Jacking Points

[firstforward]

My Mini is a 1993 only 12K miles and as a result is very good condition bodywork wise. When I was purchasing the car I noticed the front foot wells has deformed slightly ( so I thought) from where the car had previously been jacked up by 4 poster lifts but this is pretty normal with Mini's anyway.

This weekend I thought I would rectify the indentations and to my surprise I was horrified to find that the seams of the floor to the back of the front wheel arch had slightly separated. On inspection underside the seam sealer had also parted allowing rust to form, later after removing all the seam sealer and with a little sandblasting I have ended up with a 4 inch gash where the 2 panels join. The other side appears to be the same.

My question is this: Are Mini Auto more prone to this floor deformation because they are heavier? I ask this because mine seems to be more than I have seen on other manual Mini's. Has anybody else had this problem and have you strengthened the floor to and degree.

[shoutforjoy]

I haven't noticed any greater problem with auto Minis. Mine does have the problem where people have jacked using the footwells too but it's no worse that I have seen on manuals. The extra weight in an auto Mini is all at the front end in the engine/box so you would imagine that it does put some extra strain on when you jack using the footwells. I wonder if it's just that the newer Minis are made with inferior steel, it does seem that those from late 80's onwards are more prone to rust problems and the like.

[clambod]

I just wish people would not jack minis up using those bits of bent metal. They look like jacking points but are not. They were used during manufacture. I always cut them off to stop anyone using them. I always insist that it is jacked under the subframes.

[asahartz]

Too right. The plates at each end of the sill are factory lifting sling points. The only safe place to jack a Mini is under the subframes. I was discussing this in another forum only yesterday; I reckon every Mini I've had has had the floor deformed from tyre bay muppets jacking there. I reckon we should all paint bright yellow circles on our subframes to indicate the jacking points! I once had to rush into a tyre bay to stop the fitter jacking on the rear subframe rear crossmember - the only part of the rear subby that's not safe to jack on!

Sadly time also takes it's toll on the bodies, so a 93 car won't automatically be in good body order just because it is low mileage. Our 91 Mini Neon only had 18500 miles on it when we bought it two years ago. I still had to replace both sills last year, along with a few small floor patches.