The latest and greatest!

As always, if you get into it and have a question, feel free to contact me and I'll try to walk you through it.

Tools required

10mm socket
13mm socket
16mm socket
18mm socket
Ratchet
13mm wrench
17mm wrench
18mm wrench
Phillips screwdriver
Big standard screwdriver or small prybar
Jack
Stands

Time required

2 1/2 hours plus

Jack the car up and get the front on stands. Check out the brake bleed how-to to see one way to jack up the car. The optimum way to do it is with a lift, but I've done just about every mod with a floorjack - so it can be done.

1. After taking off the wheel, remove the lower swaybar to droplink nut using the 17mm wrench on the backside and the 16mm socket on the nut.

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Again, let me know if there are questions.

Special thanks to ficcion for the great photos!!

Randy Webb
Owner, MINI Cooper Motorsport
720-841-1002
randy@mini-motorsport.com
http://www.mini-motorsport.com

_________________

Click It!

 

Great report - when can we order these and how much for the set?

 

Randy,
Re. the action shot...tell me that is the lighting
and not rust on the underbody....

 

There's no rust - it must be the lighting. I haven't had a chance to clean the underside lately - I'll get to it (I like to use Q-tips on the underbelly).

As for availability, soon - after the evaluation period is finished I'll be giving the pricing info. Maybe a week or two.

Randy

 

Randy, great to see that Hotchkis has finally got some of their products out to you. I was wondering if they sent you their other stuff or not? I'd be intrested in your opinion on their springs and how they compare to the H&R's or the KW's. I'd like to see if there is a advantage to using all their products together or if mixing and matching is the way to go. Thanks, Rich

 

Rich,

Mark Hotchkis has been really great to work with. He's sending the whole shabang - so I should be able to get a pretty good idea of the entire package, as well as the comparison to other brands.

Of course, I'll let you all know how it goes.

Randy

 

I am moving to colorado. :???: not any time soon unforutinately.

 

Yeah, it's been tough here in Colorado the last few days - blue skies, light breezes, and temps in the 70's. And of course all of the mountain roads

 

So if you are going to sell these, what is the pricing looking like. Is it going to be much more than the madness or about the same. And what about the rear bar. Also are you going to test these new bars soon to be found at the tire rack, I believe they are from H&R, could be wrong though. Thanks alot.

--------------------------------WARNING!--------------------------------
YOU ARE ENTERING AN OFF TOPIC ZONE
(play twilight zone music)

On a side not and off topic I am looking for a mid summer delivery of my MCS. Havent ordered it yet. Tom Bush MINI told me 6-8 weeks. But I have to do one more thing to fulfill my parents requirements, which should be done soon. Did the test drive too. My dad and I were at 90mph on the dames point bridge (jax fl) before noticing, so very fun. And I only have around 5 months left until FSU. Which means about 1 month with the MCS. I cant take it with me because of insurance so my dad will drive it, no one else though, so sad, for me at least. Sorry for the off topic.

 

always wanted a Mini forever. Got a good deal on a 2003 S with 6 speed. Now to fix it up. I can not keep any car stock. I am a hotrodder at heart and its got to better. Got a 6-71 blown 23 T bucket, 29 Tudor sedan and the kids racing karts, and now the Mini. I do EVERYTHING myself and got all the tools and welders etc.....

Bought the R Speed sway bar off Ebay for $160 and put it on Saturday morning. Took the driverside strut and removed that side subframe bolts out and loosened the other side like the other guy said. It is much easier just to remove the other strut and bolts as well. Only 3 bolts holding on the strut anyway.

The hardest part was getting the old bar and new bar around that big wire loom. It is ziptied in 3 places but the top tie was fairly hard to get at. I removed the blade out of my hacksaw and just held it my hand and reached in and cut the tiewrap, then I was able to remove the old bar.

I took my time and did it by myself and it took prolly less than two hours. Next time would be alot faster. Next mods will be a header and a one ball pipe I will fab and install. Stopped by Midas Saturday just to see what they would get for doing the pipe. Figured if they would do it $100 I'd let them do it. They guy said $250-$300. I said no way. I can do it myself for $50 or less. Get some bends and clamps from Summit and cut and weld up a pipe. Remove the extra muffler until I get around to paying the bucks for a cat-back. Also the smaller blower pulley and chip. Gonna need some new tarz soon and get rid of them Run Flats.

Gary
Houston, Texas