Fitting the subframe

[PaulC]

HI

Has anyone please got any good advice as to getting the subframe fitted in squarely to the car. I've made a start fitting it and i'm really concerned that it won't be square, or it will be pointing up in the air, or down to the ground. I don't want my mini to be crabbing along the road!! I'm fitting an SAE frame. Any ideas please?

Paul C

[PaulC]

It fits temporarily through the shock absorber holes. Then you have to measure it to make sure its square.then drill 6 holes each side and bolt it to the inner wings. it sounds easy but i'm struggling with it a bit. I manage to get it lined up in one place to the correct measurement but at another point the measurement seems to be miles out.
How do people who have made their own frames make sure that its all square and level?

Paul c

[strudel]

mintec, I have only seen the kit in pictures but does it not mount to the original tower mounting points? Or is the SAE the one that mounts off the side of the bulkhead? You would have to do some very accurate measuring if it's just a rough fit in place and line up on your own job.

Try and use the tower mount holes as reference points and work from there. Didn't they give you instructions? As far as tilt up or down goes one wouldn't think there is too much leeway in that department. Again, there hopefully would be a mount at the rear to the bottom of the car. As I said I have only seen the pics of the front and side view and can't give any concrete advice. Hopoefully someone will chime in for more help.

[PaulC]

I would agree with that yes. But when its fitted with the temporary fixings the subframe rear cross member isn't butted up to the bulkhead. :? i think i need alot more patience!! I'll have another go tomorrow!! :)
Paul C

[Oz again]

Out of interest, when GTM changed over to the Kseries Metro as the donor for the K3 Rossa, they tilted the front frame upward slightly as they found it added "anti-dive geometry" to the front suspension. I seem to remember reading about it in some review - I'll try and dig it out and reread it (and post it if it seem remotely helpful (or interesting :P))

[PaulC]

Its not fully fixed yet. But i have used the shock absorbers mounting points either side as a starting point and i am measuring and measuring and measuring again to make sure it is the correct place.
The measurement that is given in the instructions between the subframe rear crossmember and the bulkhead cross member is 113mm to 115mm. with it temporary fixed via the shock mounting points the actual measurement i have got is 111.5mm.
It also says to butt the subframe upto the bulkhead. but it is approx 5mm away from it. and the floor plates are approx 5- 10mm away from the floor.Although they do look like they would pull up.
the front cross member of the subframe is square with the back of the floor pan where it steps up, and the rear subframe bolts to the body.
Do you think i should bolt it where it is and pull the floor plates upto the floor pan using the bolts, or do i remove the temporary bolts from the shock mounting points and get it to lift up to the floor pan and push it back to the bulkhead more?? Decisions Decisions!! :?
Did that make any sense!!! :shock:
Any advice gratefully recieved :)

Paul C

[Minimivic]

Paul C

If you want a second opinion let me know.

Its an excuse to play in the Mini as your not far away ( and the roads between us are great fun :D )

Paul

[PaulC]

minimivic,

it would be grate if you could come over sometime. I'd love to see your mini a second opinion would be great.

I spoke to john d again today and told him about all my gaps!! :lol: He said it could be bolted like it is, but if it was him fitting it then he would spend another hour or so just tweaking it to get back to the bulkhead and upto the floor. So that is what i'll do.

Paul C

[BassAddict]

Hi Mintec - just a quick question as I've got a similar prob with the P&L frame. Is the k series frame meant to carry on parallel to the body work - if you get what I mean?
The P&L frame uses the tower mounts - but with these in you can still lift the front of the frame up relative to the rest of the car, or push it down. To try and make sure it was in the right place I got the rear subframe mounts from P&L, but these are so badly made I'm not going to bother with them !!
Any advise would be very handy !!!
Rich

[PaulC]

HI,

The SAE subframe doesn't use the tower mounts but i was concerned about the frame not being square to the body and the ground. Buy the sound of it you have the same concerns!! I was lucky enough that Minimiviclives near me and he came over to help me. He taught me one thing and that is not to worry so much!! But basically SAE told me to get it as close to the bulkhead as possible and try to get it square with the body by measuring from the rear of the floor pan where it steps up and the rear subframe bolts to the body.does that make any sense?!!! Minimivc however measured it from the front bulkhead so it was square to that. Obviously you are determined as to how close you can get to the front bulkhead by the tower mounts. Apart from that i'm not much help i'm afraid. My lower arms and tie rods are adjustable so i'm planning on using this adjustment to rectify any minor problems!!!!! good luck with it though

Paul C

[BassAddict]

Cheers Paul !
Someone else told me last night not to worry about it 'too' much aswell - I was just convinced it would have to be spot on or risk some very strange handling problems but by the sounds of it, it should be ok so long as its roughly right ... !
Thanks for the advice !
Rich

[Minimivic]

I came to this conclusion:
when was the last time you measured a standard mini subframe for squareness?

Personally I'd be too scared to, on rubber mounts they are all over the place. Mini's crab like mad down the road most of the time this is usually the rear subframe out of alignment somehow.

I used a jig to get my frame in the correct place it is approx 3mm out on the left to right plane ie left wheelbase is 3mm longer than right and 5mm out on a diagonal ie left front to right rear. Which I'm sure if is closer than any standard mini I've had dealings with.

Get it as close as you can, but dont worry too much if you are a few mm out. :wink:

[BassAddict]

Think I'll make some lower mounts tonight then if I get time - I can always redo 'em at a later date if they prove to be a bit ropey !!!!
Cheers peeps !!
Rich