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Mini rear suspension
belgian2b - 30/9/09 at 09:54 PM

Hello,
i know i am not on the right forum, but i think some of you can help.

I had to change the handbrake cable on a 1996 classic mini.
There is on each side, a handbrake quadrant wich is maintained by a long clevis pin.
As the clevis pin was stuck , we had to disassemble the rear arm.
On the external side, it is fixed by a corner with 4 bolts.
2 from underside, and 2 horizontal.
Of course, the 3 screws that are screwed on a fixe nut did broke.
And , one of the nuts that should be welled at the "chassis" felled inside the "chassis".

So, what can i do.
I will try tomorrow to bore the screw and make a new thread, but what can i do for the last one ( no more nut).

Let me know,


Gerardo

mookaloid - 30/9/09 at 09:59 PM

Ah the joys of mini ownership

You need to either weld a new captive nut into the subframe or fit a new subframe.

not much help I know but they are probably your only alternatives

Cheers

Mark

MikeRJ - 30/9/09 at 10:07 PM

As mookaloid said, weld in another captive nut. I'd weld a nut to a small plate of steel and then weld the entire thing into the subframe.

rallyingden - 1/10/09 at 07:41 AM

On a mini the captive nuts are on the Chassis.
If the nut has come loose then I suspect the area has some corrosion.
You need to check if any welding is required this would give the opportunity to replace that section of chassis complete with new, welded, captive nuts.

If the area is corrosion free then you need to drill a small hole in the bodywork from the inside of the car just big enough to get a new nut and a spanner so that you can re tighten the bolt. This will also give you the chance to spray the inside of the chassis area with waxoyl or the like.
When finished fit a rubber bung in the hole you have drilled.

RD

Neville Jones - 1/10/09 at 09:09 AM

On the race Minis, we drilled through the main chassis and used long bolts, right through the whole lot.

MikeRJ - 1/10/09 at 11:54 AM

quote:
Originally posted by rallyingden
On a mini the captive nuts are on the Chassis.


'Chassis' is a bit ambiguous in this instance. On the mini there are captive nuts in the subframe itself in order to attach the bracket that the trailing arm pivot is bolted to, and there are captive nuts in the ends of the sills where the subframe is bolted to the car. i.e. captive nuts are present in both the subframe and monocoque.

britishtrident - 1/10/09 at 02:41 PM

I have done hundreds of Mini handbrakes the quadrants always freed off ok no major dismantling needed it just takes time and patience.

rusty nuts - 1/10/09 at 06:19 PM

And plenty of decent penetrating fluid

prawnabie - 1/10/09 at 06:23 PM

You can buy heelboard replacement ends with the captives nuts welded on