Right bend good. Left bend bad.
Discussion
Hi all,
Posted on here a while back and nearly a grand later the mini is road legal again! It's been out of action since a sidewase collission with a curb a couple of years ago. It went to a so called mechanic at the time but was still undrivable and felt like it was going to fly off the road before it even got up to 30mph.
It's now substantially better having had a new steering rack and taken the opportunity to fit solid from subframe mountings to improve handling, but it's still not right.
Having driven it around a bit I'm guessing there is a subframe problem. It continually pulls to the right, round a right hand bend it feels stable at speed, but on a left hander it's not a nice experience! The closest I can compare it to is the feeling when your on the verge of losing the tailend on a RWD car!
Can anybody suggest what it might take to diagnose/fix it? Also can anyone recommend anyone in the Brighton area who really knows their minis to do the work?
Cheers
Simon
Posted on here a while back and nearly a grand later the mini is road legal again! It's been out of action since a sidewase collission with a curb a couple of years ago. It went to a so called mechanic at the time but was still undrivable and felt like it was going to fly off the road before it even got up to 30mph.
It's now substantially better having had a new steering rack and taken the opportunity to fit solid from subframe mountings to improve handling, but it's still not right.
Having driven it around a bit I'm guessing there is a subframe problem. It continually pulls to the right, round a right hand bend it feels stable at speed, but on a left hander it's not a nice experience! The closest I can compare it to is the feeling when your on the verge of losing the tailend on a RWD car!
Can anybody suggest what it might take to diagnose/fix it? Also can anyone recommend anyone in the Brighton area who really knows their minis to do the work?
Cheers
Simon
Although not cheap you will have to get a 4-wheel alignment and geometry check, plus a camber check on all 4 wheels and caster check on the front. Then you will know for sure what is out of alignment. Make sure they also measure the toe-in on the rear wheels - should be about 1/8" toe-in.
Of course, you can play around trying to measure everything yourself and trying 'quick-fixes', but this may make it worse in the long run, so 'bite-the-bullet' and get the car properly measured by a specialist.
Good luck with it all. If you want more advice when it's all been measured and you have a full print-out, come back on here and lots of advice will come your way.
Peter
Of course, you can play around trying to measure everything yourself and trying 'quick-fixes', but this may make it worse in the long run, so 'bite-the-bullet' and get the car properly measured by a specialist.
Good luck with it all. If you want more advice when it's all been measured and you have a full print-out, come back on here and lots of advice will come your way.
Peter
Edited by cooperman on Sunday 9th July 19:06
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