Suspension :: Rear Swaybar Install How-to
 

The latest How-to from MINI-Motorsport. As always, if there are any questions, feel free to post (for the benefit of all) or you can call me.

Tools required: Jack and jackstands, 21mm wrench or socket, 13mm socket, 16mm socket, 16mm wrench, 5mm allen, pry bar (not necessary, but helpful).

Time required: About 2 hours your first time.

Step 1. Jack up the car and place jackstands under it. Remove the wheels with 16mm.

Step 2. Use 16mm wrench and 5mm allen to remove the drop link from the sway bar. You can see that the bolt in the picture (part of the droplink) has an allen in the center of it. This is to prevent it from turning as you loosen the 16mm.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...0/fceeaf7c.jpg

Step 3. Remove the strut. Start by taking the ABS sensor line and the brake line off of the strut mounts - they just wiggle on and off. Then remove the lower 21mm bolt that holds the strut to the rear hub carrier.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...d/fceeab87.jpg

You can see the lower bolt here - it's the one with the triangular plate behind it. After you pull that, take the upper strut 13mm bolts out. There are two. They come out from under the car, so you don't have to even open the rear boot. Once those three bolts are removed, the strut just comes right out.

Step 4. Remove the 13mm swaybar mount bolts. There are two on each side that mount the swaybar to the rear subframe. Here, they have already been removed, but the bolt holes are visible to the left of the strut.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...7/fceead31.jpg

Step 5. Remove the rear subframe mounting 16mm bolts. There are four bolts total, two on each side. Each side has one toward the center of the car, and one toward the outside of the car. The outside bolt is just forward of where the brake line and ABS sensor are mounted to the rear subframe. Once you get under the car, they become much more obvious. The inner bolt is shorter than the outer bolt.

This is the inner bolt location:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...0/fceeaca7.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...b/fceeac5c.jpg

Here are the bolts once you have them removed:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...c/fceeb06c.jpg

Step 6. Remove the old swaybar. This is where two people and a prybar may come in handy. Fish the bar out one side as far as you can - you will end up hitting a wire bundle that is in the center of the car (you can see it when you are fishing). You will then need to pry the rear subframe down some - enough to slide the bar rearward and through the gap you created by moving the subframe down. Once you get the bar on the other side of the subframe, you will have enough room to clear the wiring harness, and it will slide out.

Step 7. Reinstall the new bar by fishing and prying the same way you got the old bar out. You can then lube the new bushings (lube and bushings come with the new bar) and fit the bar. If you like, you can start the 13mm swaybar mount bolts as well. That will keep it in place when you reinstall the subframe.

Step 8. Have another person raise the rear subframe while you get the subframe bolt started. Start the inner bolt first. It will appear that the subframe has shifted to the rear of the car, but you will find that the geometry of it will cause it to be pretty close when you raise it back into position. Get all four bolts started first, then tighten them all. There are no slots, so you can't mess up the alignment.

Step 9. Reinstall the rear strut in reverse order of how you removed it.

Step 10. Snug the swaybar rear subframe-mount bolts. This shot also shows the outside subframe bolt head - the most forward bolt (left) in the picture.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...7/fceea667.jpg

Step 11. Reattach the drop link using the 5mm allen and a wrench. I prefer the front mounting position (the stiffer of the two positions), but you may want to try out the rear setting first. This picture shows the rear (softer) setting, which is still quite a bit stiffer than the stock bar.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...8/fceea702.jpg

Now reinstall the wheels. Go test and enjoy your new car! This is the single most significant change available in MINI handling right now. The car is a whole different beast. I like the way Ryan (davbret) described it; "The car turns from the center now." A lot of the understeer is gone, four wheel drifts are no problem, and you can actually drive the car with throttle much easier.

The bar itself is two position, is 19mm in diameter and costs $189. For comparison purposes, the stock bar is 16mm.

Here are some shots of the completed project. Photos coutesy of Dave in Denver and Ryan.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...e/fceea766.jpg

http://images.cardomain.com/installs...28_56_full.jpg

https://home.attbi.com/~jackzoe/wsb/...4/site1046.jpg

And here are the comparisons of stock to the new bar:

https://home.attbi.com/~jackzoe/wsb/...4/site1054.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...9/fceea83a.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...a/fceea8a4.jpg

If you would like to order the bar, give me a call. Again if anyone needs help with this or any other install, feel free to contact me and I'd be glad to help.

Randy
randy@mini-motorsport.com
720-841-1002







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MINI-Motorsport

Dave's car has since been cleaned - all that dirt is from the millions of miles Dave has motored :grin: !

Another great write-up Randy! And I got some of my pictures in it!! Ya!! Ha.

