Hello MINI world,

long time reader first time blogging!

I have inherited a 2002 R50 and the time has come to rejuvenate the suspension. I have been able to acquire the bushings, tie rods and rotors with out a problem but when I started looking into the STRUTS & STRUT MOUNTS I hit a wall of esoteric mysteries.

apparently my R50 has a build date "Up to 3/2002" and when you compare it to "from 3/2002-2006" the struts, strut mounts & sway bar links are completely different...

My 2/2003 Struts and Mounts: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=31_0594
9/2003 Struts and Mounts: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=31_0679
"S" & "L" style swayer links: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=31_0593

The 2003 year is arbitrary, but when you look up 2002 Mini Basic on any autoparts retailer they show the same struts and mounts all the way to 2006.

As you can see from the realoem.com pages, these are two completely different pieces.

My question for this community is if anybody knows if I can retrofit the latter model struts and mounts onto my Mini with out having to buy new coil overs? And if it will be a perfect match?

Ive spent a lot of time talking to parts people over at Pelican part and various other parts people from a few Mini dealers and I can't seem to get a straight answer on whether or not the coils are the same or if the latter struts & mounts will fit. The Mini dealerships don't even have any part numbers for the coils and neither does realoem.com.

According to realoem.com everything in the suspension is identical from the 2/2002 and a 9/2003 model except the struts, mounts and swaybar end links. When you click on the later strut part number it says that it "Supersedes" http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/part...&q=31316780466 the part number for my car.
Although they do still make the struts and mounts for my car they seem to be a dealer item with a 1-2 year warranty for around 170.00 bucks each and another $180 for the pair of mounts. I much rather get the ones with a lifetime warranty that I can pick up at any parts retailer.

Hopefully someone can shed some light on what has now become my obsession.
Thanks in advance



That's why the grass is so much greener over on this side...

 

Check out this stuff. Got my FSD struts over 4 years ago and they've been great. They went on with a 19MM adjustable rear sway bar. Consider one of those too. If yours doesn't have them, strut tower defenders are necessary.
http://www.motoringwerks.com/c-624-m...uspension.aspx

 

Hi bumblebee! Welcome to NAM and the world of MINI motoring.

I'm double checking with our tech experts on your specific questions, but in the meantime here are upgrade kits, bars and plates specifically for your year and model.

Please ask if you have any other questions!

http://new.minimania.com/Search_Results/suspension/All

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.

 

Tnx for the info Fly'n Brick, I deff' wanna get a sweet suspension setup when I get more money. But for right now my budget for the struts & mounts is at max in the $300 range for new stuff; in worse case scenario. I'm really just trying to see if I can get away with retrofitting the 2003 R50 suspension because I found someone who's piecing out one and will sell me the front struts for $90. And if the coils end up being different then it will have been worth the money to get all strut mounts & coils.

P.S. Excuse my reply style as I am new to the whole blogging realm.

 

Thank you for the love Mini Mania I greatly appreciate all the help I can get. I have searched in a lot of forums and perhaps it is hiding very well, but I can't seem to find anything on the backwards compatibility of my R50 to later models when it come to the front struts. I understand where you're coming from and you and Fly'n Brick are right, I need to shell over the cash and get my self a fancy strut set that already comes with the coils and mounts. Tnx again fellas...

 

I would hit the local LKQ and grab everything but struts off a wrecked mini

just daily driving it?

 

Early production 2002 cars had a different, call it a preproduction suspension and engine mounts....
They were SOMETIMES swapped out when the car went to a dealer a few years later for work as complete units....and no it cannot be "made to work" if the changes were not done....
Question is....was it done? Now you know why the 2002 cars are a bit cheaper...some can be very limiting. I suggest a few close-up pictures....so folks car say yup...it the newer or nope...it's got the older setup.
Perhaps find a car getting parted out, and swap out the full assembly? Know waymotorworks has posted a few times on the early 2002 cars....

 

For the Mini Mania Tech Experts:

"When the MINI was first introduced in 2002, the Cooper had a different front strut from the Cooper S models. They changed this with the March of 2002 production where both the Cooper and Cooper S models used the same suspension design, front and rear.

