I installed the Powerflex upper mounts on the rear shocks and the noise is gone! Who would have thought that Febi, KYB and Lemforder bushings were all garbage? The bottom bushing was crushing with the weight of the car on it but when you took the strut out, it looked fine. It was only after I captured the video of the upper shock from inside the car did I discover what was happening. The Powerflex being harder are not crushing. The car even sits a little higher in the rear.

This has been quite the agonizing journey and hopefully this post will help someone else in the future. Here are the Powerflex installed.

 

This is awesome! I've been following your journey. I'm glad you found this problem. You certainly deserve resolution after all of your hard work and diligence. I may have to do the same thing some day. Nice work!!!

D

 

This information is priceless. You are the wind beneath my wings. My 2012 R60 with 130k miles has been rattling in the back for years. It's different than the noise in your videos; not as loud. I replaced my rear sway bar bushings and end links last week, which dramatically helped cut the noise. I still have the original upper strut bushings, however, so I'm going to buy the Powerflex and see if they restore my R60 to its intended refinement.

 

I hope they work out for you and fix the noise. After a 100 or so miles, no issues where the other bushings would have failed by now. I took this picture of the Powerflex installed before replacing the interior pieces and as you can see, no gap and they remain tight.

 

Update. The Powerflex bushing on the right side starting making noise. I had had it so I ordered OEM mounts with bushings. They are definitely different than Lemforder, etc. I also was thinking that was tightening the lower shock bolt while the car is in the air. Thinking about it, the trailing arm has to move in an arc so it could have been putting a side load on the upper mount. So I tightened the lower bolt with the car on the ground and so far so good. Hopefully I'm finally done with this.

 

@812SF it's been a week, and we must know :-D. Did genuine bushings fix the knocking?

 

Yes for the most part the car is quiet most of the time. However on really bad bumpy roads with potholes and patches, there still is some noise I’d rather live without but it’s not horrible. Still seems right side focused. There is nothing left to do now so I guess it’s as good as a 160,000 mile 14 year old car is going to get. I’ve poured so much time and effort into this. Overall I’d say it’s 90% better than it was with the aftermarket bushings. I also changed how I tightened the lower shock bolt. I was tightening it with the car on my two post lift which may have been applying a side force on the top mount. I then tightened it with the car’s weight on the suspension so that may have contributed to less side movement. I don’t have another R60 to compare it to. My other Mini’s are Fseries which is very quiet over the bumps but also have 130,000 fewer miles!

The other battle with this car is a funk from the ac vents. Two cans of condenser cleaner and two chlorine car bombs later, it still has remnants of a smell. Airbox was thoroughly inspected with a scope and it’s all clean. So the source still eludes me.

 

Awesome. That's what I was hoping to hear. I'll buy the genuine bushings/bearing/top plate for my R60.