MiniRichy
08-04-2009, 09:30 PM
After I finished work today I decided to take the Mini for a drive up over the horseshoe pass to get the milage up on the new engine, anyway as I was braking for the cattle grid from about 40 mph, (I dont like going over the grids at any speed no more than 15-20mph), there was a big Snap and the hole front end of the mini dropped and swerved left. I managed to get the car over the grid and pulled over straight away.:mad:
The top ball-joint has ripped through the retaining nut, pulling the bottom ball joint off the hub, stripping the thread on it's way, which pulled the driveshaft out and bent the suspension, the wheel was only attached to the car by the steering arm! The wheel has bent the A-panel out a bit, but that is the only bobywork that has been damaged thankfully. :o
I managed to get the car on four wheels (of sorts) and put it on a trailer to get it home, and upon closer inspection of the ball-joint it looks to me as if the retaining nut has'nt been cast properley, the first 2mm looks solid, but in the middle it seems to be 'bubblely'.:confused:
Pic's to follow when I find the right wire.
The top ball-joint has ripped through the retaining nut, pulling the bottom ball joint off the hub, stripping the thread on it's way, which pulled the driveshaft out and bent the suspension, the wheel was only attached to the car by the steering arm! The wheel has bent the A-panel out a bit, but that is the only bobywork that has been damaged thankfully. :o
I managed to get the car on four wheels (of sorts) and put it on a trailer to get it home, and upon closer inspection of the ball-joint it looks to me as if the retaining nut has'nt been cast properley, the first 2mm looks solid, but in the middle it seems to be 'bubblely'.:confused:
Pic's to follow when I find the right wire.