One quick tip for taking off the sway bar drop links:

I used a 16mm socket on the nut and used a 17mm open end wrench on the other side of the link instead of the 5mm allen key on the nut side. This makes life SO much easier as you only need to hold the 17mm wrench in place on the back and then socket off the nut from the front.

R

Yup. All that mag chloride got cleaned out of the wheel wells. :cool:

I'll second Davbret. Nice write-up. :grin:

...uh ... DiD, Davbret ... you guys aren't gonna be waxxing your springs, are you ?

>>Another great write-up Randy! And I got some of my pictures in it!! Ya!! Ha.
>>
>>One quick tip for taking off the sway bar drop links:
>>
>>I used a 16mm socket on the nut and used a 17mm open end wrench on the other side of the link instead of the 5mm allen key on the nut side. This makes life SO much easier as you only need to hold the 17mm wrench in place on the back and then socket off the nut from the front.
>>
>>R

Good tip Ryan. The way I did it; I actually have a 5mm that goes on the ratchet, so it really accomplishes the same thing. As long as you keep the stud from turning, you can do it either way.

Randy

Randy:

Thanks for the "How-To" guide. My rear sway bar is due in any day now, so your timing is superb.

David

Ohh congrats David! You're going to love it! And the install is very easy. Trust me.

R

>>Ohh congrats David! You're going to love it! And the install is very easy. Trust me.
>>
>>R

David,

Ask him how those springs are to install
:wink:

Grin :grin:

My rear sway bar arrived today and will be installed Sunday...

8ball wrote:

>> ...uh ... DiD, Davbret ... you guys aren't gonna be waxxing your springs, are you ?
>><<

:smile: :razz: :grin:

Cheers!
Clover :wink:

Glad to see you're taking an interest in performance mods and suspension Clover. :cool:

Yes Clo, very cool!

And with that, I must sheepishly acknowledge that I did wipe the springs prior to installation with Rain-X so as to keep them looking pretty (just takes a quick spray with the hose and all the grime comes off). Yes, I'm anal. :lol:

R

Randy or DaveinDenver,

I was wondering which setting to use on the sway bar, and how easy they are to switch back an forth.

Thanks
David

Randy and I are both using the forward position (the one closer to the middle of the bar, not the end).

To change positions on the bar, you'll need to jack the back end of the car up, remove the wheels, and then unbolt the drop links on BOTH sides of the bar. Then you can reinstall the drop links to the other position. It's very easy to swap positions on the bar, once you have the bar installed.

I, too, am running on the "firmer" setting, the hole closest to the front of the car. Ride is amazing. Turn-in is crisp.

R

Rear sway bar is in, thanks for the great directions and "How-to". Also took the opportunity to put the OEM brake pads back on and take off the Porterfield R4S's.

I went to a parking lot and did some skidpad like testing. It is amazing the difference the new sway bar makes. The steering does feel much more neutral and it is much easier to induce the backend to step out some on the corners.

Impressive

Great write up Randy!

Does anyone have the torque specs on the bolts involved?

And will this require one to have the rear toe adjusted?

Thanks,

John

No need for torque specs. Just crank till you can't crank no more. :razz:

Also, MINIs use coilover style suspensions, thereby not needing a realignment after removing the sway/strut/springs. :wink:

R

>>No need for torque specs. Just crank till you can't crank no more. :razz:
>>
... but if you feel like it ...
the clamps to the subframe - 19nm
bar to trailing arm and link to bar - 56nm

>>No need for torque specs. Just crank till you can't crank no more. :razz:
>>
>>Also, MINIs use coilover style suspensions, thereby not needing a realignment after removing the sway/strut/springs. :wink:
>>
>>R

Ryan,

Well, while they do have coil-overs, that really isn't the reason you don't have to realign it. There just isn't a way to adjust the camber or toe, so you can't screw it up.

I'm in R&D phase of camber adjustment pieces.

Randy

That's what I was getting at Randy, but somehow ended up with "coilover" as the explanation. Geeze, sometimes I just need to sleep more. :lol:

R

8Ball, thanks for the torque specs

Somewhere along the way you switched out the rear springs (green to yellow). Could you expand on that?

Thanks!

>>Somewhere along the way you switched out the rear springs (green to yellow). Could you expand on that?
>>
>>Thanks!

Methinks they're just photos from separate install jobs...

>>Somewhere along the way you switched out the rear springs (green to yellow). Could you expand on that?
>>
>>Thanks!

Minimiller,

WELCOME to MCO!!!
:smile: :grin:

Jim is right, the car with the yellow KW springs belongs to DavBret (Ryan). The other photos have the H&R springs.

Randy

OK All,
I've moded my way up to.... the rear sway bar.

