Now that I appear to have resolved my 10" wheel balancing adventure, I believed I was well on my way to putting on the tires and trying out the new disc brakes.

As I was tightening up the last lug nut on the front to the specified 44 ft-lbs, the lug nut never achieved the required torque setting - it started to pull the stud through the hub and a small metal tapered ring fell out the back side of the hub.... The disc brakes were totally preassembled when I purchased them through Minisport.

I am only familiar with the splined studs on drum brakes assemblies that I replaced when I completely overhauled the car. Judging by what I am seeing I have to believe that the Cooper S disc brake lugs are a different setup and must be threaded as opposed to a splined stud/bolt?

I have been unable to locate any information that is helpful to this point. I am going to call MiniSport tomorrow as I was really ticked when this happened - especially on the last part of the project Not sure if that will help me at this stage.....

Can someone help me out on what a Cooper S disc brake hub stud looks like and how it is mounted in the hub or better yet tell me if there is anything I can do to repair/fix what I have? I hate to think I have to pull the hub after I paid for an assembly so that I did not have to assemble it in the first place.

All I know to do at this point is double nut against the lug to at least turn the stud the other way back into the hub - but is this even safe to drive if it properly set in the hub (at least in the time being).

"Nigel" has not been on the road this year and now I am still garaged Any help would be much appreciated

 

my MOSS parts catalog shows a splined bolt, the only difference 'tween front drum and front disk being the length of the stud: 30mm for disk an 35 from drum. That's what I see in Haynes diagrams too.

two thoughts:

1. I eyeballed the backside of my front wheels and verified I have rim mounted weights and no clearance issues against the caliber. It looks like I'd have sufficient room to have interior stick on weights too. The pictures of your calibers don't look the same as mine ... they look 'bigger'. Is MiniSport selling a reproduction that is close but not the same? This might explain a different stud configuration . . .

2. How much do you trust your torque wrench? In particular what is the range of your wrench. IME click type t' wrenches are not worth diddly at the low and top of there range. I learned this the hard way when I stripped a rear lug stud using my 0 to 150 ft lb and trying to get to 44. It never clicked. I pulled out the trust beam and discovered I was significantly over on the other bolts. Aiming for 90 ft/lb on my MINI, they checked fine . . . I use Mr Beam on the Mini now.... wheels and spark plugs. I keep the clicker it the case until I'm over 80 lb, but no more that 120.

My only 'expertise' here is looking at my car, and the references I have available. If you want to talk to some one who would know - p.m. me as I know a guy . .

Additional thought - you really should not have been able to pull a stud out. Defective merchandise? Don't get ugly but contact and expalin the problem ... can't hurt. I've had good companies replace the part - even an ELECTRICAL part when it didn't work as advertised for me. Heck, Pertronix changed out my insert TWICE b4 I figured out I'd bought the wrong one and STILL gave me full credit to the correct one. GOOD COMPANY.

 

I continued to look around today and found some pictures that show exactly what you refer to Capt_bj... A splined bolt with just a length difference. I pulled the wheel and looked behind the hub and there is no head on the stud. My concern is that I did not find a head only a tapered ring (part of the taper on the head) - leads me to wonder if the head had broken on installation and part of the taper was still in the hole. I measured from the hub face to the end of the bolt and clearly the bolt is pulling out. Of course the one that went is by the caliper - but I cannot see any bolt head in the caliper... hoping there is not an issue coming....

Given the stud length and the room behind the hub to the rotor, I am wondering if I could pull the stud through with a nut and then put a new stud through and pull the spline and head into place with a nut from the front side and avoid taking everything apart...? Anyone have any ideas on if this would work?

Have not checked the torque wrench. Perhaps I will borrow another as a check. No issues with the other studs..... but better safe than sorry.

I will call MiniSport tomorrow and PM you if I need a reference.....

As far as the calipers - they are not the original Lockheed, but I was led to believe they are the same without the markings. What I was told on the phone was that they are identical but if I wanted the markings for a Concurs level restoration I should get genuine, but if not save the extra 100 pounds on the assemblies.

I took a metal file to the edges and clearance is plenty. I could probably grind some off to make space for internally mounted wheel weights....

 

they are not the original Lockheed, but I was led to believe they are the same without the markings.

oopsie doodle ... we seem to have evidence to that end huh?

you paid how much and are now cutting away metal with a file?

I look at yours and I look at mine and how they fit in the back against 10" rims is different ... your choice. I'd complain. But IF you already filed metal off .... I suspect: enjoy your brakes.

On the other hand the problem could be the rims .... offset? Are you SURE these are proper for a Mini with S disks?

 

Talking to Minsport, the calipers are the same as the Lockheed. They are sending replacement bolt and it can be replaced from behind without disassembling the hub. They were more than willing to address the issues.

The problem in terms of clearance maybe because of the wheels themselves. I am not sure where the wheels originally came from as they came with my Mini.

I filed the edge slightly to insure no rub on the wheel, not to account for inner weight mounting as the tires are balanced with stickies behind the spokes. ON one wheel there was a slight rub in one location - probably due to roundness of the wheel itself.

The car drives and more importantly stops well with the new brakes - huge improvement in the overall vehicle performance.

Thanks for the help!

 

just got the new MiniWorld

tech article is SPOT ON .... you guys PLANT these questions ... I'm sure

"Upgrading from 7.5" to 7.9" front disks for 10" wheels"

comments include wheel weight questions and which 10" wheels fit and discussions of weight mounting . . .

If you have a classic and do not subscribe to MiniWorld . . . well .. I have a couple of years worth of back issues I'll sell for a dollar a piece . . .