29/8/2016 The Mini Experiment - Metro Brake Conversion

CHANGING YOUR MINI CLUBMAN FROM DRUM

BRAKES TO METRO 4 POT VENTED BRAKES
There is surprisingly little information about converting to disc using the universal donor car the Mini
Metro. This car came with 8.4" discs and four pot opposed piston callipers (which on a Mini prove very
effective). Now I managed to find a place that in England that would sell me the parts for about
AUD$180. Which sounded like a bargain. But to send the parts would cost me AUD$270-360.00. So I
guess I had to say no.

Now there a pro's and cons to everthing and the Metro conversions is no exception. In researching this
idea I came across alot of conflicting information about converting using all Metro parts especially Metro
swivel hubs.

Note: Don't use the Metro hubs. It is a false economy, while you can buy the whole thing as a complete
unit, this leads to problems with the steering geometry etc. While they are quite expensive, it makes life
so much easier and the car will run perfectly if you buy Mini disc hubs, the tutorial here works on the
premise that Mini hubs NOT metro hubs have been used. I used them and everthing else just bolts
straight on. Don't Argue. But if you still aren't convinced read below and tell me whether you think this
isn't a pain in the arse.

Circa 2001.

But I think I may have got to the bottom of the problem now. I have been talking to a very well informed
bloke named Mark Downie on the net and he sent me the information below in reply to the following
questions:

1. Do Metro hubs give a positive camber

2. What drive shafts work wiht the metro hubs and flanges
3. Do you use Cooper S drive shafts and CV's??
4. And finally can I put Mini ball joints on to Metro Hubs??

Marks Reply:

Matt, Metro hubs do give positive camber but that is fixed with a set of adjustable bottom arms. You use
normal mini drive shafts but you have to use the metro cv's as they are bigger in size but have the same
spline for the sfats, also Mini ball joints will screw straight onto the metro hubs the only difference is the
bottom metro one is bigger in diamter the top one doesn't have to be changed.

Now to clarify, you can get standard bottom arms that have been lengthened to give a 1.5 degree
increase or negative camber which should theoretically cancel out the positive camber created by the
hubs. Adjustable bottom arms might not get you passed some rego inspectors, especially rose jointed
(seam welded bottom arms).

But you can always go the dodge root and buy the lengthened arms to get through rego and then the
adjustables after you get the all important rego sticker. As for the question that occurred to me about the
ball joints. You may have to purchase a new ball joint for the Metro which has the same taper on the
finger as a Mini balljoint and this will get you passed the larger diameter problem.

Finally there is also another good article to read if you want to get serious about this and that is located
on the SA Modified Mini Car Club site and was written by a woman named Gemma Kernich.

Click on picture for a larger view

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Step by
step
removal This is a view of the drum brake setup with the drum
and removed
installation
of brakes

Overview of brake setup

This is vitally important and can be obtained from

most Mini Spares places around Australia, but be
STEP 1: prepared to shell out a bit of money. I bought a
Obtain a second hand set that had been fully reconditioned
set of for approximately $1100. This was everything hubs
authentic (with new swivel joints), cv's, discs (8.4 inch solid),
Mini Hubs and flange. So not bad and this will be enough to
bring good braking to your Mini, a vast improvement
on what you experience with drums.

This can be obtained from numerous sources. I

obtained mine from Mini Spares in Britain while I was
over there working. Obviously this is a little more
STEP 2:
difficult for people in Australia. From memory it cost
Obtain a
me about $250 for the whole system so they aren't
Metro
that expensive. Unfortunately the frieght would
Conversion
probably kill you (vastly more than the cost of the
Pack
parts). Therefore you have to try and find a place
that imports the kits the Australia Direct branch of
Mini Spares may be a way to go.

You can actually buy brand new cv joints. Given the

cost of reconditioned ones you might as well buy
brand new ones. Cost will be around $400. At least
STEP 3:
that's what I paid. Basically the difference between
Obtain
these CV's and the ones for drums is that the
Disc Brake
diameter of the drive shaft end is thicker. This is to
CV Joints
accommodate the extra stress that the CV takes
and the force that is exerted during acceleration
and braking.

Now how to put them on...

