315 replies to this topic

[Ade]

how much was yours Ade?

Mines at 581kg i think if I remember rightly??? Or it could be 588??? not sure but around there

[Alburglar]

DD

Did you get a power run with the dB killer inserted???

Dito, we need to know if it kills power too!

[Dick Dastardly]

Nope, power run was in standard (i.e LOUD) form.

Car is now insured through Adrian Flux. Not particularly cheap, but Sureterm wouldn't even give me a quotation. Something to do with my previous driving history

Went for an MOT today, but they wouldn't entertain it either as it doesn't have reverse, and so would have needed pushig off the rollers. Ade/Pete/Dale, where did you get yours done?

On the way back I came a rather long way round, and discovered a hell of a lot of vibration from the rear end at speed- worse on the over-run than when under power, so I did some investigation. The whole of the diff/sprocket cradle moves side to side by about 5mm at the bottom for every rotation of the rear wheels. Anyone else notice this? Everything appears ok otherwise, but this transverse movement can't be normal, I just can't figure out what's causing it.

I also need to get the geometry sussed. I reckon I've stumbled across the ideal set-up for drift racing at the moment I get turn-in oversteer, power oversteer, and lift off oversteer, but it's really good fun and certainly keeps me on my toes!!

[ed4ran]

Could that movement of the rear cradle be what caused Ades chain problems?

As for reverse just put some pedals in it connected to the front wheels or a hole in the floor and get some tough boots

[R1mini]

Nope, power run was in standard (i.e LOUD) form.

Car is now insured through Adrian Flux. Not particularly cheap, but Sureterm wouldn't even give me a quotation. Something to do with my previous driving history

Went for an MOT today, but they wouldn't entertain it either as it doesn't have reverse, and so would have needed pushig off the rollers. Ade/Pete/Dale, where did you get yours done?

On the way back I came a rather long way round, and discovered a hell of a lot of vibration from the rear end at speed- worse on the over-run than when under power, so I did some investigation. The whole of the diff/sprocket cradle moves side to side by about 5mm at the bottom for every rotation of the rear wheels. Anyone else notice this? Everything appears ok otherwise, but this transverse movement can't be normal, I just can't figure out what's causing it.

I also need to get the geometry sussed. I reckon I've stumbled across the ideal set-up for drift racing at the moment I get turn-in oversteer, power oversteer, and lift off oversteer, but it's really good fun and certainly keeps me on my toes!!

You don't need a reverse to pass an MOT, they just don't understand it so they refuse to test it, try finding a place that will MOT trikes and things like that

Did you make sure the chain was aligned to start with? Dale had to modify his frame to get it to line up by 7mm!!!!, so much so that the driveshaft where then too short so a spacer had to be made up.
I think with mine, when I eventually finish it (it will happen honest), I will make sure it's all aligned to start with, thrash it for a bit a couple of drag starts should do it, then realigned the chain as it will move and generally keep an eye on the alignment

Cheers
David

[maph2]

Went for an MOT today, but they wouldn't entertain it either as it doesn't have reverse, and so would have needed pushig off the rollers. Ade/Pete/Dale, where did you get yours done?

On the way back I came a rather long way round, and discovered a hell of a lot of vibration from the rear end at speed- worse on the over-run than when under power, so I did some investigation. The whole of the diff/sprocket cradle moves side to side by about 5mm at the bottom for every rotation of the rear wheels. Anyone else notice this? Everything appears ok otherwise, but this transverse movement can't be normal, I just can't figure out what's causing it.

DD - try southam mini centre which isn't far from you. they will be aware of zcar minis

[koss]

Went for an MOT today, but they wouldn't entertain it either as it doesn't have reverse, and so would have needed pushig off the rollers. Ade/Pete/Dale, where did you get yours done?

On the way back I came a rather long way round, and discovered a hell of a lot of vibration from the rear end at speed- worse on the over-run than when under power, so I did some investigation. The whole of the diff/sprocket cradle moves side to side by about 5mm at the bottom for every rotation of the rear wheels. Anyone else notice this? Everything appears ok otherwise, but this transverse movement can't be normal, I just can't figure out what's causing it.

DD - try southam mini centre which isn't far from you. they will be aware of zcar minis

my local mot station has steel flaps witch cover the rollers so when you complete the brake test you drive forward clear of the rollers and put the flaps down also if the car has little ground clearance and will not go on the rollers they have a meter for on the road testing you could take 2 bits of wood with you

[Dick Dastardly]

Maph2- top call! I'd forgotten all about Southam mini's. Will call them tomorrow. How's your project coming along? You'll have to pop round soon for a blast in my car...

