Drive shafts & drive flanges

Rubber coupling or Moulton type driveshafts were fitted to the vast majority of Minis prior to 1973.  This included all manual cars with front drum brakes, plus disc-braked Coopers, pre-1966 Cooper Ss and 1275GTs manufactured before 1973.  During the first few years of production the rubber coupling type drive shaft was subjected to two noteworthy modifications, both at the outer or hub end, where the number of splines on the joint changed and the front wheel bearings changed.  This broadly means if you have 1959-60 drive shafts (identifiable by 18 rather than 19 splines at the outer end) requiring new outer constant velocity joints or hub bearings, you may well find it easier to replace complete assemblies rather than to try to hunt down specific components.

The fabled Hardy Spicer drive shaft was fitted to Minis at opposite ends of the performance spectrum - i.e. the Mini Cooper S and the Mini Automatic - the more usual rubber couplings being deemed not resilient enough for either application.  By 1971 the Cooper S was out of production, leaving the Automatic as the last Mini to be fitted with Hardy Spicer drive shafts - ironic, when the Hardy Spicer items were always lusted after by Mini tuners. In 1973, along with the rest of the Mini range, the Automatic received 'pot' joint drive shafts (see below).

All Models 1973 On
The long-lived 'pot' joint type driveshafts saw service on all Minis through to the end of production in 2000, proving a reasonably strong and reliable design.

The outer C.V. joint, often referred to as the 'bell joint', falls into two types.  The first is that used on all drum braked Minis and disc braked Mini Coopers (but not Cooper S), while the second type is used on the disc braked Mini Cooper S and 1275 GT, plus all Minis after 1984 when disc brakes were introduced across the entire model range. 

All Drum Braked Models, Plus Cooper

The very earliest 1959-60 cars used different front wheel bearings which became unavailable many years ago.  The outer C.V. joint and drive shaft design were also unique to these cars, which means it may be simpler to find a later drive shaft/C.V. joint/drive flange assembly to use today - unless you're lucky and the later assembly has already been fitted (please see the comment under 'Rubber Coupling Type Drive Shafts' above for identification of original 1959-60 drive shafts).

1960-84, Drum Braked Models; 1961-69, Cooper (7" Dia. Disc Braked Models)

1974-80, 1275 GT; 1984 On, All Models (8 3/8" Dia. Disc Braked Models)