44 July 2019 MiniWorld

[ Expert advice ]

Problems with your Mini? Tim Mundy helps you get them sorted...

fi  ed with 8.4-inch diameter

front discs and, unless you

are planning to make major

performance improvements to

the engine, there should be no

need to uprate the brakes. The

fi rst thing to do is to make sure

that they are in correct working

order and that discs, pads and

calipers are all in good condition

at the front, and the cylinders,

linings and drums are good, and

properly adjusted, at the back.

Also check the condition of the

fl exible hoses and brake pipes all

round. Make sure that all of the

parts fi  ed are good quality.

If you do still want to upgrade,

the easiest way is to fi t new

Tim Mundy has worked on Minis since the age of 13. In

the 1990s he worked for Oselli Engineering and has

been writing for MiniWorld for 23 years. He has owned

more than 20 Minis and built two from scratch.

A s k  m

Email: [email protected]

Post: MiniWorld Q&A, Kelsey

Media, Cudham Tithe Barn, Berrys

Hill, Cudham, Kent, TN16 3AG, UK

&A

Better brakes

Could you tell me if there is

an easy (and hopefully cheap)

way to upgrade the brakes on

my otherwise standard 1985

Mini City E? Is it a case of fi  ing

di erent pads or is it best to fi t

a servo? I drive a VW Golf every

day and fi nd the Mini’s brakes

alarming to say the least!

Craig Minshaw

The fi rst thing to remember is

that the braking system on your

Mini dates back to the 1970s

and will feel somewhat less

capable than the brakes on a

recent car. A 1985 Mini will be

Four-synchro magic wand

gearboxes have the same

internals as remote boxes.

EBC GreenStuff pads and new discs are an

excellent and relatively inexpensive upgrade.