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 Post subject: Hi low adjustment
PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2016 6:23 am 
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848cc
848cc
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Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:24 pm
Posts: 477
Location: Mildura
hope you guys can help out.
I know this has been covered before but I haven’t found clear answers to my questions
I want to raise my front end. I have adjusted the high lows 5mm higher. Need to adjust more yet subject to test drive.
My Questions
do i need to do a wheel alignment again after this adjustment?
how much can you raise the high lows safely.

Rear is original trumpet with original rubber cone.
Front is new hi lo and new rubber cone
rear wheel arch is about 550mm from ground
front wheel arch is about 510mm from ground

Image

Image


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 Post subject: Re: Hi low adjustment
PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2016 2:20 pm 
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1098cc
1098cc

Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2011 8:17 am
Posts: 1964
Location: san remo nsw
Adjust it a bit higher than you want it, it will sag a bit as new cones style in. You shouldn't new another wheel alignment as it's just moving through it's normal arc. There'll be heaps of adjustment, more than you need to make it sit up and beg.

You are fitting the upper and lower bump stops?


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 Post subject: Re: Hi low adjustment
PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2016 6:11 pm 
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998cc
998cc

Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2011 8:33 pm
Posts: 1195
"My Questions
do i need to do a wheel alignment again after this adjustment?
how much can you raise the high lows safely."

Technically, yes. Unless of course you have the bump steer adjusted out... Are your tie rods (the ends of the rack) roughly parallel to your lower suspension arms?? If so (mine are) then I suspect you'll be somewhat OK.

So, practically ??? Probably you'l be OK. I'll bet most alignments aren't that accurate anyway...

You could do a test. Use a plumb bob to make the front and rear centre of the tyre. Now, jack the car up so the body (use a beam across the front of the subframe as a lifting point - so both sides lift equally) is at the height that you intend to adjust it to... rerun the plumb bob test. Have the centreline marks moved??? That answers your question....

How much could you raise it?.... I would suggest you need to look inside and make sure that the threaded lower post reaches to at least the top of the outer thread... From memory (because I haven't looked for so long), real HiLos have an internal circlip to stop them being raised too far... I'll bet that the max possible is way beyond what you might want.

Cheers, Ian


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 Post subject: Re: Hi low adjustment
PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2016 6:42 pm 
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848cc
848cc
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Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:24 pm
Posts: 477
Location: Mildura
Thanks for the advice guys.
i've had the wheels aligned not too long ago. i was just concerned that raising the height may cause a toe in effect.
It was a long time ago i fitted the adjustable hi lows cannot remember if they have a stop or not.
i figured i would never exceed the height adjustment limits, but just like to consult the helpful guys at Ausmini to be sure.
After finishing the car i put new tyres on and the fronts lasted only about 500 miles. alignment was a long way out.
so i just like to be thorough. costs money if you get it wrong.


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 Post subject: Re: Hi low adjustment
PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2016 7:40 pm 
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1275cc
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Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 6:57 am
Posts: 3022
Location: JIMBOOMBA QLD.
I hope you are using new nor good rubber donuts at the front. Using old flattened ones will make it higher when you adjust but also very hard a ride. I would recommend a set of MST Coil springs to transform the ride quality.

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 Post subject: Re: Hi low adjustment
PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2016 9:09 pm 
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Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2004 9:27 pm
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Location: Wodonga - Vic/NSW border
you do need a wheel alignment - the 'static' position of the front wheels has changed, so for the times you're not accelerating or braking the wheels have more toe-in than they did previously.... scrubbing the outside of the tyres and maybe even making it ride up higher

nifty64 wrote:
Front is new hi lo and new rubber cone


Convertible Mini wrote:
I hope you are using new nor good rubber donuts at the front. Using old flattened ones will make it higher when you adjust but also very hard a ride. I would recommend a set of MST Coil springs to transform the ride quality.

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 Post subject: Re: Hi low adjustment
PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2016 9:47 pm 
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848cc
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Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:24 pm
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Location: Mildura
[quote="simon k"]you do need a wheel alignment - the 'static' position of the front wheels has changed, so for the times you're not accelerating or braking the wheels have more toe-in than they did previously.... scrubbing the outside of the tyres and maybe even making it ride up higher

thanks Simon K
I thought adjusting the height may put more pressure on the swivel arm in turn causing toe in with the tyres.
might be worth a $60 insurance with my local Bob Jane Tmart. :)


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 Post subject: Re: Hi low adjustment
PostPosted: Wed May 25, 2016 10:30 pm 
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1275cc
1275cc
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Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 3:07 pm
Posts: 5123
Location: The Internet
I was playing around with my HiLos a few months ago and was comparing the changes to the wheel alignment when changing the heights.

I set my height at 2 fingers (Yes this is the technical term for "I measured the heights from the ground and the axles") and then adjusted the toe, camber and castor.

When I went down to 1 finger and up to 3 fingers I noticed a slight change in the wheel alignment but the change was so small that I didn't make any changes to the castor or toe. The camber would change +/- 0.25

Here are the specs I ended up going with.

Ride height no driver
Ground to arch (Front Right 515mm, Front Left 510mm, Rear Left 525mm, Rear Right 530mm)
Axle to arch (Front Right 290mm, Front Left 285mm, Rear Left 290mm, Rear Right 295mm)
Camber -1 front and - 0.75 rear
Castor +4 deg
Toe 1.5mm front toe out / 1mm rear toe in


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 Post subject: Re: Hi low adjustment
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 6:07 am 
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848cc
848cc
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Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:24 pm
Posts: 477
Location: Mildura
gtogreen1969 wrote:
I was playing around with my HiLos a few months ago and was comparing the changes to the wheel alignment when changing the heights.

