Thanks! Are these the pivot ***** you're referring to?

http://www.minimania.com/web/Item/21A1163/InvDetail.cfm

 

Yup, those are them ... although I replaced mine with genuine Rover parts which are a bit more expensive (double the cost). The shank slides into the hi-lo suspension tube. The other end of the knuckle joint (which is obscured by the nylon cup) fits into the suspension arm. My old hi-lo setup was so corroded that I couldn't separate the knuckle joint from the suspension tube so I bought new joints. I used anti-seize to lubricate the slip fit between the suspension tube and new knuckle joint.

Have fun. I had a hard time getting the original rubber cones out of my '73 Mini last year because they had deformed so much over the years. I had to cut them into pieces to get the front ones out of the subframe. A lot of time and patience and you'll be happy with the result.

jeff

 

Oh, and for those who posted asking where the coil springs go ... here's a couple of pictures to illustrate.

Jeff

 

Appreciate the info. I might be inferring the wrong thing from your post, but the Hi-Lo kit I've been looking doesn't have the rubber cones. Sounds like you replaced those as well. Just want to make sure I get everything I need to replace.

Link to kit http://www.gbcarparts.com/proddetail...U%2DHiLoSilver

 

Hi Lo refers to the aluminum trumpet and tube that connects between the rubber cone (or coil spring) and knuckle joint (just as the picture in your posted URL shows). You can get Hi-Lo kits for both, but cones and coil springs are _not_ interchangeable due to the way the coil spring sits on the machined trumpet flange.

In the first attachment in my previous post, both left and right setups are hi-lo; the left being one for rubber cones and the right being one specifically for coil springs.

I would guess that you could replace your existing setup with hi-lo trumpets and retain your existing cones, or replace the cones with new ones when you replace the trumpets. In either case confirm that the hi-lo kit is for rubber cones and not something else.

Regarding your URL in your post, it doesn't say whether it's for rubber cone or coil. I would assume cone but I wouldn't want to make assumptions. See if you can find out more from the vendor or find one online that explicity states what spring setup it's for. I bought mine from 7ent and they came as a package ... hi-lo and coils.

Hope it helps,
Jeff

 

Perfect Jeff. Thank you very much. Parts ordered from 7ent.

Wish me luck on the install! (Any Cleveland, OH area classic mini owners who want to lend a hand let me know

 

I need some more help...

Got the kit. Removed the axel nut. Jacked the car. Detached the shock absorber to give some more room. I cannot figure out how to get the cone/trumpet out. It's so wedged in there I have hardly any play vertically to move it.

I'm doing the fronts, and I was told that I don't need a cone compressor... If that's so what's the trick to getting the cone/trumpet out? Looking at it first hand would seem to me that a compressor would help a lot.

Thanks

 

Maybe I'm wrong about the compressor, clearly yours are harder to get out than mine were. I've never heard of a cone compressor, and didn't need one for mine so I assumed it was the same for all dry suspension Minis.

Did you remove the knuckle? IIRC I removed mine and that allowed the upper arm to drop enough to get the knuckle joint to pop out of the suspension arm. Then It was just a matter of fussing with the parts to get them out of the subframe. Removing the knuckle will require a pickle fork or something similar. I'm sure you can rent or borrow one from a local parts store if you don't have one.

Jeff

 

I haven't been able to get the Knuckle out. I literally have a cm of vertical play and don't really have anything to lever it up. The pickle fork looks like it will help. (had to google what one was). I'll see if I get one from Autozone tomorrow.

 

Well the fork helped a little. I could get the cone up but not enough for the knuckle to clear the lower arm. Without disassembling the front suspension I think I need the compression tool. I got one ordered from 7ent since Mini Mania's rental units were unavailable. Maybe I'm just doing something wrong, dunno.

I slipped the fork in under the knuckle's rubber boot. Lifting the fork upwards pushes the trumpet up, but not enough before hitting part of the frame that surrounds the cone.

 

Did you remove the knuckle from the upper and lower suspension arms or just use the pickle fork for compressing the cone? Not sure what you were using the pickle fork for if you didn't use it to remove the knuckle. I was suggesting that you remove the knuckle so that you can drop the upper suspension arm down, not use the pickle fork to provide leverage to compress the cone.

Are you against disassembling the front suspension? It really makes the job easier, but since you've got the tool on order you'll be able to use that.

 

I used the fork as a lever. I wasn't sure how to remove for the upper and lower, not sure where that's at. The fork I have is one for a ball joint and seems too wide also.

My knowledge of suspension components is nil as you can tell. So bare with me. I've posted some pics here. https://picasaweb.google.com/pbhathe...eat=directlink

the first one shows the hi-lo and what I think is the knuckle. Right?

the next one shows how they fit together and would go in the vehicle, the widest part up to matching to the rubber cone in the car. Right?

The next one is blurry, hard to take pics, get enough light etc. But the only thing I have removed is the lower bolt to the shock absorber. I've removed nothing else. Mind you I have been using a walkthrough of someone who has the cone compressor tool so they didn't remove anything else either.

the fourth one is a close up of the rubber boot from the knuckle. I was trying to slide the fork in there and essentially lift the knuckle out of the lower arm. Sounds like this is not right, and you are referring to the knuckle staying attached to the trumpet/cone, meaning you dropped the lower arm somehow?

a better shot of what I was trying to do in terms of compressing it and trying to pop the knuckle out of the lower arm.

sorry for all the dumb questions. I really appreciate your continued help! BTW -- if i can do this without the tool, I'll happily cancel my order. Just not sure what suspension bolts I should or shouldn't be removing.