15 replies to this topic

[Chris1992]

hi guys, i posted this problem a while back but never really got anywhere. its basically as the title says, my front wheels (especially the drivers side) stick out from the arches more than the back. there is a bit of rubbing on full lock, but it mainly annoys because it doesnt quite look right to me 

 

heres some pics (sorry theyre massive):

 

front right

 

front left

 

 

 

anyway, should probably mention my set-up. ive got a 1988 city E with 13x7 ultralites and sportspack arches. im also pretty sure its got the 8.4" disks on the front. im not using spacers

 

my main question is this... is there anything i can buy that will bring the wheels in a bit? like narrower hubs, or the disk things attach to the brake disks that the studs are attached to (not sure what theyre called)? ... ive got adjustable bottom arms, but is there such thing as adjustable top arms as well? 

 

not sure if any of that stuff actually exists, but if anyone has any suggestions then id really appreciate it.

 

cheers

Chris

[jmmini]

MOAR CAMBER

[alicetheauto]

Apart from narrower wheels.... Wider arches! Check everything is tight, no play in bushings and subframe mounts. Thats all you can do.

[Chris1992]

MOAR CAMBER

haha, tried that. u cant tell from the pics but im already running about 2 degrees of it. its cause u cant adjust the top arms, only the bottom. so it means more camber mainly pushes the bottom of the wheel out instead of pulling the top of it in 

[Yoda]

A picture from the front of the car would be useful to see if any difference in camber is evident from one side to the other, and the "cure" for your problem is going to be wider arches i am afraid.

 

Unless you have a severely bent front end, then the difference in the amount sticking out each side can only really be different camber per side.

Edited by Yoda, 06 August 2013 - 04:05 PM.

[Chris1992]

Apart from narrower wheels.... Wider arches! Check everything is tight, no play in bushings and subframe mounts. Thats all you can do.

 

definatley want to keep my 13x7s (i love my dish  ) ... and i would like to fit miglia arches, but the problem is that i never saw this coming, so i smoothed them to the body with fiberglass and body filler  ... so that would be quite a big job involving a respray. 

 

i just failed my MOT for having loose bushings, so ive spent the last few days tightening everything and theres now no play what-so-ever...

 

would it be possible to give my top arms to a proffessional who could cut them, take a bit out, and weld them back up so they were maybe half an inch shorter? 

[Chris1992]

A picture from the front of the car would be useful to see if any difference in camber is evident from one side to the other, and the "cure" for your problem is going to be wider arches i am afraid.

 

Unless you have a severely bent front end, then the difference in the amount sticking out each side can only really be different camber per side.

 

pretty sure its the same, i spent a long time setting it up myself... i might try extending the arches with a bit of clever body work when ive got the time

[jmmini]

MOAR CAMBER

haha, tried that. u cant tell from the pics but im already running about 2 degrees of it. its cause u cant adjust the top arms, only the bottom. so it means more camber mainly pushes the bottom of the wheel out instead of pulling the top of it in 

Do you know why one wheel sticks out more? Are all the sub-frame mountings straight and secure?

[rusty30]

Do you have a metro hub / brake set up? Only ask as I have the same issue with sports pack arches being too narrow

[Chris1992]

 

 

MOAR CAMBER

haha, tried that. u cant tell from the pics but im already running about 2 degrees of it. its cause u cant adjust the top arms, only the bottom. so it means more camber mainly pushes the bottom of the wheel out instead of pulling the top of it in 

Do you know why one wheel sticks out more? Are all the sub-frame mountings straight and secure?

 

no idea, ill have to check that when ive next got it up on jacks. its got new subframe bushes so they should still be good

[Chris1992]

Do you have a metro hub / brake set up? Only ask as I have the same issue with sports pack arches being too narrow

 

not sure, does anyone have a pic of what metro hub/brake setups look like? if not ill go get the wheel off and take a pic of mine

Edited by Chris1992, 06 August 2013 - 04:15 PM.

[Dan]

  The reason they are different front to rear is that the Sports pack arches are designed for the rear wheels to use a 6mm spacer, as they did in the Sports pack.  If you feel the front wheels are too exposed then you will have to either get different wheels or adjust the arches.  Taking anything off either the top arm or the drive flange would be a lot of work, and would probably require an engineers report to satisfy your insurer.  Personally I think they are about right and I'd bring the rears out to match.

 

 

 They aren't too narrow, they just aren't designed for 7" rims and large offsets.

Edited by Dan, 06 August 2013 - 05:04 PM.

[jmmini]

  The reason they are different front to rear is that the Sports pack arches are designed for the rear wheels to use a 6mm spacer, as they did in the Sports pack.  If you feel the front wheels are too exposed then you will have to either get different wheels or adjust the arches.  Personally I think they are about right and I'd bring the rears out to match.

I think that his problem is left and right, not front and back

[Dan]

  One side of a Mini is usually a little different from the other, because the shells are basically hand made and it was massaged on the line to fit the parts it was born with (particularly the doors).  This is something you need to fix at the body and paint stage.  You fit packing pieces behind the front subframe mounts which adjust the wing and wheelarch shape.  I wouldn't advise doing this now since the arches have been blended, as changing the wing profile will almost certainly crack them.  Ask in the bodywork section though, someone may have a technique for this.

[Chris1992]

 

  The reason they are different front to rear is that the Sports pack arches are designed for the rear wheels to use a 6mm spacer, as they did in the Sports pack.  If you feel the front wheels are too exposed then you will have to either get different wheels or adjust the arches.  Personally I think they are about right and I'd bring the rears out to match.

I think that his problem is left and right, not front and back

 

 

thanks guys, yeah i see what youre saying Dan, i will definitely invest in spacers to bring the rears out to match. but as jmmini said, my problem is mainly that the right front is further out than the left front