Classic Mini Workshop Project Sprout Pt.53 Radius Arm Recon

[@ClassicCarCave]

Keith, This must be one of the most detailed reaming videos on youtube, It is the best step by step guide i have seen and i‘m sure you will have many views and people referencing your information. Thanks for taking the time to film it. Cheers Dave.

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thanks Dave. I wasn’t sure if to upload because it’s quite long but hopefully it’s useful to others

[@elliottevan9348]

You probably dont give a damn but does anyone know of a tool to get back into an instagram account? I was dumb forgot my login password. I would appreciate any tips you can give me

[@wessonadrian2613]

@Elliott Evan instablaster :)

[@elliottevan9348]

@Wesson Adrian Thanks for your reply. I found the site thru google and Im in the hacking process now. Seems to take a while so I will reply here later with my results.

[@elliottevan9348]

@Wesson Adrian HOLY **** IT REALLY WORKED! Just got access to my Instagram account within about 45 minutes of using the site. Had to pay 15 bucks but for sure worth the price =) Thanks so much, you really help me out !

[@Rupertbearjay]

Up late watching Keith greasing his shaft 😳

[@classicminiworkshop]

LMFAO 😂😂😂

[@andywhitelaw6957]

I do like a bronzed bush!

[@jamesmoore4650]

Quality video and has come just at the right time for my radius arm rebuild. It has give me the confidence to give it a go myself, many thanks Keith!

[@paulrichter3081]

Excellent video. Brilliant step by step, lots of tips and explanations. Gives everybody else the confidence to tackle what is a bit of a black art to a non-engineer. Thanks for taking the time to put the video together. really enjoying the series, just catching back up after not watching for a couple of months.👍😎

[@classicminiworkshop]

Thanks Paul

[@tonydalton6756]

I'm an engineer mate. If you get yourself a vernier calliper & micrometer you will be able to ream far more accurately to factory tolerances. This will make the repair last much longer. But I do like the approach you take. :D

[@andyfry1970]

Hi Keith, superb video! Nuff said! 😊

[@ianroberts8692]

Very good instructional vid, I do find a half moon file a lot quicker though 😂😂😂

[@mk1leg]

that was very educational never done this but will need to on the ERA

[@LoneStarMini]

Between you and Sean.. I hope to be able to do this.. thanks

[@mohabatkhanmalak1161]

Yeah, hi mate. I am the first to watch the clip. And a thumbs up !

[@classicminiworkshop]

👍😀

[@kingrolovtec]

Great video , thumbs up but put some safety glasses on when using the air line. Dont want to sound like the safety police but its so easy to get crap in your eyes.

[@classicminiworkshop]

Good point, safety first

[@markdraper7]

Very informative video mate. 😎

[@1chish]

As always nicely presented but just a small comment mate - When my arms were being reamed at Randall Engineering at Hepworth while they did the engine bores and cylinder head the guy (using the original Leyland tool!) left the old roller bearing in for the reamer sleeve and after the bush was to size punched out the old bearing, pressure cleaned the inside and then pressed in the new bearing. Just one of many ways to do this gut boring job!

[@classicminiworkshop]

That’s a good idea. Also if they made the pilot bush a slight bit smaller than the bearing case you could just use the pilot bush before fitting the bearing

[@1chish]

@@classicminiworkshop I am sure a local engineering shop could make one up as you have the needle roller and the sleeve as patterns. Suggest it to whoever made the kit.

[@BMCWorkshop]

Great video as always Keith :)

[@classicminiworkshop]

Cheers Sean

[@shaneblacklord3313]

