13 replies to this topic

[205 tref]

hi!

Does anyone have a primer on what sort of nut sizes a person is likely to find where on a mini?

I know it's a bit of a geekland question, but I'm getting a bit frustrated by the number of large fittings i'm finding in unexpected places!

I'm sure minis could be much lighter if they used smaller fixings for everything! The last car I played with this bad was a Rover Metro... I suppose there's a lot of group inheritance there... though i think most of the backend set up there was ex-Allegro...

Ta in advance!

T.

[Big_Adam]

5/16th UNF or UNC. Spanner size 1/2inch or 13mm if you want to get shouted at.

[miniboo]

BA you crack me up lol

[Big_Adam]

BA you crack me up lol

I have the sudden feeling I've done something wrong, so very, very wrong.

Like putting a badger in a blender wrong. Or not facing a zombie hoard.

[miniboo]

no just the bit about 13mm if you want to be shouted at lol.

but as an aside some of the newer minis did have a few metric nuts and bolts but mainly are imperial. if it ios imoerial DO NOT USE AN EQUIVALENT METRIC spanner. it will round the nut off

[Big_Adam]

it will round the nut off

urg.....must.....nrrg.....resist.......ack....nut joke.

[Guess-Works.com]

Most common sizes are 7/16", 1/2" and 9/16", so if you're thinking about getting a set of spanners (1/4" through 3/4" minimum), double up on these three (if you can afford double up with ratchet spanners). If your mini is A+ then add 3/8" to that list too..

On the socket front apart from a set of 3/8" to 1" ( must include 15/16" - sump plug etc ) also get yourself a 1.5/16" which does steering wheel, CV nut and pulley bolt.

You'll then get the odd metric (11mm) and a few of the little ones like on carbs etc where I find an adjustable will cover a multitude of sins.

[not so mini dan]

no just the bit about 13mm if you want to be shouted at lol.

but as an aside some of the newer minis did have a few metric nuts and bolts but mainly are imperial. if it ios imoerial DO NOT USE AN EQUIVALENT METRIC spanner. it will round the nut off

Oh dear..............

[miniboo]

oh dear what?

[dklawson]

Miniboo is the one who cracked me up by referring to Big_Adam as "BA" in a thread asking about fasteners. Because... screw sizes 2BA and 4BA (and sometimes even 3BA) show up on things like the old Mini's SU fuel pumps, Smiths gauges, and those screws holding the center binnacle to the firewall. An unintentional pun I'm sure, but it made me laugh.

In the U.K. you guys seem to refer frequently to bolt sizes by the "across-flats" dimensions of the fastener. I'm sure that information works well for you but if you are looking for spare nuts and bolts it helps to know the size and pitch of the bolt/nut threads. This is particularly true if you're replacing socket-head-cap-screws or machine screws that don't have hex heads. The most common ones are 1/4-28, 5/16-24, 3/8-24 (all fine, UNF, threads). There are the occasional coarse threads in/on castings. There are also occasionally larger fasteners. I believe the ball joint nuts on the steering arms are 7/16-20 and the radius arms are 1/2-20. The AF (across-flats) size wrenches you'll need for these are just what GuessWorks said.

Edited by dklawson, 25 July 2007 - 12:21 PM.

[Big_Adam]

Miniboo is the one who cracked me up by referring to Big_Adam as "BA" in a thread asking about fasteners. Because... screw sizes 2BA and 4BA (and sometimes even 3BA) show up on things like the old Mini's SU fuel pumps, Smiths gauges, and those screws holding the center binnacle to the firewall. An unintentional pun I'm sure, but it made me laugh.

..thats got to be one of the most out there geek jokes I've heard.


Well done Doc Law.

[dklawson]

Yes... I know that the BA thing is geeky. However, it's very pertinent for me at the moment as I just ordered some BA taps and dies for some experimental work I'm doing on an SU fuel pump. I've often wanted the BA taps and dies for making mounting nuts for Smiths gauges.

[205 tref]

On the socket front apart from a set of 3/8" to 1" ( must include 15/16" - sump plug etc ) also get yourself a 1.5/16" which does steering wheel, CV nut and pulley bolt.

lol... assume this is 1.5" (24/16 if you insist...) ? i've seen that steering wheel nut and there's no way it's 1.5/16"!!!

Thanks, though, guys!

That explains soo much. My toolkit is all post-80 UK ford/Peugeot sizes, and all in metric. I remember back in the dim distant having nightmares on UK escorts with german bits fitted... you were never quite sure if somethng was metric/imperial/worn...

I need more spanners then. Oh dear; I feel some tool shopping ahead!

Am I right in thinking there's a funny tool for getting suspension apart? A cone compressor or something? Is there anything much else in the way of odd mini-specific tools I"ll need to mostly take one apart and put it back together again?

Cheers!

Tref

[The Matt]

1 5/16" (inch and 15 16ths) is deffo the steering wheel nut size.

Umm, cone compressors are handy yeah.

1.5" deep socket for the ball joints,
Lever type ball joint seperator,
GOOD imperial spanner set,
good 3/8" square drive imperial socket/ratchet set,
good quality 1/2" square drive imperial socket/ratchet set,
1/2" breaker bar is always handy.

I never use 3/4" drive stuff, I normally manage with 1/2" drive stuff, as I sold my 3/4" drive stuff when I stopped being a mechanic!

I'm lucky in that I have loads of spanners in both metric and imperial from working as a mechanic years ago. to be honest I use Draper and Sealey, maybe Teng instead of the Snap-On and Beta stuff that I used to buy.