Front subframe,suspension and driveshafts
Turbo Mini Forums

I,m looking at converting a RWD car from live axle to IRS and thinking of using a Mini front subframe with all the suspension,hubs etc and a solidly mounted diff from a Sierra or similar.Does anyone have some scrap or tatty bits that I could play around with before going for it,please ?.

Single tower bolt later type or early twin bolt ?

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c248/spe...er1/mini007.jpg

If it a'nt broke don't fix it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will have in about 4-6 weeks.

You might also want to consider the Metro one (I scrapped one about a year ago) same principle, unlinked hydragas units instead of rubber, but a slightly wider track than a Mini and the ball joints are sealed screw in units rather than all those shims.....

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Gavi. Given it is going to be a non-standard installation,I dont think it matters.
Rod.Thanks for the Metro idea.I dont need a wider track, but I guess it will be easier to source the Metro stuff in scrappys.Is it easy to adapt it to coilovers do you think?.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

I've got several single bolt subframes some bare some with top arms, you're welcome to come and sort what you want I'm only in Stoke Hammond just outside Leighton Buzzard. (I can brobably sort the lower arms an drive shafts aswell) 07967506369 p.s NO COST FREE 8-)

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c248/spe...er1/mini007.jpg

If it a'nt broke don't fix it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What about the MG TF-metro subframes but with coil springs?

'Where does the engine go?'

One other thought...
If you're after something with a relatively narrow track and I'm guessing you want hubs with a 4" stud PCD, there's the Hillman Imp rear assembly, proper semi-trailing arms mounted on a single angle section which you could cut in the middle to make whatever track you wanted.
Seperate springs and shocks so you could ether use the shock mounting for coilovers or weld a new bracket on.

Probably harder to find in a scrappy nowadays though.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

thinking about this a bit I personally would go for the mini subframe,

it should be the right sort of width (for the A40?) can easily have discs put on,

can be made totally adjustable, and spares are cheap and available.

I reckon you could chop the top out of the turrets and mount the top of the colovers there depending on how it ends up mounted.

I woulnt use the metty subframe as the anti roll bar is used as a tie rod so make adusting camber dificult.

Just got back after a weekend away and very grateful for all the suggestions.Looks like the Metro is definitely second choice. Let me now come clean -its intended for an A35(very close,mini13) mainly because the live axle is just too much unsprung weight now that I have got the power some where near right.I intend to spend time in the winter playing with this idea, so I will pm you Gavin,to take you up on your offer,BTW i am a founder member of the hackit and weld club .

I'm thinking of fabricating something along these lines using a Sierra diff and driveshafts.



Just needs shorting a bit to under a mini or an A35.

Edited by Paul S on 25th Aug, 2008.

Saul Bellow - "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep."
Stephen Hawking - "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

I found this the other day and thought of you:

http://www.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runp...oyleengine.html

Also a year back I saw a front engined RWD mini at Castle Combe with what looked like half a Caterham in the boot. If you have a look at the New Ron Champion book in your local library (Halfords) it's got all the plans for an IRS setup.

Back again from a short break( in the rain) in N.Wales and the Lakes and just saw the item on IRS for MGB.Looks the biz but entails more fabrication than I had anticipated and also special hub carriers which puts up the cost a great deal. Ive said it before, but its still true -my toy allowance is limited.Thank you for your continued interest.I am seriously looking at the Imp rear suspension idea which sounds very simple if i can only source the parts.Dark nights looming so lots of opportunity for thinking and imagining.