Classic Mini Hydrolastic Suspension Removal

How to remove old hydrolastic suspension bags in preparation to convert to "dry" coil spring suspension system. Mini Cooper wet to dry. Classic Mini suspension fluid leak.

[@phillipbradley6649]

Hi how was to do the front. Did The dry units just push up into the tower column. Also read the ball joint arms on back are slightly different.

[@sonordrum1000miura]

Good question...that was a few years ago, and not my car. I think the coil over unit fit up into the " shock tower" and attached with the same bolts that held the top of the bag assembly in place. Certainly fitting the coil over units was way easier than removing the original bag assemblies.

[@matt96723]

Will you be uploading a video of the conversion? Im thinking of doing the same with my Mini

[@sonordrum1000miura]

That was the initial plan, but unfortunately by the time the installation portion started I had run out of both battery power and time.

[@matt96723]

sonordrum1000 bummer. Did you use the wet subframes? I’ve heard it can be difficult to use the hydrolastic subframes to convert to dry suspension?

[@sonordrum1000miura]

@@matt96723 I didn't change the sub frames. Using the old ones worked fine...sort of. The one real issue I had was the original bag units "twist lock" into the sub frame The new units don't, so you have to bend the tabs on the sub frame away ( no big deal ). The issue is you have to extend the adjustable length of the new units quite a ways to stop the suspension from rattling over bumps. In hindsight, I would look to see if someone makes the replacement spring units with the tabs like the original bags so you could just twist lock them in place.

[@matt96723]

Ill look into it! Thanks for your help.

[@matt96723]

Hi. Me again, I’d like to go ahead and convert my mini to the dry set up. Could you please send the link to the kit you used? Also, how did you bend the tabs in the front subframe? Seems like that would be hard to do because of the limited access? Thanks in advance