Mini Sue - 1988 City Rebuild
Rear Subframe
I tried plenty of releasing fluid, heat, maul grips and even welding a nut on it all to no avail.
Over winter while it was dark and cold I managed to do some nut and bolt stuff in doors. I'd removed the rear subframe and stripped it down to salvage what I could from it (not much). I'd paid a visit to P&L Mini's to buy some bits ready for re-building the subframe:
- Heritage subframe
- Exchange radius arms
- Bearings, brake adjusters, brake shoes, brake cylinders, adjuster wedges
- Polyflex brushes
- Superfin brake drums
- Camber/Toe adjustment brackets
Don't ask how much all that cost...I have to say I was not overly impressed with P&L so won't be going back. They had lots of stock but where grumpy as anything and seem to give the impression that they'd rather you where not bothering. Plus they are over an hours drive away.
I found a guy online who specialises in Stainless steel nuts and bolts (A2Stainless) and bought some bit off him. I also helped put together a new rear subframe fitting kit and others. A very helpful fella so give him a ring.
I also bought some Goodridge brake hoses, a rear handbrake cabel and a set of rear brake pipes off ebay (the ends of which where a bit tatty, I did complain about that but the bloke said give them a go anyway...) lesson learnt, I'll be buying local from Huddersfield Mini Spares or "Back-to-basics" (a Mini restorer up the road).
From the original subframe all I managed to save was the back brake plates! They are not in the best of shape but they will do. I used a wire brush attachment on my grinder to clean all the old rusty crud off and then gave them a lick of paint. The old hand brake arms and boots where salvaged too and had similar treatment.
I had to try quite a few tricks to remove the brake adjuster screw from the back plate. I tried plenty of releasing fluid, heat, maul grips and even welding a nut on it all to no avail. In the end I had to cut off the small plate that holds it in place, then soak it in duck oil and finally clamp it in a vice and twist it out. Annoyed to found out you can't get a stainless version of this part though so lots of copper ease needed on the replacement to try to prevent this happening again.
The old radius arms where exchanged for re-con ones and then I started the re-build. The hardest part of this bit of the rebuilt was getting the old wheel bearing out and new ones in. It says in the Haynes manual to "use a suitably sized drift" to persuade them in/out. I used an old center punch to get them out, hitting the inner lip of each of the bearings from behind through the keyway that is in them, that seemed to work really well. I found the inner rings from the old bearing where a perfect fit for resting on top of the new bearing when "persuading" them back into their new home in the rear hubs. Bearing grease is messy stuff!
The brakes where stripped and put back together with all new parts. Felt good to be using new bits and to see it all coming together. I took lots of pics to help me remember how it all went together (not shown here as they are boring though).
For my birthday a friend bought me some snazzy KAD ally handbrake quadrants to replace the rusty old ones. They look amzing, same no one will ever see them under the car though...
Skipping ahead a bit I added finally finished the re-assembly by adding the brake pipes (theres something quite relaxing about straightening and bending brake pipes to the right shape. I used the old ones as a guide and guessed the rest of the shape. The Superfin alloys where fitted too and look the business. I found out after I'd bought them that they where copies from China and not original, should have double checked. I've asked around though and no one seems to have had any trouble with them so will be keeping them.
The subframe itself was sanded/degreased/painted in black Hammerite and fitted with its new polyflex bushes and stainless bolts. I used copper ease everywhere I could to help prevent any future rot and to ease maintenance later.
Thats the rear sub frame rebuild almost complete. I still need to attach up the brake pipes and the radius arms but I'm leaving them off for now as I have to replace the subframe front mountings on the body work and want to use to subframe as a jig to ensure the new ones go in the right place. As a result I'll want the subframe as light as possible while I'm working with it. Looking forward to getting it all fitted together one day though.