Can a modern alignment shop true-up a classic Mini? Fiona's pulling a bit to the left - I thought it was because of the worn rear rubber, but she's still drifting. Are there any special tools needed or can I just call an alignment place and have them make the adjustment?

Thanks!

 

see Haynes 10.18 part 30 Wheel alignment and steering angles - general information


the stock suspension has only one adjustment.....front toe. The only way anything else changes is by either adding mods to the suspension to make it adjustable like camber plates or adjustable tie-rods, or replacing components like bad ball joints or sagging cones which would only make sense if you actually know what the problem is....

You can take the car to a shop and have them measure what you've got tho, and that will help you identify what changes might be needed / might help....

didn't we have this discussion about your car a couple of months back?

 

No sense in doing an alignment if you have any bad bushings or suspension components. We discussed this months ago.

Start by checking your tie bar bushings where they mount to the subframe. That will effect both caster & camber and is a simple replacement.

 

OMG ... you've tweeked MiniMad ....

now you've done it .....


better send cookies or sumthin....

 

I had B-line do the Wagon years ago. Firestone in Grove City did the Cooper S when I put the new steering rack in the Cooper S. Really not much to align other than toe in.

 

I don't KNOW if I have any bad bushings or bearings - nothing klunks or clicks when I pull on the wheels in any case. The pull to the left is fairly recent - it's happened SINCE the wear on the rear tires (which I was told would occur with the stock rear camber). Honestly I'm not sure where to start looking, but if the alignment isn't too expensive I figured I'd start there and see if I get any other weird wear.

 

Start with the easy stuff first. Are your tire pressures correct. As in left to right side?

 

Yup - I check it all the time, mainly because all 4 tires leak a bit (the wheels are pretty curbed up, I'm afraid). I have new wheels and rubber on my list of things to get, but I wanted to make sure the car was driving straight before I blow several hundred bucks on wheelage.

 

Yep find your alignment issue or worn parts issue first & take care of it, If you don't you'll trash your new tires in short order.

 

Well the fronts are not worn weird at all, so I'm leaning towards the funky wear in the rear being caused by the stock camber like someone said - I have no idea how old that rubber was. I can't feel any looseness in either front wheel no matter how I pull and tug, so if I have the front measured and adjusted and the pull comes back, then I can assume I have SOMETHING worn up front, yes?

 

Yes, it may show up on the alignment rack as an inability to hold an adjustment number.

Pull all you wish, until you take the spring pressure off the suspension you won't know anything other than looseness in the wheel bearings. The tie bar bushings are clearly visible looking under the car. Normally the bushing in front of the subframe goes first. Easy to spot even for a novice.

 

I've had the front wheels off when I replaced the CV boot and someone with lots of Mini experience looked at them and saw no issues that concerned them. If the wear is that obvious then I'd expect he would have seen it. I might just replace all the bushings though, jut for sh*ts and giggles... Can't hurt right? Then I can have the alignment reset after I know all the wear parts are solid. Sounds like a plan?