So I've been driving my Mini regularly for the Summer time, and I have noticed within the last 3 days a knock in the rear end. It was hard to notice with the burble of exhaust but it's gotten louder. The only mod on the tail end is a Hotchkis competition sway bar, set on the middle setting. The weird thing is I don't hear the knock going over ALL bumps, and sometimes I hear it on straight roads. Still turns hard as I was taking it in for power steering recall and hit the exit ramp pretty hard. Stuck real well! However, no noise. I'm quite confused as to what it could be since it's so intermittent. Any help is appreciated.

 

I have an 05 Mini S. I should have said that up too lol.

 

Have the sway bar bushings been greased during their life?

Chances are if they are exposed to the elements as a DD and haven't been maintained that you'll need a sway bar rebuild kit. Comes with bushings and brackets.

Detroit Tuned Hotchkis Sway Bar Bushing Kit

There is also the chance that you need an exhaust hanger, or lower bracket, which we also have in stock.

You'll need to get under the car and give it a look over to see what exactly is going on, but whichever you determine we have the parts on hand.

 

They where greased when I put them in less than 1000 miles ago.

 

Are the bushing brackets tight?

Are the end links tight?

Are either of the exhaust hangers broken out back, or either of the two at the mid exhaust bracket?

It's not often we see contact issues with the R53 and sway bars, but you may be having slight contact between the bar and body/subframe.

 

Im going to crawl under it tomorrow and check all that out. Im going to re-grease the bushings and check that everything is tight. Is there something IN PARTICULAR I should examine, or how would I know if its loose/too loose? I am also going to install my Detroit Tuned BPV and hopefully my Power Flex gearbox mount bushings as well.

 

Our customers have great things to say about Powerflex Bushings and our Value Line Bushings.

http://new.minimania.com/Search_Results/bushing/default

And, it's definitely under the car, not the rear hatch?

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.

 

Here is a clip. Hope you guys can here it, otherwise I'll have to do another with my dad in the car so it can be more focused.

 

Hear*

 

I would check the shocks. I have had the nut loosen up on me twice. When it gets loose it will knock like that. Last time I got sick of it and welded the nut on. Well it won't come apart. But a Koni doesn't like to be welded. And the heat ruined the seal. Now I will be replacing with a new one tomorrow. I also have had the evaporated canister come loose and start to knock. I took it out and wrapped it with a rag and put it back. That took care of that rattle.

 

Interesting. The car is going back up on jack stands today and the wheels are coming off in prep of newer shocks and lowering springs. Not sure what brand yet tho... I'll look into things on the tail end when I get it up.

 

Are you using the stock end links? When I had my RSB installed it knocked like crazy, but somewhat random like the OP described. I was told it was the bushings. I took everything apart and checked bushings, end links, clearances and anything else I could think of. Could find nothing wrong. Finally took a gamble and replaced the end links with some Way motors adjustable end links. Fixed. No more noise. Turns out that the stock end links can seem to be tight but still be loose.

 

So I've had this magnaflow on since I've owned it. Came with the car, and never heard the knock before. Just noticed a missing hanger on my Mini tho? I posted some pics of where my away bar sits, as well as the drivers side hanger that I believe is missing, passenger side is the same way. If that's what it is, I'm curious as to why now it has started doing this. I've got the car up on stands to try and figure out the problem. Oh

Someone said maybe my hatch... What should I look for?

 

That sway bar and bushing look normal; same a mine. That bar is really tight in there but it is unlikely the cause of your noise.

The hatch latch has been known to make noise but that would come from the center of the car. Also it tends to be more of a creek than a knock. If the sound is coming from either side then you are likely looking at sway bar bushings and end links. If the shocks were removed and they likely were to put in the sway bar, then check for loose mounting bolts. If you have the stock springs and shocks then it is unlikely that the top nut has come loose. I also doubt the exhaust just up and started to make noise.

 

I'll grease the bushings some more tomorrow.

I was looking at the WMW links, but there is also someone selling some Whiteline ones on the market place for cheaper. Thoughts on either? I can get the Whiteline ones for about $40 less and no shipping. Anyone have experience with either or both?

 

I've got the mini up, and I regressed the back bushings from when I installed my hotchkis bar. I should attempt to tackle the front and rear sway bar end links tonight or tomorrow.

Thinking of swapping to Powerflex upfront so that I have poly bushings front and rear. Also going to tackle the rear trailing arm bushings with poly inserts as well.

My main question is: while I'm doing all of this should I swap to adjustable rear links or just swap the bushings with PF? I don't track, but I may once or twice next year. Other than that my car only sees Summer mildly aggressive driving. Just curious if a freshen up of bushings for half the cost of top and bottom adjustable bars would be sufficient.

 

If you've lowered or are planning to lower you MINI, you will need the adjustable rear control arms. Please see below:

http://new.minimania.com/Search_Inve...0control%20arm

Hope this helps, please let us know if you have any questions!

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.

 

The stock endlinks may not be durable enough for the larger sway bars. I had problems with them. I would change them out for the added strength.

 

Sounds like a good idea. Plus, if Jay needs any bushing info, please check this application guide:

http://new.minimania.com/Powerflex_Bushings

Hope this helps!

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.

 

That is eerily similar to the noise my car was making, the foam top bushings for the drivers side shock had compressed and failed to the point that the shock was able to bounce up and down.

I went through 3 sets of the OEM foam bushing in 2 years , this last set being the fastest to fail. Put in Powerflex yellow top bushings and suddenly have my car back, as well as dead quite back there and a big grin on my face.

Pull the strut mount plate and sou will likely find visible evidence of the bouncing on the top of the shock ram where it's been rubbing in the metal sleeve in the bushing.

 

I changed rear sway bar on my car and it eventually developed knocks in two places - first I had to remove the bushings and grease them up, trying to grease them with the zerk just didn't get the grease distributed all the way around the bar.


Second, I had difficulty getting the end links tight enough to where they didn't move in the holes in the bar - those holes are bigger than the ones on the stock bar, so I made some bushings out of SS tubing to take up the slack in the holes and it's been quiet ever since.


I do need to re-grease the bushings periodically, I usually do it spring and fall, takes about 5 min a side after I get the wheels off.

 

Update: I greased the bushings using the fittings on top. Knock is still there.

Today I'm going to start my end links for the front and rear. Will likely be doing some bushings, and saving for adjustable rear arms as well. May take the mounts off and grease some more.

Planning to switch out to Vogtland shocks, and TSW springs atm, so I'll probably switch to Powerflex shock top bushings as well. Not sure I want coilovers as I'm not trying to get really low. I'm running Konig Feathers on stock size Bridgestone Potenza tires.

I'll keep everyone updated as I start banging this out.

 

The end link instructions are slightly confusing. It says to leave a minimum of 10mm of threading. Which side though? 10mm from the head, or the adjuster rod? Is this just at the top and not the bottom? Thanks for the info in advance as I'm quite confused.

 

Also, my packages where sealed and there are no supplied washers per the instructions.

 

Anybody have a good how to/instructions for doing adjustable sway bar end links? I did happen to locate the washers needed. Now just hitting a snag on something oh so little.

Probably going to get new shocks & struts, springs, and adjustable rear control arms while I have the Mini up. That way I can take it to an alignment shop just once when I get this sorted.