My 03’ MSC has 90,000 miles on it….and it’s in need of some new Lower Control Arm bushings in a bad way. I’m going to tackle the project here in a few weeks as soon as I order some new poly lower control arm bushings, and some new poly front sway bar bushings.
I’ve been doing a little bit of research trying to find the best (and easiest) way to go about changing the bushings…and it looks like there are a few different methods of doing it.

One method is to leave the bushing mounts in place, remove the LCA’s, and just use a torch and air hammer to knock the old bushings out of the mounts…then use a press to squeeze the new bushings in…and you’re pretty much done.

The other method is to drop the front subframe frame section of the car down, remove the bushings and mounts, and then install a fresh set of bushings and mounts (I think WMS will install the poly bushings in mounts for a few bucks more).

I’ve tried finding a DIY post on changing them out here in the forum, but I haven’t had much luck. What’s the best way to go about changing the LCA bushings? I’m assuming that the easier way would be to buy the new mounts with the poly bushings installed and ready to go.
Any tips, tricks, or words of wisdom from you guys that have done the job would be great! Also, besides the front sway bar bushings, and LCA bushings…is there anything else I could/should swap out in the front end of my 03’ MSC with 90,000 miles on it? If I’m going to do it…Misewell do everything at once. The steering feels tight, and the motor mounts appear to be in great shape. I think this car got most of its miles on it from highway driving.

 

Im going to be doing this at the start of next year myself, and I am going to go through waymotorworks. While you're in there, you may as well change out the ball joints since you will be in the same general area. But Way offers the the bushings like you mentioned pre installed for only 20 more with a core charge (but that gets refunded), so saving myself some headache seems well worth it.

 

Yep, I was thinking the same thing. For $20 more, why not just have them press them in...less of a chance for me to screw something up

 

We always replace the front sway bar bushings when we install control arm bushings, dropping the subframe is the best way, you won't damage any ball joints that way either.

 

So if you recommend dropping the subframe, then might as well save up and do PF Control arm bushings, ball joints, sway bar bushings, and PF Steering rack bushing at the same time?

 

Unless one is paying shop labor, I don't know why ball joints should be replaced unless they prove loose. It's not that big of a deal to do separately, in my opinion.

I definitely agree with doing anti-sway bar bushings while in there, whether they need it or not.

Edit: It may seem simpler to hack out the LCA in place, and press in a new one. But with the lack of room to work, I think it would be easier to just drop the subframe. I actually did the hack method on my old 535i 17 or 18 years ago because I didn't have a proper ball joint tool then. I burned it out, sawed the outer sleeve, and pressed the new one in with a bench vise (held in hand, not on bench, haha). I don't work that way anymore!

 

I remember seeing a video (utube?) on how to do this without lowering the subframe. They made it look like it wouldn't take ALL day to do. Good luck and let us know how it went, mine could use replaced also.

Skyhawk940
Sandusky, OH

 

I don't see how (even without a lift) doing it the proper way with dropping the subframe would add more than an hour to the job. And I think all of that time would be reclaimed by just unbolting the bracket, and bolting in a new pre-pressed one (if you go that route, I have a shop press) versus futzing around with the bushing inside the bracket on the car. I'll find out soon, though. I have 129k on my originals, and they are a bit sloppy.

 

How difficult is it to drop the subframe? is there a DIY thread for that?

I normally do all my work myself and have on almost every car I've owned, so I'm willing to take on the challange with some guidance.

As for the ball joints, I just figured that if I had the subframe out, replacing those, sway bushings, Control Arm bushings and possibly the power steering bushing would make the whole car feel new again all at once.

I'm going to get under my car today and take a look at the current condition of the front control arm bushing and see its exact condition. I'm just more the type of person to spend a little more now and do a little extra while I have time then wait until the problem needs to be addressed as free time/money may not be the same at that point.

 

Dropping the front subframe is quite the pita. I just did it today, there is no complete guide, they all miss a step or two, or three, the bentley manual doesn't cover it as a proces so its not overly helpful, it would have you remove the whole steering rack, which you actually want to leave attached to the subframe.. The best guide I found was this. http://www.minicooperspeed.com/mini-...-r50-r53remov/ there's a few little wire disconnects and the steering linkage disconnect missed in this guide, also make sure you have the tool used to pop the steering tie rod joint. Harbor freight has em $16, advanced auo part and autozone didn't have one. The youtube video had a lowering of the subframe and torch and air hammer removal of the old bushings method, with the right tools and lift would work. The video was by rover shop, but has been removed from youtube.

It took about 5 hours to drop and put the new brackets with bushings on. That does not include reattching the subframe. Knowing what I know now I could probably shave 1-1.5 hrs off that.

 

Thanks for all of the info guys.

I'm getting ready to do there after the holiday season. I'll make sure I take lots of pictures so I can do a full how-to write up on it. It sounds like there really isn't a good detailed one out there, so maybe I can help

Also, I was wondering.....do you have to completely remove the subrame to get the LCA bushings off...or can you just drop it down a few incehs in order to get the bolts out of the bushing mounts? I wouldn't think you would have to drop it all the way down off of the car. AND...is there a good write up on getting the front bumper and supports off of the car?

 

You only need to drop it a few inches. Have a look at your PS reservoir hoses before hand. Now might be a good time to replace them if the ends are cracked, might as well do a flush of PS fluid whilst at it. Otherwise, I'd unbolt it from the firewall, and hang it with a bungee so it remains upright, but can move up and down with the subframe.