Hi Keith. I spoke to the original owner. He say all 4 Brakes were from 1984 Mini Front Disks. He was a Master Machinist ( now long Retired) He says he said he custom machined the the rear radius arm Brake mounts and stub axles and bearing carrier so he could mount the front disks on the rear end. he also said it took 3 attempts to get it right. he said this necessitated changing the wheels from 10 to 12 inch to fit the larger brakes.and he said he had o fit large flares to fit the wider wheels because it made the mini wider in the rear by a bit . I asked him if he still had his original drawing of the mounts etc, but sadly he said he tossed them when he moved to Florida to retire. I wanted them to send you a copy. and to see how much it would cost to reproduce at a machine shop on modern CNC equipment. He seemed very happy to hear from me again, but he is 89 yrs old and in poor health. he said a lot more as well. he changed the emergency brake to actuate a separate hydraulic system that was tied into the rear brakes and he had to use a proportioning valve to do that. You could tell he loved that car as much as I did. Sorry I can't be much more help. Maybe if I had the parts in front of me I could do a drawing of roughly how it was done but I doubt. He sold it to me because he said he had too many Mini's and he could only drive one at a time, so he kept his favourite three cars and sold the rest. (a problem I wish I had.). Well at least he sold one of them (in Nov 1984) to me with a ton of spares LOL! When I told him I wanted to build another Mini Van with a modern turbocharged Honda motor He was very Keen. Do you think I might be better off with a Newer (2011) Mini Clubman? I really want to have a Mini but I think the modern minis are WAY underpowered. A Honda hatchback can easily hit 500 horsepower with the right parts and a cheap eBay turbo. I would be happy with a bout 320-350 horsepower, but getting that out of a second gen BMW mini is Very expensive. What is your option, I really value it because you have owned both. Again thanks for the great videos

[@classicminiworkshop]

You could not use that rear brake conversion and be road legal in the UK as the emergency brake needs to be mechanical, not hydraulic. In a classic Mini 100BHP is enough to have fun, 150BHP is seriously fun and 200BHP is about as much as you will ever need unless you are drag racing. Anything more than 250BHP will just be lost in torque steer and wheel spin. A 350 BHP Classic Mini might be interesting in a straight line but will be pretty much useless at anything else. Sadly when you factor in ££'s per BHP a second hand BMW Mini Cooper S will wipe the floor with a classic after a few inexpensive mods. Converting a classic with a Honda VTEC is probably the most cost effective way to get more power in a classic Mini but only if you have the know how to build it.

[@shaneblacklord3313]

Thank you for your thoughts. I should make it clear that I am not in the UK. Just that the previous owner lived in the UK. He told me that when He immigrated to Canada, he had imported 6 Mini's with him. I am not sure when he made the modifications before, or after he moved here. I have thought about it a lot, and even though I miss my original MIni, I may be better off with a more modern one. I really want four wheel disk brakes, and I am going to go with a Garret turbocharger and a hand made sidewinder Honda style exhaust. I am told this will easily make 350 horsepower with the right injectors and fuel pumps. I should have made clear that I wanted a track/ street vehicle from the start. Also the 350 horsepower figure was referring to a modern turbocharged mini. I will edit this later with links to some Mini's on KZbin you might be interested in watching. Turbo B16 with electronic boost controller youtube/JQ2EzXZ7rtg AND kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJPCmJ2lgt2BfK8 KZbin posted 500 HP modern mini kzbin.info/www/bejne/apO1qKJnl6mWeq8 450 HP mini kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6KklWd_iLCfitE Thanks again for your help.

[@fidodido1107]

Keith that was a great video where do you get your bush and bearing kits from. M

[@classicminiworkshop]

Link is at the bottom of the description

[@MrTatraneznabratra]

I would like to ask you, what is the reamer diameter in milimeters. I would like to do it by myself, hopefully it will be not disaster... :-) Thank you

[@classicminiworkshop]

The correct size is 13/16" (20.64mm) I use an adjustable reamer

[@dieselbushcraft1299]

If the metal grease tubes are better is there any reason why you wouldn’t reuse the metal tube and bin the plastic tube? Another great video thanks 👍

[@classicminiworkshop]

I’m. It sure, never tried it. I don’t see why not if they don’t get distorted

[@doloresmyatt9737]

did you not have to soak the bronze bearing in oil for 24hrs before fitting

[@classicminiworkshop]

No, never knew you had to do that. What benefit does that give? Every days a school day!

[@jgraham3968]

Just wondering where you got the wrench for the reamer?

[@classicminiworkshop]

From ebay, nothing special

[@briun11]

hi i am about to order the m machine sill and floor section i just watched you fit on the ERA and was wondering about the door step and a frame panel you fitted to the ns door would you be kind enough nto tell me where you got them do no see them on m machine catalog unless i missed them cheers and keep up the good work brian

[@classicminiworkshop]

Hi Brian, all the panels came from M Machine, they are able to get loads of other panels that are not in the catalog, if you give them a call they can get just about any panel you want. They also know their stuff!