The sprocket alignment is spot-on as far as I can tell. I spent absolutely ages sorting it when I first fitted the chain- I had to re-spacer the engine over to one side, and I checked it again just to make sure everything was ok after the rolling road abuse. The chain did need re-tensioning though which was to be expected really.

I'll have a play by adjusting just one side of the cradle in and out to see if it makes a difference.

[maph2]

Maph2- top call! I'd forgotten all about Southam mini's. Will call them tomorrow. How's your project coming along? You'll have to pop round soon for a blast in my car...

sounds a splendid idea ! i'm just recovering from a hernia op so am housebound at the moment its been a week now and i'm getting really fidgety up to the op, work was going well - just about to drop the engine in and fit rad/fuelling/exhaust etc.

hoping to be able to drive in time for mini in the park on the 20th - are you going?

[Ade]

Could that movement of the rear cradle be what caused Ades chain problems?

As for reverse just put some pedals in it connected to the front wheels or a hole in the floor and get some tough boots

Hmm definatley no movement in the cradle in mine?!?! Was watching it on the rolling road!! Mine was definatley down to chain alignment. Even sounds alot better now it's all in line lol

[Dick Dastardly]

Maph2- top call! I'd forgotten all about Southam mini's. Will call them tomorrow. How's your project coming along? You'll have to pop round soon for a blast in my car...

sounds a splendid idea ! i'm just recovering from a hernia op so am housebound at the moment its been a week now and i'm getting really fidgety up to the op, work was going well - just about to drop the engine in and fit rad/fuelling/exhaust etc.

hoping to be able to drive in time for mini in the park on the 20th - are you going?

I had my hernia op in January- they seem quite popular things to have when you're into working on your own car! I went back to work after 8 days, but that's 'because I get paid by the hour, not because I was fit enough

Not sure about MITP. Would like to go , but I may have other plans forced upon me.

Spoke to Southam mini's, and although they don't actually conduct the tests themselves, I may be in tomorrow afternoon. Nice one.

[maph2]

southam have a deal with a local mot station but they know minis and southam send all their stuff there. my local garage in warwick failed my riley elf becuase it didn't have castle nuts or loc nuts on the ball joint pins . i went absolutely crackers at the bloke - even showed him the ball joint pics picture in the haynes manual that was in the car

he wouldn't have it even though he said he used to have minis

southam passed it no probs. even though its a long way for me, i rather go there now.

[Dick Dastardly]

Right. Wait for it. ...........




......drum roll please




My car passed it's MOT today! I'm now fully road legal

The guy in Long Itchington was a star. He passed me despite my headlights not being aligned, my number plate light not working, and having no interior door release for the passenger door (I didn't even realise this was a requirement).I did however, have to promise sincerely that I'd fix all of these things immediately upon my return home

Next bit of good news is that I no longer have a vibrating rear end (alright, alright - steady on!) The problem turned out to be having no transverse free play on the right hand drive shaft, due to my attempts to minimise the rear wheel toe-in. I now have more rear wheel toe-in than I'd like, but it's a very happy trade-off for a vibration free back end, believe me. Ideally I need to have the RH drive-shaft shortened, but it'll have to wait for now 'because I'm too busy scaring the bejesus out of myself with bumpsteer to care!!!!

Actually, I think it's a mixture of bump-steer and tramlining, but it mainly arises on the over-run. Problem is you can't just keep on accelerating for ever!

I have to say this is one completely bonkers little car. The experience of driving it quickly results in complete sensory overload. It's manic, and I love it One part of me almost doesn't want to sort the handling out. It couldn't be further removed from the dumbed-down, overweight, sanitised, boring boxes that make up the majority of cars these days.

For anyone who loves mini's and has a bit of a wild side, go rob a bank if you have to, and build one of these!!!!

The Buzz Wagon has definitely got me buzzing.

[pete]

Have to agree totally with DD. Still get a big grin every time I drive one . Makes all the time spent building them worthwhile.
Congratulations getting it MOT'd. Get your suspension setup and you'll enjoy it even more.

[Dick Dastardly]

Another eventful day.

Swapped my front brake disks from grooved ones to normal plain vented ones today, as the grooved ones were more warped than me

While I was doing this I noticed quite a bit of play in my front left wheel bearing. After further investigation it turns out that the outer race is moving about in the upright. So, I need a new left hand upright. Deep joy.

Still, I threw it all back together and went to do some 0-60 times (recorded by the Veypor unit I'm running).

Launching this thing isn't easy at all. I either get mega wheelspin, and seem to go nowhere at all, or I bog down or stall and go nowhere at all. Going for the first option is more fun as it leaves big black lines on the road and if the road has any amount of camber on it you tend to end up going forwards in a sideways manner with an armful of steering lock on

I only did a few runs to be kind to the car (and anyone living within a 5 mile radius!) and my best was a 5.43 with a far from ideal get-away.