If you do poly control arm bushings, there a $15 special tool you can make that does wonders. It uses two pipe flanges from home depot and pops bushings in no time. Definitely specialized and single-use, but I would say definitely essential!

 

I picked up the press tool off ebay, worth every penny not having to drop the subframe to install them.

 

Yah. I was in the process of install the extremely stiff race version of the Powerflex Black. After cutting the OE bushing out with a Sawzall I didn't feel like taking a trip to Home Depot. With a bit of dogged tenacity I managed to press them in with my bench vice. It was not easy. With a lot of soap water and clamping them with the vice just right I managed to pressed the super stiff black poly outer bushings into the cast knuckles without spending a penny.

My vice just has a wide enough jaw to do the job. With the jaw faces being so narrow was the challenge and the poly and the cast knuckle kept popping out of the vice as a vice is not exactly a press.





I would buy a press in a heart beat if I have a place to store one. Tenacity and some elbow grease did the trick.

 

Ah right, if you have the knuckles off the car you have a few more options. I did mine still attached to the frame, lol.

 

Is that a black or purple? I didn't feel like using a Sawzall under the car. Even with the knuckle out it was dangerous enough. There are two steel collars in the OE bushing.

 

I have a next door neighbor with a garage hoist. That's a good tool to have!

 

I used purples. Did everything under the car including sawing out the liners - it was a bit cramped at times but manageable. Doing it again I'd probably just drop the subframe.

 

Reading your post and I thought, I probably should save some time and risk the knuckles doing them in place.

You are killing me.

My excuse is, failure is not an option as I have many track events coming up. Also I also change the steering rack bushing as well as the sway bar bushings. Mod Mini is amazing. He makes it look so easy. Must be the magic of video editing.

Pressing in the Powerstiff Black bushing on my bench vice, I felt the Acme thread was stressed to the limit of striping.

 

Here are my two tools to add:

. It is not essential until the situation calls for it. Make absolute sure you are getting a DC clamp current function.





And the second tool most just don't believe works. It is a 4 feet length of hose 1/4" ID hose use as stethoscope. It can isolate valve and tappet ticking down to the exact valve; belt and pulley drive noise down to the specific pulley. Something I figured out being a poor high school student learning how to wrench cars.

 

You can use that length of hose to tune SU carburetors too!

 

And to see if that pricy CAI is just all hot air.

 

For working under the Mini on rough pavement, these are indispensable. This has been the best TV I ever have, because of the cardboard box. It paid for itself many times over.





One of my neighbour saw me crawling and rolling under the Mini all dirty and felt sorry for me. He bought me a nice mechanic's crawler as a gift. I felt so bad to decline it, and explained to him the cardboard is far superior as it is slick to slide the body around. Most important, I only lose a few mm of "head room" rather than a few inches if using a crawler. No jack stand is too tall for working under the car. The ones with a slick surface wipe clean easily when wet or dirty. Also a crawler restricts you body in an awkward position. I store my cardboards under my vehicles in the garage. They are also very handy when you need to scratch down a quick note when not a piece of paper is in sight.

 

Oh, and a knee pad is a must have companion to the cardboard crawlers. The one in Home Depot's garden center is pretty decent for the money and easy to move around.

 

I would also recommend this to the list:

https://www.harborfreight.com/450-lb...ack-39178.html

It's so far been invaluable in taking out, and putting back my transmission in after a clutch job, and it can also be used for removing and installing the subframe back in as well. Sure, you can get by with just a simple floor jack, but they are quite unstable compared to this, and they are reasonably priced.

I used a floor jack for removing the subframe a couple weeks ago getting prepared to remove the clutch, and my Dad decided to get the transmission jack as it was on sale, and he can find numerous uses for it also.

 

I gave up installing transmissions by lifting, the bottom is so not flat. If you do it from above and hang it off a chain by the lift point it is super easy to get it lined up and on.

 

I use a Craftsman motorcycle jack as transmission jack (dropped the subframe with it last summer and it works just great).

One special "tool" I use that wasn't mentioned yet is a Windows Computer with USB OBD@ DCAN cable and a collection of NCS Expert and INPA etc software. Essential to code out checks for airbags and seat pad when you remove the OEM seats for racing seats, essential to get rid of bulb checks coming from the ECU when you put LEDs in those bulb locations where the checks cause flashes with these bulbs, and a million more uses. It's a pain to set up on anything newer than Windows XP 32 bit but it can be done. I am running it on Windows 10.