[@briun11]

@@classicminiworkshop cheers Keith

[@markdraper7]

Brian, that was a Heritage part and the M-machine part number is 13.14.10.27 L/H or 28 R/H. M

[@elwynrowlands9486]

Hello. Very helpful video, thanks. Placing a reamer tool order today. What size tap wrench adjustable twist handle do I need? There's one on ebay that covers M1 to M8. Would that be ok? Also, regarding your threaded bar, nuts and washers, what spec / size for the bar (M? x length). Washer size etc? Just want to place orders to have everything ready and not get so far then have to wait for things to arrive. Radius arms are still on the car. Currently finishing off cv joint, swivel hub, front brake, tie rod, hi=lo, suspension, shock absorber etc replacement / refurb, working front to back.

[@classicminiworkshop]

My wrench is M6 to M20 so the one you are looking at looks too small, threaded bar is M10x350 and washers are 37mm

[@elwynrowlands9486]

@@classicminiworkshop Thanks, very helpful, bar, nuts, washers etc just ordered on ebay. Already got a tap turner that expands to M12....would that do the job?

[@classicminiworkshop]

@@elwynrowlands9486 It should do, the reamer is M10 drive. The only thing I would say is the wrench needs to be wide on the handles to make it easier. Mine is 330mm wide

[@elwynrowlands9486]

@@classicminiworkshop yes, I was wondering about that, for stability and control. I will tread carefully. Thanks again

[@shaneblacklord3313]

Hi Keith, I am hoping you can help. In the early 1980s I owned a 1967 mini van. I loved that car. The person I bought it from had the mini heavily modified. It had rear wheel disk brakes. I have searched the entire web looking for where those brakes came from. The only thing I have found is a KAD conversion kit. Do you have any idea what those brakes may have come from? I know the car was imported from Britain by the previous owner. It cam with a huge number of spares, and a second motor built by some mini specialist in Britain. I got a screaming deal on the car. Do you have any idea where those brakes may have come from? That car handled way better than the North American cars I was used to. I am making plans to try to build a car similar to that one, because it was one of my favourite cars, the only difference is I want to B16 engine, (for reliability) and a different colour. I don't want to pay 2000$ cad for rear brakes. Mini's have become very expensive compared to forty years ago. If it's going to cost too much money I may just as well buy a more modern car. So I want to investigate how much it's going to cost. Honda b series motors are pretty cheap so I can get a reasonably priced damaged donor car for cheap. I have a line on a shell with a blown motor with not much rust from a friend so that leave the front subframe kit and the rear disks with a proportioning valve. Some 13 inch wheels, and some custom sheer metal work. I am retired now and I can do most of the work or with help from my kids. Love watching you by yourself or you and Mark work on these cars. My old Mini was like Alex Toons only in was bronze/brown with a chromed front grille I fitted to make it easier to to swap motors. I did not have a lift only very high jack stands so I would drop the motor out the bottom to switch to a 1275 motor that came with the car . I did not know as much about cars as I do now. I learned a ton about cars from working on that car. Found memories. Love you videos I have learned a huge amount about Mini's from watching your channel. I worked as a mechanic/fabricator/machinist after high school. So thanks for keeping me entertained and teaching me about Mini's.

[@classicminiworkshop]

Can you get a photo of the brakes and I might have a better idea where they came from?

[@shaneblacklord3313]

Unfortunately Keith I had to sell the car when I got married (edit). I no longer own it (sigh). I was hoping someone could tell me if it was a popular thing to do in Britain in the eighties. My children are adults now and I was hoping to recreate the car, because I always regretted selling it. It as you know was the closest thing to driving a street legal go kart. I really loved that car. I was trying to figure out if I could afford to replace it with a Honda b16 motor to upgrade the power. I also always wanted power windows and and power door locks. And the last item on my list was air conditioning. But with the B16 it isn't very realistic. I just can't fathom the idea of paying a huge amount for the KAD rear disks. Did the rover metro ever come with rear disks? I just can't remember because it has been so long ago. I suppose I could buy a 2012 BMW mini clubman but it just isn't the same thing.