Hi!

Pat here, from Sweden. Currently owning a 2002 Mini Cooper S.

Just owned it for about 8 months as we speak, and I totally love the car in every way.

Now I've come to the point I want to replace all my control arm bushings.
I've searched everywhere about the easiest way to do it.

I have a hard time understanding which are the lower ones and which are the upper ones (by looking at guides that is).

If I understand correcty the lower ones are the ones you can buy as a bracket and not only the bushing alone? I can't seem to find anywhere how to replace the upper one though.

Anyone got any links to quick guides just so I can understand which bushing is which, and how much work it takes to change them?

The thing is, the guides I've seen show how to change the bushing alone to Powerflex bushings, but none that shows how to change the whole bracket? Is that so much more complicated?

Is it wise to change to Powerflex bushings in the control arms or is standard good enough? (fast road with occassional track days). And if so, how often do they need lubrication?

Many questions now but I hope someone can help me!

Sorry for the english, might be some weird sentences here and there. :-)

Thanks in advance!

 

Have a look at this YouTube link for the control arm bushings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yEf...N21OpQq3LHcT9C


If you have access to a press, then you could remove the brackets and press the old ones out and press the new ones in otherwise, the video link is an alternative.

 

Specifically there are some instructions and videos on how to get the bushings in without taking down the subframe and brackets. Way Motor Works will sell you the bushings installed in the brackets and you send them back the old ones when you are done. But that requires that you take the subframe down.

When I did it I took the subframe down and did the ball joints at the same time. It was a job but I think worth it. Others with experience with the torch method and threaded rod press may have other wisdom.

But the issues of needing a press is not an issue.

///Me

 

Pat,

A good write-up on this is here:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...eplacement.htm

I've replaced all of my ball joints but not the bushings. I have them out but they were in good shape. It might be possible to change out the inner ball joints without dropping the sub-frame but I think that's the hard way. It's really not as difficult as it looks.

You definitely need a ball-joint tool to remove the lower ball joints from the lower control arm so plan on buying one. The inner joints can be removed with a sledge hammer. Even though mine were 10 years old, a couple of hits and they popped out.

The hardest part was getting the lower joints free from the axle carrier/steering knuckle. They are supposed to come out easily but I had to support the assembly from below and re-fasten the control arm to the ball joint and use a long steel rod and a hammer to break them loose.

You may also want to replace the tie-rod ends if they are worn or the boots are cracked.

You'll also want to replace the stabilizer bar end links. Once you disturb them in their worn state, they will "clunk" every time the car shifts right or left after you re-assemble the front end. It's very annoying! So just change them out while you are in there rather than having to go back and do it later.

 

Thanks for the answers! Yeah, might as well change everything while I'm at it.

What are your experiences about Powerflex vs standard bushings?

Powerflex needs some lubrication every now and then I guess? How's the lifespan on poly bushes compared to standard?

 

I can't comment on that. I replaced mine with OEM parts. I guess I'm just low-performance.

 

I have powerflex bushings and the shop that installed them for me did not recommend or tell me i needed to grease or lubricate them. No squeaks that I can hear. The powerflex ones will last for life of the car the OEM ones will die in another 40K miles. The job is labor intensive enough I would just go with powerflex.

 

I've often heard people say don't do the poly ones they'll squeak and be trouble. Well that's just NOT true with the powerflex bushings on the MINI. I've installed hundreds of sets of the powerflex and never had one set have an issue. I even put a set in my car 9yrs ago and have never had them squeak or need more lube. So you can't go wrong with the powerflex.

Now just FYI I have seen other polyurethane brands make noise, and seen them make noise on other brands of cars like some BMWs too so some of those "myths" about them being noisy can be true, just not with the MINI.

 

If you change from OE to Powerflex be sure to get an alignment.

 

Great! I'm glad to hear this. PowerFlex it is!

The car has done about 87k miles if that is good to know.

Excuse me for being a newbie but exactly what bushes should I then replace when i got the subframe lowered? If I want to change all of them that usually need changing that is.

Can I go Powerflex everywhere?

Front swaybar too I presume.
But how many more bushes are there in a R53 that I should replace at the same time?
Sorry again, I'm new to MINI and luckily I haven't been under the car that much yet.

Very glad I asked on this forum, seems to be a lot of knowledge and friendly people here. :-)

 

Ok, this is ironic because I am planning on replacing the LCA bushings on my wife's 2006- yes I am going with POLY- Thank you Way. I have poly on mine and put oem on my wife's 5 years ago and now it is time to do them again.

Here is the problem. I did the replacement of mine myself but that was 5 years ago and my memory is not what is used to be. I will say, it is fat-boy origami and I DID NOT DROP THE SUBFRAME off the car. And I did it on jack stands

I am searching and searching for how I did it and can't find the links that had all the pix from 5 years ago.

Here is what I remember- and this time I will take pix and write it up.

Jack the car
-Remove wheels and front bumper
-remove smaller nuts that hold the crush tubes to the front of the car
-loosen PS reservoir so it drops freely
-This is where I am fuzzy- There is a ring on the steering wheel column in the cockpit- I remember loosening that to let the steering column extend. Get under the car and I think there is a bolt in the steering column where you can remove it from the knuckle
-remove the bolts holding the back of the subframe (there are three one each side with a plate and then another one off to the side
- Can't remember here what else to remove but I do know I bought the mini ball joint separator and I used it but could not separate the ball joints so I skipped that...the sub frame still drops but not as far- you can do the repair but not as easy
- remove the LCA bushing and replace- I used a pry bar
-Install new ones

Here is a link to the gen 2 replacement and ours is very similar
http://www.*********************/lib...g-subframe-62/

 

So basically what to change while the subframe is lowered are the control arm bushings, inner ball joints and the sway bar (Anti roll bar) bushings? The outer ball joints can be done when it all is back together again I guess?

Have i missed something?

 

Maybe the PS hoses if they are leaking

 

How's your clutch? Once you get the subframe out you are almost ready to drop the transmission out. I paid a shop to do my clutch but after a bearing in my Midlands failed, I figured I had nothing to loose so I dropped it and replaced the bearing. Had I realized how easy it was (relatively speaking) I'd have done the clutch myself. I didn't mess with mine because it looked good and only had about 10K miles since it was changed.

Any bottom-end engine work could also easily be done but you didn't indicate you were having any issues there.