Pumping up Hydrolastic Suspension on Austin Cooper S

Pumping up the Hydrolastic Suspension on a Austin Mini Cooper S with portable Churchill 18G 703 pump.
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This Week With Cars - Episode 0083

[@douglasgreen437]

An ingenious system, no springs no seperate shocks no pumps...Very compact 4 wheel independant suspension with front to rear anti pitch & self leveling...

[@davidrichie9570]

How does a young fellow from Iowa get so deeply into British cars of his granddad’s day? You must be one in a million Midwest car fans. Bravo

[@BMC1100]

When I was a youngster I made my own hydrolastic pump out of a master cylinder, it worked fine. About 35 years later I picked up a factory dealer pump and restored it. I still use both pumps, the master cylinder pump is very portable, so I can take it on club runs and do roadside pump ups.

[@ianburit3705]

I also made up a Girling master cylinder pump and pipes to service a workmates Austin princess Hydrolostic system that had a very slow leak one side, but had that car for a few years.

[@eduardoalarcon4342]

it`s a good idea use a brake master cylinder for made a hydrolastic pump out!!!!!, first time i tried to fix it. Vacuum system is for? just change oil? how i check for leaks? just visual inspection?

[@TheCherryGarage]

Any chance you have info on how you made this?? I have a 68 austin america that needs suspension boosted

[@bcgrittner]

I remember reading about this many years ago. The author bought the machine at an auction when the local dealer went out of business. Very unique system. Good to know there’s somebody out there who understands it and knows how to properly service it.

[@richardparkersmith4810]

In the 70s we used Austin Maxis as workhorse company cars and for towing we could raise the pressure to keep the car balanced on an even keel. I asked our intern to get the suspension pumped up at the garage and he thought I was winding him up. He came back with they tyres pumped up high so I sent him back an the tyres came back at even higher pressure. He was too embarrassed to ask for the suspension pressure to be increased. Third time I sent one of the lads from the factory with him!

[@Fyodor48]

Ah memories!!! My late wife often bemoaned us getting rid of our CooperS (daisy) back in the day 🤨

[@brucek8370]

I love all your videos - just good down to earth working on interesting cars, and solving problems. We have seem to have the exact same taste in cars - you just have a lot more of them than I do! I can see by the video title you know it is called Hydrolastic, but you keep mentioning “hydro-elastic”.

[@gazzafloss]

I haven't seen that job done for many, many years, since the late '60's when I had a Morris 1100 and my best mate had Mini Cooper "S". We were always doing DIY suspension height adjustment.

[@piobenn]

My first car back in 69 was a 64 MG 1100 with the hydrolastic suspension. Best handling car I ever owned.

[@androo4519]

Here in the UK Hydrolastic suspension got badly associated with the bouncy ADO16 cars (Many types in the UK and Austin America in the US) at the end of their lives in the 1970s and early 1980s. Not many people remember Minis also had it to start with. I had a 1975 Mini as a teenager but it had the rubber bulb suspension. I suspect the Hydrolastic rode better. Couldn't have rode much worse! Nice to see an older Mini that still has Hydrolastic.

[@michelmoonen3433]

I just fell in love with a little red Mini 😍

[@michaelduckworth6090]

Just bought on Ebay one of the cool pumps having watched your clip to pump up my 1971 Mk3 Cooper S, many thanks for great advice

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Take good care of it, you will now make many friends who will need to use it!

[@johndavey72]

Hi Steve. You must have got this from an old B.M.C. dealer garage. I can remember seeing many of these just dumped as the hydrolastic system wasn't around for too long. Your "S" looks very original and l can see the battery box has been replaced , the first thing to rot out on a mini. I reckon you could make quite a profit specializing in this procedure. Thanks. Take care and stay safe.

[@perrosdemaiz]

Love it! Strange tool and procedure.

[@chrisgreenwood271]

Lovely looking Cooper.

[@Nigel-nar53]

Lovely Mini, I converted a couple to rubber cones back in the day but I'd probably try to keep the Hydro if I had a Mini now.

[@mickspencer4171]

Great vid,I've never seen that done before.

[@robertcallahan4065]

Years ago, (late '70's) I had a '65 Cooper S. VIN was CA2S7766964, engine number 9FY38432. There was a Mini mechanic named Jon Becker who at the time owned Mini Part. He re-charged my system and I remember he charged it to 90 p.s.i. The machine he used looked similar to yours.

[@travelingkaspersworld4096]

We've never seen that done before. We have some subframes sitting with those fittings. Walked past them for years assuming the conversions are what all minis are using now.

[@bazmully]

I would fit a second petrol tank, i have a 66 with twin tanks they came as standard, on the 65 they was a optional extra.nice car by the way

[@7Spot556]

Love your Channel!

