I have a 04 MCS with 90k on stock struts. I have had two separate tech's look at my struts and tell me they are "fine." Anyways I'm going to replace them soon, but I don't think the clunking is from shitty struts. The "clunking" is mainly the front passenger side, and is typically noticeable when either driving on snow or uneven surfaces. Anybody have any recommendations for parts to replace while I do the struts next month which would fix this problem??
Thank You,
Brian

 

I'd look at the Front Sway Bar Bushings or the Control Arms Or even the strut mounts.

 

I have exactly the same problem, same corner on my R56. Had it in to MINI last week and none of my OEM suspension parts were suspect. I'm having a MINI tech come to my house on Saturday to look into KONI's and end links. I'll let you know what he comes up with (even though it's Gen 1 vs 2).

 

Thanks for the reply's. It sounds like something is "Loose" but steering is super tight. Again, only notice it when going over un even "humps", or for instance making a right hand turn into a parking lot when there is a 1/2" - 1" "lip" getting up into the lot....(right turn front passenger wheel first to hit, very noticeable.)

 

I had a clunk a while back passenger side like yours, took it a non MINI shop and they told me that the tie rods were bad, then took it to a MINI dealer and they couldn't find the problem, finally Helix was able to find the problem, and inner ball joint, didn't look bad but that was the culprit.

 

That's what I'm thinkin....thank you.

 

My Challenger had a clunk that took me a while to track down and it ended up being a failed end link (the part between the sway bar and the strut). I just happened to have a spare and swapped them as a "I haven't tried those and I'm running out of ideas" play.

 

My clunk turned out to be a loosened bolt on the rear sway bar.

 

The more you describe it, the more I'm convinced we have the same problem. Mine is a lot more noticeable at low speeds and I don't think highway noise has anything to do with it.

What did your failed end link look like? There's not much to them. Mine isn't broken and the ball ends (I don't know what they're called) look fine. What should I look for if it is broken?

 

Yeah Albie highway driving she's smooth as butter. But driving around town (25mph) on un-even surfaces sounds like my front passenger wheel is going to fall off.....

 

haha! my mini is doing the same thing! "clunk clunk clunk" every bump going slow (really bad on cobblestone!) and its coming from the front passenger side!

strange! i even had an oil change not too long ago, asked specifically about the Lower control arm bushings, and they are still "ok" says mini, also that the suspension is still somehow fine, even at 103k... still want to upgrade. sick of the sh*tty mini stock suspension.

 

Cobblestone is the worst!!! I guess I will check my bolts on the sway bars.

 

please let us (me) know what you find! gotta know what to upgrade! haha

 

Hoping to have an answer Saturday. Meanwhile, the MINI sits and my Jeep is making twice as many trips the gas station.

 

Pretty sure it's the strut mounts. Popped off the caps and had to walk next to the car to see that the passenger side is bouncing, driver's side is firm. Yet, just looking at the mounts, they look fine.

By next weekend, I should be clunk free.

 

Replace both sides.. The drivers side ain't far behind..

 

Let me know how it goes!!!

 

Both sides will go in on Sunday. After seeing the top of the strut visibly move as we idled down my driveway, I have little reason to believe this won't do the trick. I'll post back on Sunday, though.

 

Any updates?? How hard was install?

 

Delayed since the MINI tech that's doing the job had to take the entire mount back to the shop to compress the springs and replace the mounts. Scheduled for this Sunday.

Surf, are you driving yours the way it is?

 

For now yes...I do 90% highway driving so its okay. I am waiting on some new struts to become available then I'll do it all at once !

 

Yeah - highway driving was doable with mine, too. Only have about 13 minutes of that on my 40 minute commute so I've been Jeeping it for the past 3 weeks.

My clunk is gone. Was definitely the strut mount. Also set my Koni's to full soft - turns out the clowns that installed them set them to full stiff. I'm not sure how "set them in the middle" sounds anything like full stiff.

I wonder if the combination of this setting and the brutal cold could have contributed to my failed strut mount.

 

Well new strut mounts didn't do it. Next up new struts. We will see. Sh*T is driving me crazy

 

Crap. Hope you don't have to chase this one for long...

 

Kick your front tire. If it bounce back and forth you lower control are rear bushing are bad.