I've read the "How-To"... a couple o few times now :smile:
Totally outa my league as I see it.

I did the air-intake solo.... a snap
I watched the exhaust mod.....less of a snap.....but certainly do-able given the correct tools/equiptment. As was noted in many posts...the rubber thingies....did cauz issues.
Now...the rear sway bar....just seems ...like a total farm-out to a person who does this for a living kinda job.

This latest mod is actually gonna cost me money to have it installed...( I was bartering on the the exhaust mod.... as I run (2) computer training schools.....an offer classes in return for free installs :smile:
My exhaust friend (now that does sound wierd...lol)....won't touch this job. He states..." too much can go wrong"

Is $100 bucks toooo steep for this install of the rear sway bar??????
Any advice???

Thanks,

Peace,
D

Randy I'm sure you'll read this....I call you Monday ....Thanx

Dennis,

$100 is what I charge, so I don't think that's too bad considering what's involved. Let your exhaust friend (not that there's anything wrong with that) know that there are no alignment issues, and that may help a bit. It all just unbolts and then bolts back up.

Talk to you on Monday!

Randy

If I can do it by myself, anyone can. The spring install is not for the timid, but this was a walk in the park. Took me about an hour start to finish.

It's just three bolts to remove the spring/strut, 3 more to undo the sway, 4 under the car, yank it out, then replace the bar and then the bolts. Very simple. No alignment to mess up.

If you can remove bolts and reinsert them you can do this mod. Seriously.

R

Simple mod. And so worth it even if it were hard. The car feels like it should if you ask me. I used to think the run flats sucked but with the sway bar now I can live with them a bit longer. It's like saving money.

Randy.. or anyone else who can help. What are the torque specs on the bolts that need to be removed/re-installed?

this may sound like a stupid question...but is this for the cooper or cooper S or both? :roll:

It's not a stupid question.

The springs are specific to the Cooper or the Cooper S
The sway-bar will work on both.

>>Randy.. or anyone else who can help. What are the torque specs on the bolts that need to be removed/re-installed?
>>

... from the first page ...
the clamps to the subframe - 19nm
link to trailing arm and link to bar - 56nm

... and subframe to body - 100nm

8ball thanks. :smile: I should've re-read the thread, instead of just the first post. :wink:

Ditto. I bought the rear swaybar from Randy and installed it in under 2 hours yesterday. I would say to ease installation and save time, make sure you have sockets for all the sizes - 13, 16, 21mm. And the factory bolts are on really tight, so I had to use a rubber mallet to loosen some. Also a 17mm cone wrench (they're available at any bike shop for $5) helped get the drop link removed from the swaybar. Now that I've done it once, I could do it in about an hour again.

I got the 22mm swaybar from Randy, and have to say it really has transformed my MCS' handling. Initially, I thought it made the car more loose on high speed turns, on the canyon roads I regularly drive. But then I glanced at the speedo and was doing 60mph -- about 5+ mph faster than ever before, still with no tire squeal. I feel way more in control driving fast. And it's easy to induce a little oversteer if you have to. I also have 17" run flats and will replace when I wear them out, but with the swaybar I can live with them until then.

Next on my list: supercharger pulley, springs, intake, exhaust.

Qusestion for Randy,

I've got a new bar from Mini Madness but it doesn't have the bushing stops welded on to keep it from moving side to side. Does this matter?

Also with three positions now available, is the stiffest too insane for street?

Thanks :smile:

I would contact MINI Madness and get a bar with the stops. It sounds like an oversight on their fabricator's part.

I thought they worked out a slightly different bend profile which served to keep the bar centered without need for the washers.

Silver, I was part of the group buy and I have installed the bar you have. I was also concerned too as the bar is straight across the top and doesn't have stops or the bend that the stock bar has so it seems it should slide back and forth.

I went ahead and installed it and in fact once everything minus the wheels are installed you CAN push/pull the bar back and forth such that it will bump the springs. I have mine on the stiffest setting but I don't think it matters, you would be able to make it touch either way.

That said I centered it up, put the wheels on and took it for a casual drive listening manically for some sort of rubbing or popping... Nothing. Drove a little harder... Nothing.

It seems that even though it could slide it hasn't, or at least not to the point of noticable interference. I would think that this is still a weak point in the design as it causes the mind to wonder if it ever COULD happen and if it MIGHT cause a problem. I hope they modify the design again to fix that for future buyers (and if they do I would not object to getting a fresh version). In the meantime I will track the car and will inspect it afterwords for evidence of rubbing. If so I'll post it here on MCO after George and randy send me the improved bar :smile:

I may add a clamp or weld bead to secure it if it proves to be a problem.

Jim