See attachments! 2011-T3 hex stock, M10 Aurora heim joints, lh/rh thread for jackscrew/preloading. Control arms to follow! Now I just need to make a trip to the hardware store for the through-bolts. What do you think?

 

Very Nicely done. Let us know how they work out for you.

 

Slick as hell. Homemade products are always the best. I'm looking at fabbing up a set of camber plates myself.

- Matt

 

Very nice. Are the parts strong enough?

 

These look great - you have done a very nice job

...BUT, I would be surprised if you don't find them noisy. My friend made a set for his MINI and mine, but no matter what we tried they rattled too much and we both decided to go back to the factory ones. At first we though the rattling noise was due to us not centering them properly, but after numerous tries we agreed that the noise was simply due to the metal rose-joint and the fact that they weren't self-centering. The OEM ones have a nolethane (or similar) material for the rose-joint and seem to have a self-centering design.

I hope you make a post after you have fitted them and prove me wrong - then I can get some advice form you on how to make some non-rattling versions.

 

...to lift an MCS with a crane? Yes.

The bar itself is by far stronger than the heim joints...which are rated to static load of 4800 lbs. The bar should be good to roughly 20,000 lbs (in tension) before failure.

As for noise... I'll have to test them and see.

 

Cool. Looks great! How much did they cost to fab up?

Thanks!

 

Nice Job!

 

+1

 

looks good

 

That is "Freakin Sweet". Really do hope they work out for you. If they do, mayby a thurough how to is in order?

 

I hope you have better luck with your links than I had with mine!



Jim

 

Don't take this the wrong way, but if you have the equipment and skills to follow the appropriate "how-to" then you wouldn't need the "how-to" in the first place. It's like asking if you can put a SBC into an Isetta. If you have to ask, the answer is no.

We'll just say the job is easy if you have a lathe and a knowledge of basic manufacturing processes.

 

Not to jump into what may result in a hostile threadjacking followed by a failure to recall the topic of the original post, but...

I wanted to respond to this well-intentioned but nevertheless condescending commend:

Knowledge can be obtained quite easily these days when one is determined to learn. Equipment is readily available. If you can afford to mod your Mini but prefer to learn to make the parts you want -- rather than hope someone else does; it is not unreasonable to pit the benefits/cost of knowledge and equipment against the expense and probability that someone else will make exactly what you're looking for.

Sometimes the first step is to ask a seemingly "stupid" question

 

I too don't understand the OP's response

I personally feel the broken rod end above is from a shear failure caused by a bind.

 

Doesn't look like shear failure to me (from the pic). Looks more like a fatigue fracture. Notice that the rod ends used are plated....the color is indicative of a common, low strength rod end. One can buy much higher strength rod ends than these...it would be better to use a "step shank" rod end for these end links.

 

I've snapped 4 endlinks and Alta doesnt want to own up to it. Once prior to lowering and 3 after. Now, Im only running a left link (and that's about to go)....So, Im just sponsored by Lowe's DIY Racing Team...LMAO

 

So what would be the best suggestion for a quality set of endlinks if I am not concerned about the rattles?

 

Sorry...ever heard of Aurora Rod Ends?

http://www.aurorabearing.com/

They are not a "common, low strength rod end."

Jim

 

I'm going to go with these:
http://www.txwerks.com/servlet/Detail?no=5


Jim

 

simply stated, the aftermarket links kit is junk....better that you know that spherical rod ends are to be attached with a working geometry that is pure straight line compression/tension.......the pix of the failure shows fatique, not in shear but in bending...those "aurora" rod ends cannot take bending stress for very long.....those aftermarket links look cool but do not impress once they are installed.....the point to note is, unlike the factory rod end, the rod ends found at the racer's store are to be connected (1) using a structural through-bolt fastener (as in the military AN variety of about 100,000psi) and not the Chinese bolts from Home Depot....and (2) it is very important that any connection be in double shear....not single shear like the factory connection which is designed for it.....the double shear requirement for the links in the MINI would mean another widget should be fabricated and sent with the links kit....

 

I like those ! Didn't know they had them. Wonder if that is the price for a pair.

 

___________________

..stick with the factory links....

 

I don't care for the rubber bushings and I have lowered springs.

 

Yes that is price for a pair.