Here is what was different with the early pre-March 2002 Cooper models:

The physical shape of the Front Springs was different

Upper spring perch (or Guide Support) was different to accept these different springs

The upper strut tower was different to accept the different Guide Support)

The Front Sway Bar Drop Links were different

The outer case of the Front Strut was different (different drop link attachment points

Unfortunately, they are not interchangeable as the top of the strut towers were different to accept these different parts.

We are very familiar with this since we had lowering springs and camber plates manufactured to fit the initial MINI Cooper and found out they were not compatible with the Cooper S when the Cooper S models were introduced. We had to get these Cooper springs modified to fit the Cooper S models. There was nothing we could do about the camber plates."

Hope this helps!

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.

 

Here are the simple facts. The early suspension you have is totally different and none of the parts will interchange. I worked at the MINI dealer when this suspension came on the cars in 02 and there was actually a bulletin that was for cars wondering on the highway. So MINI would send me a complete pair of new front struts with end links that are the 03+ style to replace them for a fix.
So yes you can convert the car to the newer 03 plus struts, springs, and mounts no problem.
I would sell you a new set of struts, then I'd just pull the springs, washers,perches, and small parts you need off one of my wrecked parts cars. That would save you a bunch of money as those parts don't wear enough.

 

Thank you for all the feedback Fly'n_Brick, mega72, ZippyNH, Mini_Mania & WayMotorWorks
There are a couple of cars in my area that are piecing out the parts, I actually just checked out a 2003 R50 today selling the front struts for $90, but the strut mounts look in bad shape, so I don't know what the actual condition of the struts are since the car has no drivetrain.
To answer your question Mega72 yes, this is my only means of transportation so its a daily driver.
I think Im just gonna have to bite the bullet and opt' for the dealer struts and strut mounts that are a plug and play for my Mini. I mean those are just as good as any of the later model ones right? Its not like they where a bad design, correct? The only thing I don't like is that they have a 1 year warranty through the dealer. But if they are OEM they should last me another 10 years no??? Either way its gonna cost me around 3-400 bucks to get either set & I've already spent over $700 on new tires, pads & rotors, suspension bushing and ball joints. So it looks like the BMW dealer is gonna take another chunk out of my wallet if I can't justify switching over to the 03-06 strut system.
I would have switched but now that I hear that the springs are completely different, thats just another cost I don't wanna pay for. Especially since I am not really modifying this car for any sort of sports performance. I just want it to be reliable.
Im gonna be working on the Bumble Bee R50 tomorrow, changing out the control arm bushings, ball joints and sway bar end links so Ill be sure to post a few pics. Thanks again for all the support guys, I truly feel right at home here.

CHEERS!!

 

Welcome, let us know if we can help. We had the first new MINI in the USA so that's how we got involved with the whole suspension business.

Drive Hard. Drive Safe. Keep Grinning.

 

Since you are doing your own work I would seriously consider WMW's offer!!!

 

Bumping an old thread...

I'm in the same boat as the OP. I have an early production 02/2002 R50 with original struts/springs/mounts. Can someone elaborate how easy and what I'll need to 'convert' them to new style?

I was looking to buy a set of Bilstein B4 OE replacement shocks/struts and H&R sport springs for my car but it looks like these won't bolt up properly?

H&R makes a sport spring for models pre-03/2002 which is nice, but they will do no good on my blown shocks/struts... guess going the dealer route for the pre-03/2002 shocks & struts is the best bet then?

And lastly, does this mean any aftermarket coilovers listed for 2002-2006 R50s would not be a direct fit for the pre-03/2002 R50s...?

Edit: Starting to make more sense now. Looks like the rear struts/springs are the same, so if I were to get new front struts I would need to piece together the parts that would not work from my 02/2002 struts, including sway bar drop links. If I were to get coilovers with strut mounts it would bolt up fine, but I would still need to order new drop links as my stock 02/2002 ones would not bolt up properly....

Does this sound about right? What do people recommend? Seem's almost easier to just go the coilover route for my 02/2002/