20 replies to this topic

[minstix]

Hi,

 

I'm restoring a 1969 MK2 Cooper S and am working on the front suspension and am trying to keep things original as far as possible.

 

My original lower suspension arm pins have what seems to be a large washer welded on to the large end that has a section flattened off to match the flat part of the end. They apeared to be quite corroded so I ordered a replacement pair from the Mini Spares Centre. They arrived but without the welded on washer. I notice that they all seem to be like that from suppliers theses days.

 

I'm keeping the original hydrolastic suspension and suspension arms etc, having refurbished all the parts as far as is possible. The lower arm has the tapered holes where the rubber bushes go so I also ordered standared tapered rubber bushes with the metal inserts.

 

I'm curious as to when the welded on washer came in and when it went. Also, are the old ones I have correct for this car/period? I want to be sure that I don't have the wrong pins for this car. The old pins I have do have the wiggle in them, to allow room for the drive shaft. I think very early cars had straight ones.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Cheers,  Front lower pin comparison.jpg   17.38K   14 downloads

 

Steve

Edited by minstix, 12 February 2023 - 03:40 PM.

[nicklouse]

I have never seen any with the washer. It’s not like it would do anything as the stop and position control is done with the shoulder ar the other end.

 

so I would guess if they are factory they are early.

Edited by nicklouse, 12 February 2023 - 11:48 AM.

[minstix]

Yes, I'm not sure what the point of it is. I guess it would clamp firmer onto the subframe with it. I was wondering if its a Cooper S thing of that era?

 

Steve

[nicklouse]

It can’t clamp anything more as there is no clamping at that end just location. The subframe in that area is also easy to bend. 

[minstix]

Yes, it's an odd one. I wonder if anyone else has seen these. I always assumed they had always been on the car but they could have been changed before I had it. I've had it since 1985 though and I've never changed them. Interesting.

[richmondclassicsnorthwales]

I owned a very early 1960 Morris Mini and rebuilt a pair of subframes for someone with a 59 Mini.

 

I have never seen the type of pin with the additional washer on as that is shown and have only ever seen the pin on the right.

 

I have bought plenty of pins too over the years, and again have never been sold a set such as the pin on the left.

[Spider]

All our Australian Pins, at least from 65 (possibly earlier) had that, off hand, I can't recall why, I'd say it was something to do with the plant used to assemble the pin in to the frame on the assembly line.

 

 

[whistler]

Hi,

 

I'm restoring a 1969 MK2 Cooper S and am working on the front suspension and am trying to keep things original as far as possible.

 

My original lower suspension arm pins have what seems to be a large washer welded on to the large end that has a section flattened off to match the flat part of the end. They apeared to be quite corroded so I ordered a replacement pair from the Mini Spares Centre. They arrived but without the welded on washer. I notice that they all seem to be like that from suppliers theses days.

 

I'm keeping the original hydrolastic suspension and suspension arms etc, having refurbished all the parts as far as is possible. The lower arm has the tapered holes where the rubber bushes go so I also ordered standared tapered rubber bushes with the metal inserts.

 

I'm curious as to when the welded on washer came in and when it went. Also, are the old ones I have correct for this car/period? I want to be sure that I don't have the wrong pins for this car. The old pins I have do have the wiggle in them, to allow room for the drive shaft. I think very early cars had straight ones.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Cheers, Front lower pin comparison.jpg

 

Steve

Before you install any new arms check that you can torque up the nuts correctly first. My new pins stripped the threads when trying to torque up the nuts. Went back to my 1965 pins, cleaned them up and re-used them. Have heard of a few others who have had the threads stripped due to bad manufacturing.

[minstix]

Here's an interesting thing. I've discovered that this was an official version and it had the part number 21A1889. I then found it in an original BMC parts manual covering all versions of Cooper and Cooper S cars. The manual dates from about 1966, so MK1 cars (mine is a MK2 Cooper S). It has the part number listed but specifies specifically for Cooper S. The question remains though, what does the washer thing actually do? I can only imagine it applies some level of clamping force horizontaly against the subframe. Maybe?

 

Interesting that they were like that in Australia.

 

Bearing in mind what's been said about thread stripping and this, I think I'll clean up the originals and re-use them. I've cleaned them up and they look as good as new.

 

Steve

Edited by minstix, 12 February 2023 - 06:39 PM.

[MiniMadRacer]

I have only ever changed the pins once the frame was in the car and could never therefore get a torque wrench on them, so i only ever nipped them up with a spanner, and have never "gorilled" the nuts up tight

[minstix]

I just looked up the torque wrench setting for the nut and it's 30 to 35 lbft in old money.

[bpirie1000]

One ugga dugga (bad obsession motor sport pun...)

[nicklouse]

One ugga dugga (bad obsession motor sport pun...)

Originally from MCM/SkidFactory.

[Itsaminithing]

By coincidence I dug my NOS set out of storage last night!

BLMC era lower arm pin, manufactured in the UK, part number 21A889.

I know they were used on Innocenti Minis.... I meant to post a thread asking if the Innocenti subframe was different to account for the different shape.

[Spider]

Here's an interesting thing. I've discovered that this was an official version and it had the part number 21A1889. I then found it in an original BMC parts manual covering all versions of Cooper and Cooper S cars. The manual dates from about 1966, so MK1 cars (mine is a MK2 Cooper S). It has the part number listed but specifies specifically for Cooper S. The question remains though, what does the washer thing actually do? I can only imagine it applies some level of clamping force horizontaly against the subframe. Maybe?

 

Interesting that they were like that in Australia.

 

Bearing in mind what's been said about thread stripping and this, I think I'll clean up the originals and re-use them. I've cleaned them up and they look as good as new.

 

Steve

 

When fitted correctly, there is a small gap, about 30 to 40 thou, between that 'washer' and the subframe.

After stripping the thread on an original one, long long ago (way before after market versions were available), I've always used a lick of rubber grease on the rubbers, pressed them in to the Arm (they will pop back out a fair way), then pressed the pin all the way home (using that 'washer' !), then done up the nut. I learnt my lessen here with them and never tried to pull them in using the Nut since.