Coil overs with radius arm and subframe
Turbo Mini Forums

Just wondered if someone who has fitted coil overs can assist...

I fitted my AVO coil overs (easy just like you guys told me) and all seems well. I have standard rear subframe (slighty modded to clear the spring) and standard radius arms with new bushes fitted.

I have just checked the clearances with my 13x7s deep dish and have about 5mm of clearance between the spring and the tyre wall (so I'll be fitting mini-fins with a built in spacer just to give me a bit more). When fitting the rear wheels I noticed a small amount of lateral movement in the radius arm so can you tell me if thats normal? Or should I check anthing else?

I'm just edgy that (now with no cones) I should have that sort of movement.

It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt... Then it's hilarious!

Lateral movement? Do you mean the cast arm moving relative to the pivot pin? If so the radius arm is u/s and requires either replacement or a rebuild kit.

Yep. Its only a few millimetres, it seems to be moving slightly in the pivot bush. I havent checked if its full of grease yet, could that be it?

It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt... Then it's hilarious!

Try greasing it but I think you'll be buying either new radius arms or rebuilt kits fairly soon TBH.

Thanks Tom - I guess there should be no movement at all from what you are saying?

It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt... Then it's hilarious!

Hi,
No shouldn't be any movement between the arm and pivot pin, other than the normal direction of suspension travel.
Cheers,
Gavin :)

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As above.

I don't know what the arrangements are in Malta but over here in the UK play in radius arm as you describe is an MOT failure.

I've seen this a lot with people doing coil over conversions as some fo the movement is masked by the pre-load from the suspension doughnuts pushing the arm against the pin. When running coil overs you have no load in this direction and the wear is very obvious.

I always budget on recon arms at the same time as a coil over swap for this very reason.

Every day is a school day ...........

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Thanks Rog, I half guessed you would have come up against this before. What you've explained makes perfect sense and explains why I didnt see any obvious wear when pre loaded with the doughnut. Oh hum, another trip to Mini Spares is in order.

It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt... Then it's hilarious!

As Roger say's the play can be masked with the cone setup, also as a get thru the MOT on a daily driver i have got away with slackening both nuts of on the radius arm pin and rotating it through 90 deg so it is running on a fresh bit of the pin.

I'm guessing you'd want to do the job properly though

mini13 .... easy cowboy .....

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...