Ok my job is done

My experience was hindered by a frozen torx screw in the passengers side rotor. Breaker bar was no use. It stripped quickly. Yes I used penetrating oil and a lot of it. tried to drill it out and broke a few bits and a new extractor.

My solution was simple. Local pepboys are my pals had my new screws so I put everything back together and they put it on the lift. torched it until red hot and BAM IMACT HAMMAR!

put the new one in. drove home and finished the job. went with WMW rotors and greenstuff pads (thanks way). work great no light and we are back on the road.

Don't fear doing the rotors be careful and if you do not have an impact hammer or torch you a plan B (only added 50 bucks to the job FYI)

If you are changing rotors I would highly recommend you break these first! If things go bad you can get the thing out at a shop. best 50 bucks I spent today.

driver side note my caliper balancing box



new rotor on pads going in



and there you go


I know a little fuzzy but you can see how bad the old pads were ( so much dust)

 

Word of caution there are so many various types of configurations as far as the brakes hardware it is mind blowing I just did the rear brakes on my 2009 Mini S and it wasn't like anything I have seen on any youtube video or how to's. The 2009 has two metal clips that snap on the rotor that hold the pads in, that cost me time. Indicator lights specifically the Red Brake light, I have seen explained away 4 or 5 different ways in my case it ment it has been X amout of miles or years time to replace rear brakes. I think it also can be a sensor light but look up the code first. I even seen it explained away has low brake fluid or the emergency brake being the problem and a lose gas gap. I can say for certain in my case it was a preset indicator light just telling me that the rear brakes where due to be changed. All the information you find about changing your brakes is very helpful and thanks to the people who put it out their, just make sure you take your tire off and look at your cars configuration before you order parts. The internet will give you the basics and they are all helpful but as I said the configuration of my Mini Cooper was unlike any I seen on the web.

 

This was great to replace pads, but has anyone repalced the rotors? I need to know how to loosen the torx bolt with out breaking the torx socket.

can anyone help please.

 

Very carefully!

Just wanted to thank you, OctaneGuy, for your write up as it helped me out with my first brake job on a MINI. I guess I should have read the entire thread, but I was kinda in a hurry and just read your 1st post and watched a video from another thread about doing the rotors.....4th post down...

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...or-change.html

In that video, the nut that holds the rotor on was a hex and I didn't know if it was a MINI or some other BMW he was working on; hence, I got the car jacked up and wheel off and immediately saw the "star" torx bolt. Luckily I had a truck to take to the parts store to get the bit.

Oh, I did have quite a time getting that bugger to come loose, too. It was the most difficult part of the entire job. Obviously, it went back on with anti-seize on the threads.

Thanks again for your time consuming effort writing this up and including the pictures!

 

Yes,

The brake rotor screws can be seized to the rotor if you live in a climate that has salt on the roads. I replace these every time I do a brake job. You can spray PB blaster behind the screw on the hub and on the connection of the flange to the screw seat. Let in soak for a while. Then try with the torx.

Also apply a little anti - seize to the threads when you put the new ones in.

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/07136772426/ES16458/



One is used one per rotor.


Here is another thread about it: Hopefully you will not have to heat them up.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...rew-issue.html

Thanks

 

I can't get past step 1 as I don't drink coffee :( nice write up I like how you time it too.

 

I hate when these things get so old that the pictures aren't hosted by the member anymore. We should get these moved to a place where they will also be present...

 

Well an impact wrench would work. I got one out easily with a breaker bar the other was so tough it was starting to strip. I did not have a torch so I buttoned up the car, drove to pepboys and they torched it out for me for 20 bucks. Note I had new screws with me from the deal and I just installed those for the drive home.

 

I'll be doing my brakes tomorrow, and this thread really defined how to do it. But, the pictures are missing. Looking at other threads I came across a link that does show these pictures; http://soopercooperinfo.com/lindaminidiy11-09.html

These repairs are listed alphabetically.

Juanpablo2002

 

When I had my 09 justa, I did both front and rear pads and rotors.. I researched on you tube, and I had a Bentley manual. I worked slowly and carefully. It all went very well. Be well prepared, and unhurried.
Now, whenever I switch between summer and winter tires, I always loosen and retighten the torx bolt, just to avoid any difficulties later on.

 

I've gone through this post several times with my 2003 Cooper S, including changing rotors at least twice. This time I thought I had accidentally pulled the connector for the front sensor loose or broken the part that comes from the rest of the car (plastic has deteriorated to the point it's crumbly when you try and release the connector). Fortunately, the wiring and socket part only runs about $15 from the dealership. A little cutting, wrapping wires together, solder, and a little heat-shrink tubing and it's good as new.

I ran into an issue after replacing all pads and both sensors this time, where the sensor light was still on. I thought I had messed up the wiring job but after reading well into this post, the solution was just to put the key to position 2 and wait a minute. The car eventually figured out that it needed to reset the light. Color me relieved, as the alternative was to start taking the wiring harness apart from the left front to find where the sensor wire might have broken.

 

This thread, already great/helpful/deserving of muchos kudos, would be the penultimate aid to those lucky/foolhardy/daring/traditional enuf 1st gen DIYers able to resist the "progress" drumbeat via principle or lack of funds or both, if the pictorial parts, seemingly victims of that same run ahead of the techtrain mantra, were still viewable, which they weren't, for me, using Android tablet. Getting one's nice new Nikon blackened by soot in order to share is true altruism, but sadly the virtual machine runs on 93 octane profit.