Shock absorbers

[Tim Grey]

Hi Folks,

New to minor ownership and have just discovered that the telescopic shock absorbers on my Minor are 'odd'.
The bottom fitting is the normal fixed grommet and steel tube, at about 10mm dia.
However, the top fitting has 2 rubber collars/bushes that are compressed into position by the nut and washers on the post on the chassis.
That post is 12.5mm or half inch.

Can anyone point me in the direction of a source for replacement shocks?
The only ones I'm finding have both fixtures like the bottom on mine.
I really don't want to have to cut the exiting posts out then weld in different posts on the chassis.

Many thanks, Tim

[Bill_qaz]

Telescopic shockers are non standard. The chassis pin, if you are talking rear is for the link to the original arm type shocker.

20250415_132832.jpg (978.99 KiB) Viewed 75 times

[Steve Phillips]

10mm could actually be 3/8" diameter, some classic Mini's had stem / loop dampers on the rear, and were 3/8"

There should be some identifying numbers on the body of the dampers under the dirt and corrosion that might help identify them, but Mini has been used a lot in the past, if they are 10mm they could be from a variety of modern vehicles,

If you can't find any identifying numbers take one off, measure it's open and closed length and bush and pin size and talk to spax or gaz (or any other aftermarket damper supplier you can think of) to see if they can help,

Steve

[philthehill]

What you describe is normal if using the original top mount pin.
A photo of the damper set up as fitted would be helpful.
The use of classic Mini front dampers on the rear of a Minor is quite common.
My current rear dampers which are gas filled classic Mini front dampers are fitted to the top pin using a single rubber bush (No: 3 in the photo below) similar to that fitted to the top of the Minor rear damper link.
The old top bush can be pressed out of the Classic Mini front damper and the Minor link bush pressed in. The link bush is the correct size for both the classic Mini damper eye and the Minor chassis pin. It does not require the support tube.
The lower damper eye is fitted with the bush and supporting tube as normal.
Below is a photo of the bushes described above

Damper link bushes.JPG (80.4 KiB) Viewed 48 times

No: 1 is the one piece Minor damper link bush. The link with bush (fitted) was purchased from ESM.
No: 2 is the one piece classic Mini damper link bush without support tube.
No: 3 is the one piece classic Mini Cooper damper bush which I have used and which has more defined shoulders..
No: 4 is one of the Minor two piece bushes used as original.
The use of poly bushes for this damper mount application is not recommended.