How hard is it to install lower rear control arms on 2005 r50. can anyone advise me on this. anywhere i can find install instructions.

 

A couple of the nut's and bolts are a pain to get to. Why MINI didnt weld threaded bungs into the rear subframe rather than use the nut and bolt combo I will never know.

Outside of that it's a reletively easy process, and is pretty self explanitory.

 

Not hard based on the assumption that its similar to a R53. Easiest guide is the Bentley service manual as it has all the proper procedures and torque specs right there.

 

The R50 is the EXACT SAME as the R53, and R52, even all the R56 models are pretty much the same.

 

If either of the rear lower control arms are cracked or bent on your R50
you should buy new arms based on my experience. The 2006 Just A Cooper that my daughter drives in New York City broke the lower right arm completely in half after hitting a large pot hole about three months ago. The arm had previously been bent upward when the car was picked up by a loader's long forks at an insurance auction.
I did not see the bent arm until the day we drove from Michigan to NYC.
It should have been replaced then, not 11 months later after hitting many NYC pot holes. Also, even with the broken arm the Mini was able to be driven to a repair shop in Brooklyn but should have been towed.

 

2 nuts/bolts on each one. An 18mm ratcheting Gearwrench made the job easier. I remember a heat shield being in the way also. Think I used some snips to cut and bend a small portion out of the way. I'm a stickler for properly torqued fasteners and I remember not being able to get my torque wrench onto the uppers so I took it to my shop to have them do that. An 18mm crowfoot might do the trick but you'll probably need a torque adapter to get in there. If you go that route don't forget to do the math to adjust for the added length of the torque adapter.