM)
1997 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

MiniDave

An anti-roll bar doesn't make it ride harder, but simply flattens the ride around corners......that's my thinking.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad

94touring

Yeah reduces body roll.  Only thing to take into consideration is it can increase or decrease under or oversteer depending on the setup and stiffness.

MPlayle

I remember reading about roll bars and Minis many years ago and following several discussions about them back when the Mini Mania forum was much more worthwhile.

The conclusion back then was if you are not racing/autocrossing your Mini, they generally were not recommended.  The classic Mini has minimal body roll on the standard suspension such that they really are not necessary.  They often lead to issues such as Dan cautions about.

A few years ago, I got a project Mini that had a rear sway bar.  I removed it during the work on refreshing the suspension and did not bother to put it back on.


MiniDave

#349
So I swapped out the coilovers and put in the standard rubber springs and shocks, then did about a 150 mile drive....they settled quite a bit in that short time so I've had to go in and reset the highlows again, but at least on that trip I'm not sure I could tell any difference in the ride quality...maybe I should have gone with the Smooth a rides?

I use it as pretty much my daily these days, so I'll get some more experience with them as the days go along.
Complete failure at retirement

1989 Cooper Racing Green
2009 Clubman S
2014 Audi Allroad