Top front suspension arm angle.

[John Bull]

The angle of the top front suspension arm on the Mini has always puzzled me. When you put the Mini on 13 inch wheels, and lower it for racing, that angle becomes even more critical.

Without being particularly low, my car is already on the bumpstops, and the angle of the top ball joint and arm is frightening.

Does anybody have any solutions? I'm thinking of raising the inner mounting point of the arm, but that would mean that:

A) I won't be able to use the original rubber cones but will have to go to coil springs, and

B) The scrutineers may not be too impressed.

If anybody has any other suggestions, I would gladly like to hear them. Thanks.

[Astro]

ever tried a longer wishbone and a shorter bumbstop?

[CooperTune]

This has bothered me as well for many years. I have even built a frame jig to mount the front and rear sub frames and take a look at all the angles. On race cars I cut 1/2 inch out between the bump stop plate and the tower and weld the plate back in place giving 1/2 inch more travel before the bump stop contacts the plate. I also reinforce the plate with gussets welded in. I have a sub frame which the upper arm was moved up 1/2 inch on the inner end. I had to shorten the Hi Lo s and cut 1/4 inch off the upper metal ring and 1/4 off the lower cone cup. We raced this for a couple of years but the car suffered handling problems. I don't think it was due to the mod but took the sub frame out anyway. My current front suspension project is to cut the towers off completely and angle them inward at the top so the cone and Hi Lo drive at 90 degrees to the upper arm. That will also allow the shocks to mount at a better angle. Glad I'm not the only one wondering about all this. Steve (CTR)

[Astro]

There are a lot of points to make an old mini better. Where are the limits? Competition regulations? Time and money? When I want to drive a better mini, I take my Lupo FSI.