I set my height at 2 fingers (Yes this is the technical term for "I measured the heights from the ground and the axles") and then adjusted the toe, camber and castor.

When I went down to 1 finger and up to 3 fingers I noticed a slight change in the wheel alignment but the change was so small that I didn't make any changes to the castor or toe. The camber would change +/- 0.25

Here are the specs I ended up going with.

Ride height no driver
Ground to arch (Front Right 515mm, Front Left 510mm, Rear Left 525mm, Rear Right 530mm)
Axle to arch (Front Right 290mm, Front Left 285mm, Rear Left 290mm, Rear Right 295mm)
Camber -1 front and - 0.75 rear
Castor +4 deg
Toe 1.5mm front toe out / 1mm rear toe in


Thanks gtogreen1969
as i said in previous post i have 550mm with rear original trumpet so no adjustment there. and 510mm on front.
so i am going to raise heught a bit more. so i think it well worth getting it looked at


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 Post subject: Re: Hi low adjustment
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 5:38 pm 
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1098cc
1098cc

Joined: Wed Nov 24, 2004 10:23 am
Posts: 1493
Location: Armidale, NSW
It's pretty easy to make a relatively(not laser accurate but good enough) accurate toe gauge, seeing as a toe is about all you can adjust on a standard mini.
I found being able to set your own wheel alignment invaluable as you don't have to decide on a setting but can experiment with it to get it handling as you like.

To make the toe gauge:
You need;
A couple of pieces of square tube that will telescope nicely,
A couple of pieces of steel rod,
some nuts and bolts...
and a welder

The rod goes through a couple of holes drilled in the ends (one in each tube) of the square tube, they don't have to be excessively square so don't stress too much.

I also cut off a one section (about 1cm or so) of the outer tube and welded a nut and a screw/bolt to set the short measure I welded another to the outer section so you can set the long measurement as well (not essential).

To measure the toe:
Do the short side first (rear if setting toe out, usual on a mini) do up the locking screw on the short section, take it out and do the front the difference between the short(the locking screw you did up) and the other outside tube is your toe setting...

You want to put the rods on a known point on the tyre / wheel like a tread groove(doesn't have to be the middle) in line with the centre of the wheel viewed from the side.

You need the car on the ground at it's intended ride height as explained above.

A couple of photos (click the links) probably explain it better...

https://goo.gl/photos/JosNeARajND6QZig8
https://goo.gl/photos/jAmA1qEbsLLnc22q9

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A Deluxe(CG13DE), 2 Clubbies(998 and 1275) and 2 Morris 1100Ss


Last edited by fuzzy-hair-man on Thu May 26, 2016 6:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Hi low adjustment
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 6:17 pm 
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998cc
998cc
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Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 3:21 pm
Posts: 979
Location: St. George Area, New South Wales
fuzzy-hair-man wrote:
]


Links broken fyi

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Image
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=86675


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 Post subject: Re: Hi low adjustment
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 6:22 pm 
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1098cc
1098cc

Joined: Wed Nov 24, 2004 10:23 am
Posts: 1493
Location: Armidale, NSW
Should work now... image sharing permissions.... :evil:

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Roads need more corners
A Deluxe(CG13DE), 2 Clubbies(998 and 1275) and 2 Morris 1100Ss


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 Post subject: Re: Hi low adjustment
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 7:10 pm 
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998cc
998cc

Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2014 12:36 pm
Posts: 611
Location: Bentleigh, Melbourne
Are lower bump stops really needed? Noticed today my car doesn't have them fitted. Having said that I'm having difficulty visualising why they would be needed...
My front end is in the air so unloaded and everything is hanging down and there is still a gap where a lower bump stop would go?
Thanks

Michael

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1293cc, 11:1 comp, RE 282 camshaft, 45 Weber, extractors etc
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RH tank cos I needed it crossing the Nullarbor etc..


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 Post subject: Re: Hi low adjustment
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 8:55 pm 
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1275cc
1275cc
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Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 3:07 pm
Posts: 5123
Location: The Internet
fuzzy-hair-man wrote:
It's pretty easy to make a relatively(not laser accurate but good enough) accurate toe gauge, seeing as a toe is about all you can adjust on a standard mini.
I found being able to set your own wheel alignment invaluable as you don't have to decide on a setting but can experiment with it to get it handling as you like.

To make the toe gauge:
You need;
A couple of pieces of square tube that will telescope nicely,
A couple of pieces of steel rod,
some nuts and bolts...
and a welder

The rod goes through a couple of holes drilled in the ends (one in each tube) of the square tube, they don't have to be excessively square so don't stress too much.

I also cut off a one section (about 1cm or so) of the outer tube and welded a nut and a screw/bolt to set the short measure I welded another to the outer section so you can set the long measurement as well (not essential).

To measure the toe:
Do the short side first (rear if setting toe out, usual on a mini) do up the locking screw on the short section, take it out and do the front the difference between the short(the locking screw you did up) and the other outside tube is your toe setting...

You want to put the rods on a known point on the tyre / wheel like a tread groove(doesn't have to be the middle) in line with the centre of the wheel viewed from the side.

You need the car on the ground at it's intended ride height as explained above.

A couple of photos (click the links) probably explain it better...

https://goo.gl/photos/JosNeARajND6QZig8
https://goo.gl/photos/jAmA1qEbsLLnc22q9


My way is not as technical as yours.
Image


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 Post subject: Re: Hi low adjustment
PostPosted: Thu May 26, 2016 9:03 pm 
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998cc
998cc

Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2008 12:43 pm
Posts: 850
Location: Narellan NSW
Hey GTO
Where do you take your measurements from
the tyre or the rim ?

Mark


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