 

There are some write ups on removing the plastic bumper and guards, the metal part is pretty straight forward once those are off. I think the key to the lower vs ddrop method is detaching the steering linkage, that's the part I missed and where it connects to the steering(up by the fire wall) is too far back to allow the subframe to lower enough in the rear where the bolts for the bushing carrier are. It took some effort to get the old bushings off the control arm too. Lots of wd40 and two prybars. If you don't drop it all the way definitely want a long breaker bar for the cariier bolts, or pipe to fit on a decent length socket handle. A good write up would be welcome as I haven't seen an outline of what needs be removed or loosened to enable the lowering and waht you don't need to touch.

Oh and I was at 96k miles, I also replaced the shocks with some coilovers the week before and that mad a far bigger difference than the lca bushings, the bushings actually werentt in bad shape. But mild climate and not many harse salts or chemicals on the roads since we don't have winter here helps. In short might want too look at the shocks and springs too.

 

What tool do I ask for @ Harbor Freight?

 

Glad you asked that Ole97Texas, I was just ready to do that when I saw your post. I am doing mine in the next week, just ordered OEM bushing pre-pressed for both sides. That way all I have to do is unbolt the old and install the new. My driver side bushing is shot, I can rock the wheel back and forth about an inch and a half. But after 242,000 on an 03 S I guess its time. I have a Harbor freight just down the road. I too am going to try and only drop the sub frame down as far as I need too.

 

I'll be doing mine in the upcoming weeks as well. I am going to try and use the same method of only lowering the subframe. I wish there was a walkthrough using just the lowering subframe method, because I really don't want to pull my whole subframe

 

Hey blue2turbo. Here is a link that I found that shows how to pull the sub frame all the way out. I am going to follow it but only drop it down as far as I need to. Hope this helps.

http://www.minicooperspeed.com/mini-...-r50-r53remov/

 

I will read through that a couple times as well. If you do yours before I do, let me know what steps worked for you if you can, I would greatly appreciate it and I will do the same if I get to mine first!

 

Sounds like a plan. I was hoping to do mine this Saturday but I don't think I will have the parts in time so it may have to wait till next weekend.

 

This is a post made long ago by k-huevo. https://www.northamericanmotoring.com...23#post1420223 . I used it as a guide for dropping the subframe and it worked flawlessly. A great how-to! Also, a plus one for the preinstalled bushings from WAY!

 

That is a pretty good writeup. One thing they didn't mention is the need for the M8x100 bolts (or MINI/BMW service pins) to hold the big plastic frame that holds the radiator/condenser assembly in place. They go in on the right and left where you've taken two of the aluminum bumper bolts out. You can use the M8x100 bolts because they just need to screw in and act like pins to hold this assembly forward a bit to make pulling things out a bit easier. You can see one of these sticking out to the right of the radiator in picture #6 of the car in k-huevo's post (follow the link above) I have discovered that you don't even need to drain the radiator.

I can't imagine trying to do this while only dropping the subframe a bit. My subframe was sitting on the ground and I had a pipe on my 1/2 drive socket and I just about couldn't budge the sway bar bolts. I can't imagine being able to do it with the subframe still in the car.

Val

 

I see everyone talking about buying pre-pressed bushings - which is what I did - but nobody mentioning how to get the old bushings off the control arm. You can unbolt them, but then you're left with a control arm and bushing attached - how do you get the bushing off? I ended up using a torch and burning the rubber - I couldn't get it off any other way.

Suggestions for next time?

 

Burning them off will work as good as anything else. Being torchless, I pried and pulled and hammered them until they slid off. A bit of WD-40 or something like that helped a bit too.

I'm guessing if you use the PowerFlex bushings there won't be a next time, at least on that particular car.

Val

 

Today I replaced 1 bushing because it wouldn't pass inspection. The process probably took about 1 1/2 hours total. I used the sawsall method of removing the old bushing which worked out pretty well, I didn't have to torch or beat on anything too hard to get the old bushing out. I installed a powerflex bushing which took about 1/2 hour after I figured out what I was doing. I used a tool made of 2 1" pipe flanges, a 5/8 threaded rod and associated nuts and washers and a 2 1/2" 1" nipple to install the bushing. Frankly it wasn't a bad job for doing in your own garage, you just need to plan it out and it all works out. Eventually I'll replace the other side along with the ball joints just for the fun of it.

 

Today was the big day changing out bushings. The write up mentioned earlier is great. I dropped the subframe down as low as I could but left it under the car. I didn't have enough room to slide it out, and doing this by myself it had to stay under the car. The steering knuckle was a real pill and took about a 1/2 hour of wiggling and jacking up and down. I finally one! The bolts on the sway bar are definetely tight. used a 5' piece of 2" conduit on the 1/2" ratchet. After a 1/2 turn with that they come right off. now comes the lesson; and I know better; found bad ball joints and cannot put back together until new ones show up. I know better than this but thought they looked good, but one had a tare in the rubber boot. A couple notes; One I don't see a reason for taking the top loose on the links, just let them hang, and take the heat sheild off of the exhaust to make room for the power steering res. to pass through. Other than that this isn't too bad of a job to do and I am doing this outside in my yard. One safely note, block your back wheels before jacking it up. Thanks to k-huevo for a great write up.