[@paulsteele6120]

Make sure all of the pipework connections are tight, because hydro-silastic fluid fairly volatile and will evaporate easily and is hard to see, a small leak will soon dump the pressure in the line. I made my pump from an old grease gun and so long as the seals are OK it works a treat. Tried to buy on of those factory pumps from a garage sale but was outbid by someone who hadn't noticed the pump was broken. Schardenfraude!! Ha Ha.

[@2H80vids]

I'd completely forgotten about hydrolastic suspension. Only ever had this on a couple of cars, both already mentioned, a Princess and a Maxi.

[@houseonpleasantstreet9774]

Nice car. Did not know about this system

[@bryancohn9406]

Very interesting Steve, I knew the Hydrolastic suspension was serviceable but I'd never seen the factory tool or how simple it is/was to do. I know the rubber cone suspension cars can be adjusted for ride height, is that possible with the Hydrolastic suspension without compromising the ride or handling? Hope to see you racing sometime this season.

[@estaban3248]

Noticed the whole underside looks in great shape, sub frame, battery box etc is it original or has it been restored?. My favourite car by far, holds sooo many childhood memories for me, a family neighbour had the exact same car acquired from his brother in law who emigrated to New Zealand. This is the car I've always wanted and never been able to afford ☹ . One day some day I will 🤞👍

[@andrewsloane2064]

When do you change the liquid in the suspension

[@peterscandlyn]

Well! I'd always been under the impression this was a dealer only (long defunct I know) operation. Seems straight forward enough, with that tool.

[@BangerFleet]

Hmm, my Hydrolastic pump looks very similar but only has one hose that you do both suction and fill with. It also doesn’t have that bleed valve. Basically you draw a vac on the hose in addition to the system, instead of swapping hoses. Not that the damn thing works anyway... it’s garage art. Filled my MG 1100 using an air powered hydraulic pump and one of those tire valves you use to put water in tractor tires.

[@elund408]

I thought all these suspensions had been replaced years ago, nice to see that there are a few out there. where would one find a pump like that if they wanted to work on their mini?

[@robertcallahan4065]

They call the hydrolastic system a "wet" system. Austin/Morris also made "dry" suspension setups

[@jeep2003]

Interesting tool. I use a grease gun i think the Adapter hose was from a truck that connects the dualie tires so it screws right on the shrader. It can be a little messy have to keep the back of the gun up so the fluid doesnt leak out but it works fine. I use antifreeze I dont know if thats really ok but it only ever takes a few pumps

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Antifreeze is what most people use, the official formula for the fluid is mainly 49% alcohol and 49% water with some additives for corrosion prevention and viscosity.

[@JourneymanRandy]

I owned two Mini 1000's. They both had rubber cones for rear suspension. I can't remember what was on the front. What you have seems a lot better. Take care Steve

[@gazzafloss]

That would have been also rubber cones on the front. The cone suspension on Mini's went through to about 1964 - 1965 I think on the ordinary Mini and the Coopers when they changed to Hydrolastic "It floats on fluid" suspension.

[@TheSkskitey]

I had a Mini in the late 60s and i used to let some of the hydrolastic fluid out to lower suspension because it looked too high , equally both sides of course , that was after it was serviced and the height corrected , that must have eventually damaged the suspension . Oh well young and foolish days :-)

[@cartman668222]

I made one out of a modified grease gun to pump up them up many years ago

[@infocpctrainer]

Tool is the key, either we pop out to you or search internet to buy tool.

[@rovercoupe7104]

I love that little pump. It looks like a cartoon robot. M.

[@martinparker9249]

they were called Daleks in the day

[@streetfire7787]

Great video where do you get one of the little machine to do that job ?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

That is the factory machine, you had to be a BMC dealer to get one.

[@bumpcage]

Don't forget that you should be rolling and bouncing the car before measuring the ride height. Ideally you should push down on the car, let it settle then take a measurement. Next lift the car, let it settle then take a measurement, next take an average of the two measurements.

[@edsalerno2790]

Interesting , can you change the suspension with different viscosity oils?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

It does not use oil, it is a glycol solution with corrosion inhibitors.

[@automotivel3501]

The Original Cooper S had cone suspension. Early Coopers (and standard Mini's) had Hydrolatsic suspension, however never the S. The S came out in 1964 and in 1964 ALL mini's changed to Cone suspension.

[@jimhenry8279]

I dont think this is a cooper s. Does not have twin gas tanks

[@andrewsutcliffe4889]

They made the hydro suspension from about 64 right up to 67 or 8 but never on the cooper

[@andrewsutcliffe4889]

Unless its an been imported back from Australia maybe

[@sasogoshevski4752]

Hello Can I do this with any other pump because I can find properly?