1. Take off the wheel

2. Disconnect Tie Rod from the bottom of the
hub. You may need to loosen the bolt at the
front of the tie rod where it meets the front of
the subframe.
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3. Undo retaining screws on drum and remove

Step 1 drum. This can be a bit tricky and may
require the use of a screwdrive to prise it off
from the back. Also tap around the drum a
few times which may loosen it a bit.
4. Take off bearing cap to expose castellated
nut
5. undo the castlated nut (remove split pin first
obviously)

Once the drum is off and the castellated nut has

been removed, split the ball joints both upper and
lower. This is done by loosening the nut at the top
of the ball joint, and bring up so that top of the nut
sits flush with the top of the pin. I am assuming you
are using a scissor type ball joint splitter, place this
Step 2
with the fork end between the bottom of the
suspension arm and the domed lower part of the
balljoint. Tighten the bolt at the opposite end and
eventually you should hear a loud crack. Continue
to undo the bolt on the balljoint. Repeat process for
bottom balljoint.

Disconnect brake hose from caliper. This can be

tricky as you will need to undo the junction where
the hose connects to the subframe. And no one
tells you that you can't undo it by trying to
undo the hose junction in the wheel well. Here
is a photo of the junction (there is nut on the inside
of the engine bay). This is a two person job in that it
requires someone to hold a spanner on the bottom
nut as you undo the top one with another spanner
(Note: Due to metal brake pipe running through the
middle it is impossible to get a socket on it. You
have to use an open ended spanner, and loosen
from inside the engine bay or through the very small
Step 3 apeture in the side that small window directly above
where the hose connect to the body! In the picture I
have actually drawn how it would look if you could
actually see through the metal). Use the spanner
inside the wheelwell to hold is steady as you try and
loosen it. Once even slightly loose you can use the
spanner in the wheelwell to take the hose end out.

Also note that hose is essentially a bolt inside the

wheel well there is nut and into the end of the hose
also screws the steel line from the master cylinder.
Trust me if you're wondering why I am writing so
much about this stage attempt it and you may
understand unless you are a god in the garage!

Do this process for both brake hose junctions there

are one either side of the engine bay. Once you
have the hoses disconnected from the brake
junctions you can then set about taking the brake
hubs off. Assuming that you have broken the ball

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joints and disconnected the swivel joints where the

steering rack attaches to the hubs. Then it should
Step 4
just require a bit of elbow grease to loosen the hubs
from the upper and lower suspension arms (control
arms or whatever you want to call them.). Remove
the hubs and place them somewhere. You are now
ready to put in the new disc brake hubs. You can
compare at this stage basically the drum brake hub
is smaller in circumference and the diametre of the
hose where the CV joint and stub axle slide through
is smaller.

Installation of the disc hub is the reverse of removal

(bad joke). But essentially it is. But here a few points
to remember.

Adjust ball joints prior to installation. And then install

the lower balljoint into the aperture of the lower
suspension arm, put on washer and do nut up finger
tight. Place the bearing cup, inner grease seal and
spacer on the CV joint/drive shaft (see pic for full
description). Apply plenty of molybdenum grease (or
you version of high temp grease) to the drive shaft
and then slide through the hub as far it can go. This
could be a little tricky as the spacer can sometimes
fall and stop the passage of the drive shaft. But you
will get it eventually. You will know when you have
got it all the way through as there should be plenty
of thread showing at the tip of the driveshaft where
Step 5 the castellated nut goes on. Ensure that the drive
shaft hasn't dropped out of the diff at the other as
come sometimes happen especially cup type diffs
(yes I have forgotten the technical term).

Once in place move the drive shaft/CV joint and hub

up so that the top balljoint pokes throught the top
suspension arm and put the washer and nut on the
ball joint threads and do them up only finger tight.
Then place the outer, bearing cup, roller bearing,
grease seal and cone washer on the outer end of
the drive shaft. Once this is all in position put on the
castellated nut and torque to appropriate level ( )
and place split pin through. Now you may find that
the holes don't align for the split pin this may require
you to loosen off or tighten slightly to align, but don't
go overboard.

Well almost finished...

Attach the brake hose to the brake calliper. Now if

you are using the 4 pot vented ones then this gets a
little tricky as there is a two threaded holes for the
brake hose. But you should have received a pair of
hoses for each calliper, the main hose and a banjo
hose (probably goodrich braided hoses, very nice!).

Attached the hoses in the usual way (screw them

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into the callipers but carefully). Now don't do what I

did the first time and mount them upside down!
Make sure the bleed nipple is at the top and not the
bottom. Otherwise you will get absolutely no pedal
pressure no matter how much you bleed them!!!

Now the tricky part. I am sure there is someway

professional way to ensure this doesn't happen but
Step 6 fucked if I know what it is. And obviously my mate at
the workshop who has worked on Minis doesn't
know either. What am I talking about. Well kinks in
the brake hoses.

It is very easy when you go to attach the brake hose

to the brake junction on the side of the engine bay
to get the brake hose winding around itself, like this

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