and spare coolant .

Hi Howard

If you're going to carry a spare water pump during your long distance travels, remember to also carry a new gasket in addition to the correct tool to facilitate the complete removal of the old gasket.

The lug nut issue; tools to remove various lug nuts; and checking sizes of all lug nuts on the car and in the boot have been covered. But it has been a while. No harm in bringing up, again.

I'm glad I had a spare new electric fuel pump, so that I could install it at the side of the road at MMW Santa Rosa during the rally. Good advice there. And beating a dead horse here, even if you think you're not a mechanic, a simple set of tools is essential. At MMW, one fellow needed help replacing a thermostat because he lacked any 1/2" tool, and that's as simple as a Mini job gets.

So one thing I haven't seen mentioned here is to carry common lug nuts for your steel spare, if your road wheels are of the "mag" type and use proprietary chrome nuts.

Rears aren't adjusted the same as fronts.  Rear adjusters are threaded....turn in to tighten, turn out to loosen.

Front adjusters are on a "cam"...not threaded.

I know you know this Chuck...just clarifying for others

"Bleeding brakes seems to be an issue with some.
After installing new shoes, always adjust the brakes before attempting to bleed.... rears seem to get neglected when adjusting.
Rotate front adjusters in the direction of forward wheel rotation"

Rear brakes tighten by rotating the same way.

**Edit. Ignore. Thinking of one thing. Posting about another. Thanks, Spitz.

Don't mention the name of the troll in a thread title.

Don't drive from Liege in Belgium to Dundee Scotland, via London and a few other traffic busy towns, including Edinburgh without your radiator fan.

Especially with 3 passengers and a roof rack/boot fully laden.

not that I have had the problem, but double check torque on every wheel lug nut before driving.

This is corporate policy at COSTO Tire Centers. I asked when I observed the guy doing just that.

Bleeding brakes seems to be an issue with some.

After installing new shoes, always adjust the brakes before attempting to bleed.... rears seem to get neglected when adjusting.
Rotate front adjusters in the direction of forward wheel rotation

One should drive there mini and two not worry about it breaking down. that's AAA's job.....................

back before cell phones, Cheleker had a little cardboard box and a little toolbox, and a list of Miniacs between South Florida and Canada. Box had a water pump, a fanbelt, some new points and a few other whatsits. He picked up the car at the docks in Ft. Lauderdale and came to my house where we did some surgery on the seat mounts to give him some legroom, then we grabbed some pizza and told lies, and off he went. The next thing I knew he was in the Great Northwest telling bizarre stories. So I think the moral is to have tools, parts that you know how to replace, and friends on speed dial. Good on ya, Chuck. Me, I now have an F-250 and a trailer.

A habit from early Minis with no first gear syncro when stopped is to shift into 2nd gear then first. Do the same for reverse.

Don't start the car with the clutch pedal held down and don't sit at the stop light with the car in gear and the pedal down.

If running electronic ignition, have a spare.

 Carry a digital multimeter, was at woodward cruise trying to help a dead 57 T bird, no spark, no one had a DMM, me included, must have asked 500 car loads of people. 

Ice cream will not hurt paint or trim 

When removing or installing a mini motor,first remove the flywheel cover(wok) you will gain extra inches of space and not hit the inner fender.

I thought this might be an appropiate time to bring this thread back to the top.

Under the things one should NOT do is buy a Mini sight unseen. It rarely ends well.

To add to Chuck's advice to check the bonnet latch is secure, check that the stem of the bonnet latch is adjusted properly. When i bought my Mini, it had received an external re-spray (a very nice part of the deal) which saw the bonnet, doors and bootlid get removed for a full respray. When they put it back together, they screwed the bonnet latch stem in too far. It would catch and hold against the finger-pull test but wasn't secure. I picked up the car and headed home, a 250 mile trip. Once I got through the torrential downpour with hydroplaning but no motor hesitation (yay), and got on the open highway at about 90 - 100 kph, my heart almost stopped when the bonnet suddenly popped up onto the safety catch. I re-shut it (per Chuck's instructions) only to have it pop again a couple of miles later. After the 5th or 7th time, out came the 12ga copper tie wire. 

When you DO lower the bonnet and press in on the safety catch so it doesn't get damaged or the slam panel paint gets chipped and scratched, push down with your hand or hands in the middle front of the bonnet right over the main latch, so you don't twist or dent the bonnet - it is strongest where the latch is located. Then check to be sure it did latch, as Chuck advises.

I always drop the bonnet about 1foot down, i never never press the bonnet with my palm to force it down, because if you do it repeatedly , in time it will create a dent on the spot where you always press it, nope , not my style,,and never never put your finger  under the bonnet , if it does not latch, you'll surely know just by looking, because the bonnet is not aligned, if you put yourfinger under the bonnet, you know what will happen next.

Closing a Mini bonnet is not done by holding it wide open and dropping it. Let it down lightly. Feel with your hand to make sure that the safety latch is clear of the slam panel then push down on the bonnet with hands towards the front of the bonnet.
Next step: fingers a little under the bonnet and pull up to make sure it latched.