[@elliottharrisonellbot2814]

Yeah you can get other pumps for Hydralastic and Hydragas suspension

[@justanotherrandomperson1359]

They most commonly used rubber cones in minis Edit: when they go bas it feels like a race car due to how bumpy they are trust me I own one and the one I got has been to hell and back

[@andrewsutcliffe4889]

Are you sure that your car is a genuine mini cooper? I seem to remember that the coopers never had hydro suspension and always had the solid. Maybe my memory is playing ticks but my father had numerous minis and i worked on them for years.

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Yep I have the heritage certificate on it. Seems a lot of comments I have been seeing from the UK lead me to be believe the US spec cars may have been equipped differently than UK cars.

[@andrewsutcliffe4889]

@@ThisWeekWithCars Ah yeah sorry i didn't notice your accent. I think that they badged an awful lot of cars as Coopers that really were not when they exported. Yours is the S and from what i can see looks correct. I seem to remember that all the Coopers had a 13 stud cylinder head. Anyway your car looks really neat. Goodluck.

[@mad-maxx2211]

My car has been sitting for 19 years. Should I repair my hydroelastic suspension? Or just buy a set of rubber cones?

[@Radfordperson]

Not just as easy as that. There are many differences on a Hydrolastic Mini. Many years ago I did the conversion to dry. For a start, the rear radius arms are different, also the front top arms are different.

[@mad-maxx2211]

@@Radfordperson yeah you’re right. I already ordered an entire new dry rear subframe assembly complete with brake lines, rubber cones , radius arms and drums. I’m just wondering how I can use my front sub frame since it doesn’t have shock springs in the front. Just hydro bags. I have a 69 mk 2

[@Radfordperson]

@@mad-maxx2211 Mine is also a 1969 MK 2, 998 engine, You need the dry front suspension top arms, and the shock absorber top mounting brackets. You may not have the welded on nuts (to the body) to secure the mounts, my car had the holes, but no welded on nuts. I manage to use some ordinary nuts. Also the front hydrolastic units are held in the towers by sort of flanges in the towers, after removing the hydro units, I had flatten these flanges with a hammer and chisel to get the rubber cones to sit properly. My 998 engine is bored out, 630 cam, duplex timing gears, 12G295 head and single 1 1/2" SU.

[@mad-maxx2211]

@@Radfordperson very informative. Thank you very much. I’m in the process of taking everything apart now. Any more helpful suggestions and tips are highly appreciated. I will start looking for top front arms.

[@Radfordperson]

@@mad-maxx2211 You may need to use some washers on the suspension knuckles to get the correct suspension height. I think you need top dry top arms mainly because they are a different ratio to the wet ones. (from memory). The wet rear subframe can be used (if not too rusty). I have two other Minis, one is a Riley Elf (hydro suspension). If you get stuck, I'll try and help. I did the dry conversion about 1977, Mini spares gave me completely the wrong info before doing the job.

[@geofham8332]

Hi, Cooper S had two fuel tanks can't see two on this shell.

[@ianburit3705]

were export versions fitted with them I wonder? - see - www.minicooper.org/mk2-coopers/post-5091/

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

They did not all have two tanks.

[@ianburit3705]

Thanks, I was politely trying to say this to the other person. Seems they were fitted on special order for Non S versions too.. Love your Mini though, I raced the supposedly 850 for a few years when I was younger / slimmer/ have trouble fitting in one now..lol.@@ThisWeekWithCars

[@jimhenry8279]

1965 and earlier twin tanks were optional. 1966 and up twin tanks were standard. Not sure what year this one is

[@TornadoCAN99]

@@ianburit3705 Have heard having two tanks on a road car can be problematic. Parking on a sideways incline/along ditch etc can lead to lots of fuel flowing from uphill tank down to downhill side tank and out the fuel cap air vent. There is no one way valving between the two tanks, both connected direct "Y" to fuel line running to pump.

[@donprice9050]

I love these videos BUT they keep freezing on me. No other KZbin videos do this. Any ideas?

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

They are uploaded in 4K maybe you need to turn your quality down?

[@donprice9050]

@@ThisWeekWithCars fixed thanks!

[@johnmoruzzi7236]

Such a shame you can’t get special rear plates made up to suit the UK / euro long rectangular format... US style ones always look bad on Jaguars etc.

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

We are allowed to run UK plates as long as we have our regular plates inside the car. I have done this on many of my cars, a lot of time I will just put the US plate on a magnet and can put it on the outside if I feel like displaying it instead of the UK plate.

[@davidjohns.3065]

British cars with the steering wheel on the wrong side is just er well wrong.

[@2H80vids]

This comment is just er well wrong. The whole "wrong side" thing gets pretty tiresome when you see it every time a British car is seen by Americans. It's so predictable and completely pointless.

[@wangdangdoodie]

I didn't think American cars had steering wheels!

[@2H80vids]

@@wangdangdoodie Of course they do. Watch *any* US film; that's what makes them squeal every time they take a slight bend. 😂

[@johnrroberts7900]

You should be happy the wipers point 'American', lol.