12 replies to this topic

[applejackpandora]

Hey
im been folled by a RAC man and also my dad, they both say my mini is crabbing. the rear is further left than the front so you can see the drivers door when driving
ive looked on here and found some bits about subframe alignment or radius arms
it hasnt had a accident thats reported so i didnt think it could be a twisted subframe

if it is one of the above, would it be a easy fix? like realigning the subframe or a simple change of arm.. or are we talking about a specialist job?

many thanks

[oltonlad]

if you look down at the rear wheels from the top of the car the wheels should "toe out" towards the rear, in other words you should be able to see more of the tyre at the back of the wheel looking down, if the wheel looks dead straight on one side and not the other then you probably have a bent radius arm, also if you look underneath the car check how much clearance there is between the bottom shock mount and the subframe on either side, if one is closer to the frame than the other then again it will probably be a bent radius arm.

[oltonlad]

if it is crabbing to the left then the passenger side radius arm is more than likely bent.

[Dan]

Before you do anything, get the same person to follow you sitting in the passenger seat of the car behind rather than driving it. I'll bet they can then see just as much of the passenger door as they did of the driver's previously. Minis are quite a bit narrower at the back, around 4" I seem to remember, so most of the time when people see crabbing in a Mini it is an optical illusion.

[mk3 Cooper S]

Has it had any healboard work?

Pattern rear subframe replacement?

[bugs42]

if you look down at the rear wheels from the top of the car the wheels should "toe out" towards the rear, in other words you should be able to see more of the tyre at the back of the wheel looking down

'toe out' is where the front of the tyre is sticking out :)

[dklawson]

Follow Dan's advice before you do anything.

[thebullet]

Also, if you have discs fitted the front wheels will stick out much further than the back so it seems like you can see more. But I have had people say that to me but when they move left and right on the road they can see the same either side!

[ryan22_lgm]

I had this with mine. 2 brand new radius arms and a straightened out sub frame later and its fine :) the arms were so severely bent that both the rear tyres were wearing out faster than the front tyres!

[applejackpandora]

cheers guy, i'll get someone to follow me in the passenger too see what they think before i get to ordering bits
if the radius arms are bend will i be able to see the actual bend?
and if the latter that the sub frame is out how will i know that?

[ryan22_lgm]

my subframe was severly bent on the thinner part across the back bringing the 2 sides in. caused by people jacking it up on this area .

[Cooperman]

It is easy to think the car is crabbing as the nominal rear track is 2" narrower than the front.
You'll not be able to see the toe-in on the rear by eye.
Check that it looks the same both sides. If it drives, holds the road and handles OK, don't worry about it too much, but if not, get it professionally checked and set up. The front wheels should toe-out 1 mm and the rears MUST toe-in between 1 mm and 2 mm.

[applejackpandora]

yeah it all drives fine. doesnt veer off to any direction and stays straight and true.. although when i went around a roundabout a bit fast i heard what seemed like a squeeking from the right wheel. after thought of the crabbing and such i thounght it was because of the wheels and as it was turning to the right the wheel was rubbing the left arch?
or was that just due to the speed?