MINI Cooper upgrades

[DaveP189]

(reserved for edit - story/adventure of the supercharger pulley)

[DaveP189]

Jason, I have a question regarding the Brown MINI: what type of control arm bushings are you using? (yeah, all that time under the car and I never looked at 'em - too much else to look at, I guess ) - noted Greg (OnASled) posted on N.A.M. that he recommends against poly/u, and I posted for more info, but if I'm gonna make Stowe 2 I need to move soon - also discovered that it looks like I'm gonna have to either find the BWM tool to R&R the bushing or drop the front cradle to change ; it saddles with the sway bar mount and the bolts are too long to remove otherwise - I did post a question to him on the N.A.M. forum, just looking for your thoughts...

I did find a source for the poly/u bushings already pressed into the mounts; price between PowerFlex and OEM (oil-filled rubber) are pretty close...

Thompson, et al, don't be afraid to chime in...

Link to N.A.M. thread (Greg's post is #8)
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/fo ... hings.html

[brownMINI]

I had the Bavarian Autosport poly bushings that are offset to add caster. They don't seem to have them on their website anymore.

Greg has mentioned that these bind up more than he likes. But they are a huge improvement over shot stock bushings.

Another option is the Alta PSRS. It's not without it's issues too, though. The set screws on it often have to be tack welded to prevent them from loosening up.

If you had looked at my car, you would have noticed that the front control arm bushings aren't on my car anymore. Greg's redesign eliminates them.

[DaveP189]

I had the Bavarian Autosport poly bushings that are offset to add caster. They don't seem to have them on their website anymore.

Greg has mentioned that these bind up more than he likes. But they are a huge improvement over shot stock bushings.

Another option is the Alta PSRS. It's not without it's issues too, though. The set screws on it often have to be tack welded to prevent them from loosening up.

If you had looked at my car, you would have noticed that the front control arm bushings aren't on my car anymore. Greg's redesign eliminates them.

That's why I didn't remember (duh) - Bav. Auto. was my source for the OEM's, did see another site that offers the offset; http://www.WayMotorWorks.com for the Powerflex - I'm not feelin' the Alta PSRS on a daily driver (esp. in the NorthEast)...

[NY03SVT]

http://www.mini-madness.com/index.asp?P ... ProdID=323?

[brownMINI]

My take - go with stock replacements. Less potential for issues, and the improvement you'll feel just from a stock replacement will be huge.

Get bushings already pressed in a carrier. You can then just remove the bolts from the back half of the front subframe and drop just the back part and get the bushing in (in theory). You don't have to drop the entire subframe.

Of course, if your car is as rust prone as mine, it will be a completely horrible job. My car wound up at Ralph's Foreign Auto for three days as he dealt with seized bolts.

[TSR53]

I agree with Jason, stock replacement MINI bushings. From what I've read, they seem to be lasting around the ~60k mile mark. Spray all points with Kroil prior. Waxoyl with 120-4 clear afterwards.

[DaveP189]

Calling Bav/Auto in the morning, has the OEM's, pressed, for $54/side ($47 not) (no core!) and they're in NH (road trip = same day shopping!) - FYI I found the "Offset" poly's in the clearance section (a sign?), but not already pressed...

The tool to do in-car R&R ~$135 ...

Thanks for the info (here and N.A.M.) - glad I didn't post the pic.s of the R&D mule! - really like to see the finished product...

[DaveP189]

Well, after a busy morning on the old www and phone, finally found (and ordered) the OEM bushings already pressed - BavAuto and a couple other (trusted) were unavailable or out of stock, found at Way Motor Works (via N.A.M.), ship tomorrow from Hotlanta - time to head out with the jack and the PB Blaster ...

[DaveP189]

They say into every life some rain must fall, so ...

I completely zoned on the "remove outer ball joint" thing (a slight detail I missed whilst contemplating the overall 'remove front subframe' thing):

Outer ball joint can be removed with a pickle fork, but much care needs to be given if you plan on reusing it. Not much reason not to always replace it with new though. The inner ball joint housing can be unbolted from the subframe and left conected to the arm. No reason to replace unless it's bad, but easier then the outer to do so.
Getting the outer ball joint out of the hub carrier can be quite hard.

Not to mention hard on a already thin budget (the rain is turning to hail) and time frame for Stowe (winds starting to gust) and tool supply (I don't even know what state my pickling fork is in, but it's not VT) (winds reaching Cat. 3) - now I don't know if when I'm changing the bushings I'm gonna (a) try to save the seemly good outer ball joints to make Stowe II, or (b) wait until I can get the ball joints so: (1) I just change 'em and move on, even though they're not the problem and are more expensive than the bushings, or (b) have new ones as back-ups if I screw up removing the current ones (which based on my luck is the most likely scenerio) (and which if I don't, and I do, I then won't even be able to evacuate from the now tsumani as it's my only wheels)...

I shouldn't bitch too much as it's the first repair I've had to do to the MINI in the almost 2 years since I bought it (used), and it's not 20 degrees out (shut-up), but...

What a special little car this is ...