Got the upper control arms set back to stock length.Took all the info back to tech at expert tire. He absorbed it all and went to work on it. He now knows how to align a mini. Thanks for all the help.
Back on endlinks.... Asking the experts....... 1. Is it really only advisable to get length adjustable endlinks if you are excessively lowered and the sway bar arms are not level? Or maybe if there is a clearance issue with anything else? 2. Also, I would guess that getting aftermarket endlinks for a non-excessively lowered car (i.e. > 1 inch) is advisable only for a track or auto X used car? So, not really necessary for a street car? 3. Clearly the consensus is that if you really need them....get TSW. Keith, Paul, Nathan ???
Well after the alignment and it was off the rack I looked at the rear sway bar and its defintley not level, I would guess 10-15 degrees up.
no expert, but i've some experience. 1, i'll skip. 2. aftermarket endlinks are not needed....but i tend to err on the less likely to break side. adjustability is another plus. 3. agreed....btw, they are made by powergrid.
For a MINI that has been lowered 1.5 inch or more, the front OE drop links are put at a disadvantage, at the least they knock, or at the extreme, POP! (see below) The rears don’t get into too much trouble unless they are at the outermost hole on a stiff bar. I’ve seen a rod failure on a stock bar, but that was a rare instance I believe. I’m aware the ends can fail, but I’m talking about directly related to lowering alone for the rears. I know some of you see an advantage to eliminating pre-load on the rear sway bar, but the amount of adjustment needed on a non-corner balanced MINI is negligible, and load states are dynamic, so once on the road that little bit of adjustment becomes meaningless. As a side note, I’ve been working with a manufacturer developing the most expensive, functional “bling†drop links and control arms that may never go into production.:lol: Exploration and testing has been really neat.
so you're saying that when/if you decide to add end links on a lowered (1.5in or more) the front links should be addressed first and then decide whether you really NEED them on the rear? Steve
Lynn.. Where do you get those specs? Because the ends look somewhat different... I think they're both spherical ball studs... but the TSW female ones seem a bit beefier than the alta male ones... and are booted... In the pic above of the broken alta, it's the male threaded part of the stud that broke... that part of the TSW's is female and much stronger-looking (I'll leave it to the engineers to tell me whether it's actually stronger)...
Statements such as this require facts to back them up here on M/A please. Member Policy item #8 would cover this.
One advantage the PowerGrids have over a traditional Hiem joint (Alta style) is range of motion on the ends. The OEM link ends are the overall winner with about 85 degrees total, the PowerGrids are close at near 80 degrees, Alta’s Hiem style is not much more than half that. The way the Alta joint is manufactured leaves a void within the outer race so a thin outer rim is left for a bearing surface; the void invites abrasive debris and moisture plus weakens overall structural integrity. One must be observant and conscientious when tightening the jam nut so the joint has as much pivot range as possible to avoid a binding state; this goes for both types, but is more of a warning for the Hiem styles. I’ve seen a broken PowerGrid end so it can happen to that one too. I had one of the first sets of PowerGrids made for the MINI, there were some issues that have been corrected in subsequent revisions; the experience reminds me of a point about which direction adjustable links should be adjusted. On a vehicle that is lowered only, the fronts are lengthened to compensate and the rears shortened.
All's I know is: Version 1 Alta FAILED Called Alta, they sent new ends. Version 2 FAILED That's when I started playing with the Aurora rod ends. This is when I realized the way the Altas mount do not allow a reasonable amount of range. My Version... FAILED ( see photo) That's when I bought the TSW/Powergrid. Since I installed these over two years ago, I have had NO issues. And some of you know how many miles I have on my car.:lol: Jim And my only Certificate is a BFA in Photography!:cornut:
You know I keep seeing people say they break endlinks. This shouldn't scare people. I don't know what you all are doing. I've seen only a few stock endlinks have the ball ends come apart. But as for aftermarket endlinks. I've seen all the heim joint ones make noise or become loose. Not break in half. The only time I've seen them break is when incorrectly installed. But I've been racing, and done a ton of track days. Driven off the track at high speed, been hit on the race track and still haven't broken one of our endlinks.