1102 replies to this topic

[miniQ]

oh my... lost $1000's from getting all that stuff nicked and now you want to do a zcar build?! Best of luck with finding your stuff and getting the build off the ground if you start one! what made you choose volvo anyway? (When i think volvo i think of old people and slow estates)

[Sisu]

Yeah that shagged 740 estate might be what you are thinking of, but the newer stuff from Volvo it is solid stuff. Noble M600's/Ford Focus have seen past the badge

[BlueminiJohn]

The volvo is marginally cheaper than the vtec, and I have already had a bike powered mini so want something different, also there are not alot of people who have done the volvo engined one's so its a bit different:)

[benmoffat]

Hi Blueminijohn, great to hear someone else is going down the Volvo route. Thats what Im going to do when Ive finally saved up the money for everything I need!
I think you will save quite a bit with that choice, VTECs are getting so expensive now as everyone wants one. The Zcars Volvo kit also includes an exhaust in the price which you would have to pay a lot for to get one made for the VTEC. And you can get 300bhp with the turbo Volvo without too much trouble.
Hope it goes well, look forward to seeing the build on here.

[cptkirk]

@ BlueminiJohn - PM sent

[cptkirk]

Wheel Bearing Update

Whilst fitting my new wheel bearings (Timken) I noticed that the tapered thrust washer was looking a bit sorry for itself, not really thinking much of it I re-used the washer and ordered a new one later in the week to be fitted the following weekend. So bearing fitted, I went out for a razz around and within 15 miles the bearing was loose again. Upon closer inspection it appears that the previously mentioned thrust washer was disintergrating and once I had the new washer to compare it against, the old one was about 2/3 to 1/2 its original size with lots of what looked like iron filings around the inner part of the rotor. A new nut, new thrust washer, new split pin, new bearings and its all running ok, for now......

So something to note, if your getting a knocking noise (from the front) when cornering and you notice a lot of travel in the brake pedal (caused by the rotor being slightly p1ssed due to the loosened bearings therefore pushing the pads in the calipers out) a possible reason could be the disintergration of the thrust washer.

[cptkirk]

Wheel Bearing Update

Wheel bearing all sorted, not a hint of wobble in the bearing.

Went out for a spin last night and something still did not feel right, so I came back and checked the bearing, nothing, no movement at all (it used to just take a small amount of force to feel that the bearing was loose), then I grabbed a hold of the bottom of the wheel and give it a big old pull and funk me sideways there must have been an inch of movement at the bottom of the wheel caused by the bottom ball joint being loose- what the hell?

Another thing to fix, I had forgotten what owning a mini was like......

Edited by cptkirk, 29 July 2010 - 10:34 AM.

[cptkirk]

Fixed the above, now I need to replace the recon steering rack for a decent one as way too much slack in it. If your thinking of using a recon unit - Just Dont, they are rubbish and for the sake of an extra £80 just get a new one.

All Zcar owners be aware that the bottom ball joint may need nipping up if you havent already done so. After replacing the N/S joint I checked the O/S it was loose on the threads (another one I had never touched). You need to apply pressure to the underneath of the bottom A arm to be able to get a good purchase on the tapered part of the joint, allowing you to tighten the nut, thats if you can get the socket on the nut in the space to tighten it.

[cptkirk]

Just ordered a brand new RHD Sportspack steering rack from Minispares, £148.34 inc P&P (the unit is exactly that same price at Minisport £118.75 +vat, unsure of P&P costs)

That should stop the slop, if it doesnt I shall be most displeased.

[Robnut]

Will be interested to see what difference this makes as mine has slop in it too.
Are you going to Mini in the park Andy?
Robnut

[cptkirk]

Will be interested to see what difference this makes as mine has slop in it too.
Are you going to Mini in the park Andy?
Robnut

I am afraid I am going to miss it as I am away on hols, gutted as fancied taking it up the strip - finnaar finnaar....

I am finding that when you brake in a straight line on an uneven surface it skates off to which ever side has the slack in it, and I dont know about anyone else but when I lift off at high speed I get a wandering sensation, I am putting this down to the slack in the steering. If its still there after a new rack then I will have to look deeper.

As for the squeeks and rattles, thats a whole other story.

[Robnut]

Andy

Thats exactly how mine feels at the moment. This is quite un nerving going into the fox hole at the ring doing 100mph and it sends you over the curb. Arse twitching moment....

look forward to seeing what you find.

Rob

[cptkirk]

More Woes - will it ever end?

Saturday morning saw me driving around for the best part of two hours, lots of bumpy back roads and the like to exercise the new ball joint and make doubly sure the wheel bearing was sorted. After driving around I returned home, jacked the beast up and checked for loose play in both side of the front suspension - nothing - chuffed to bits, it was finally fixed.

So I offered to give the misses a lift into town and I would go for a raz round to Goodwood to watch the sprint that was on up there until she was finished. Just around the corner from Goodwood the N/S front suspension unit (Protech) decided to come apart. For those of you that have followed this build will know that this had previously happened to me on the rear N/S and that I had given out a warning of the problem, however as mine was fully built at the time and checking the front suspension was a massive job I gave my two front Protech units the benefit of the doubt, surely lightning cant strike twice kind of attitude, well how fecking wrong could I be. Obviously I am p!ssed off with myself for not checking them but I am even more p!ssed off that they even came apart in the first place - I mean, seriously, what the feck is going on.

I have yet to fully assess the damage done by the spring as it rattled round under the bonnet, I know it has chipped a few bits of paint of here and there but thats just cosmetic & the threads have taken a beating on the damper shaft, lets hope it hasnt caused any real damage - the kind that costs lots of money.....

So for the second time and this time I really mean it, if you have a Zcars conversion please check the locking nut on the suspension damper shaft is tight against the top hat that holds the spring in place, you may have to wind the spring down away from the top to be able to do so but it will be worth it - trust me.


Last time it happened I didnt manage to get any pictures, however whilst waiting for my mate Benson to pick me up so I could go and get my trailer I took a couple:

Edited by cptkirk, 13 September 2010 - 01:47 PM.

[Robnut]

Bloody dude. Gutted for you. I bet you knew when that spring came off. What a kind gent you are to warn us all so the same doesn't happen to us.
Hope you get it sorted.

Rob

[cptkirk]

Cheers Rob.

One day all these 'teething problems' will cease and I will be able to drive it without waiting for the next thing to break or come loose or both.

On a different note what size spacer did you put between the steering arm and the Rose joint on your steering setup (I am looking for the distance between the arm and the joint)? I am currently trying to find what the taper angle is of the OEM track rod end so I can get a proper spacer fabricated, so far Ethel kindly measured a track rod end and came up with a total taper of 5.8deg (2.9deg either side). Once I know what distance between the the joint and the arm I can start to get one drawn up.