Most of the tools I use on my R53s have been listed here. Lights - lots of lights - is what I spent recent money on. I like to see what I am doing. The ceiling is covered with LED shop lights and I have several portable LED work lights

Things i recently added to my garage not mentioned above

Trim removal tools (Harbor Freight)
Steam Cleaner (McCulloch or something like that)
Flexible socket extension (amazon)

Still want to add a timing chain lock kit to replace the whole timing chain setup - about $45 on eBay

I had no luck with the lower control arm bushing tool I bought - it self destroyed before the bushing came out, so I took off the subframe and then used a shop press (Harbor Freight 12 ton) to press out the bushings. Works just fine that way.

There is a tool to press control arms into the bushing. I didn't buy it and used some ratcheting straps instead. Tool may make the job easier to get the arms into position bt it isn't cheap and even if you own more than one R53 like I do, you probably won't use it more than once every couple of years when you remove bushings or have to lre-ube a squeaky poly bushing.

Also going to get an engine hoist for transmission/clutch work, but so far I haven't needed a new clutch yet.

 

Lots of good comments and tools so far, but I have three tools that I always have no matter what I work on:
A good seat
A cool drink
And a good rag to wipe the dirt, maybe blood from a cut and sweat

While taking a break ...

 

I thought I cannot justify a 1/4" cordless impact, but I went for a test drive for Mini's knocking Miltek catback. That was a big mistake as I went to Home Depot. I have been on a lookout for a decent one a long time. Some of the usual suspect leading brands like Milwaukee turns me off with their outrageous price and exclusivity. Yes, the best guns are sold without battery nor charger. On the other end of the spectrum is they want you to buy a bundle that includes a cordless drill. No thanks as I am very happy with my Panasonic. I am quite impressed with my hand-on with the HF Hercules. It is smooth and quiet, compared to their cheaper Bauer. The down side is neither are brushless.

Playing around all the brands I kept going back to the Rigid brushless lineup. I want a full kit without being forced to buy just the gun, or with a cordless drill that I care not for. I ended up getting a Rigid kit with 2 batteries online with a discount. To me the Rigid feels rigid in the hand .

it is "hydraulic" like Mini's power steering pump



If I just want to spend $99 price point like the HF Hercules, the Dewalt DCF787C1 kit from Amazon is better deal than HF Hercules for the same price. It is brushless while HF Hercules is not.

 

ohh those new hydro ones are cool, Milwaukee has one now too

 

I looked at Milwaukee, but at HD they only sell you just the stupid gun. I have a few Milwaukee, but something you wonder WTF. The Rigid kit cost about the same as a cheap HPDE day. LOL

 

I just found a lug bolt tray. Free with Trader Joe's bratwurst made with real porky pork, not concentration camp chickens.

big enough for all 16 lug bolts; this one is quite sturdy with lots of ribs

 

if you have a 3d printer, somebody made a lug bolt tray. I converted both my cars to studs, for under 100 $ it's a worthy mod. The herculies impact was on sale for 89 $ it's getting hard to resist for my HPDE trailer I found keeping tools in it permanently works better as I'm forgetful


Not tried printing one of these bolt trays yet..

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1494982

 

I have just about every tools known to man, but do not have the courage to cross the line into 3D print. Too many damn tools and equipment already and the house looks like a Mini pitstop. I still don't feel the urge for stud conversion. I like the OE quality bolts and have read about stud stretch/snap of others. Having a set of light wheels helps and I never find it difficult to put them on without scratching up the high fashion Wilwood AL caliper and rotor hat.

$100 is a lot of money. I can buy 16.69 porky Carnitas burritos to stay off severe hunger at track events.

You can see in this photo the yellow USA made small parts bin I use to keep the lug bolts - but 4 sets made for a very cramped fit when I thrown in the deep socket impact socket too.

 

Similar to what was already mentioned. This is my favorite tool for working with hard to reach hose clamps.



https://www.ecstuning.com/b-schwaben...170sch01a~sch/

 

YES!

My Dad has one of those that was extremely useful when doing all the coolant hoses. Some don’t like that particular type of clamp, and prefer regular hose clamps, but with this tool, the stock clamps work just fine.