So I was going about replacing the worn out struts in the mini with some OEM replacements, and I cannot for the life of me get the driver's side (LHS) strut back in place. The rears were cake, and the RHS was relatively easy with some finagling and a spring compressor. The LHS however is off by about an inch, even with the spring compressor bottomed out on itself. I noticed that the LHS control arm/knuckle/hub assembly drops about and inch and a half LESS than the RHS, and seems to be restricted by something. The RHS assembly kinda flops around like its only being supported by the control arm bushings while the strut is out. I disconnected the LHS steering tie rod end at the knuckle hoping it would give me some more play, but to no avail.

I managed to get the old LHS strut out by using a floor jack and a length of pipe under the lower spring perch, which compressed it just enough to get it out of the knuckle. However when I try to do this on the new strut it just spins and the pipe falls off since there is nothing constraining rotation at the bottom. I've tried widening the knuckle "clamp" where the pinch bolt goes through, but that didnt seem to give me anything either. The only idea I have left is to undo the ball joint and take the knuckle/hub assembly off to get clearance, but I'd rather not if there are any other options.

Any experience or advice would be helpful! Thanks

 

Both the control arm and the tie rod end need to be disconnected, as well as the sway bar link. Spreading the knuckle is required to get the bottom of the strut completely seated also. The top of the strut should be loose in the strut tower with the three top nuts turned maybe two rotations. Every time I've done this it's been a PITA.

 

When you say disconnect the control arm, do you mean at the ball joint, or at the subframe/bushings?

 

I would disconnect it at the ball joint. This is always one of my least favorite parts of the job.

I'm assuming the sway bar link is disconnected since you're trying to get the strut in,

My usual procedure is to undo the tie rod and the ball joint for the lower control arm (easier to unbolt the 13mm bolts from the knuckle than separate the ball joint) and then angle the knuckle out while I slide the strut in. It sucks because the knuckle is heavy and it's basically unsupported at that point. You have to be careful not to let it flop around too much or you can tear your CV boots. Once i get the strut mount bolts in place and the strut started in the knuckle, I reconnect the tie rod and control arm and usually end up using a floor jack and a block of wood to press the knuckle up and bottom out the strut. It's a bit of a procedure, I'm not sure if an extra set of hands would help or get in the way, but I've always done it alone.

 

+Racingguy04 ... tie rod end and lower ball joint. It helps tremendously to spread the knuckle where the bolt goes thru but it's really difficult to keep a wedge in there at the same time you're trying to insert the strut. Instructions that came with my strut assembly says to stick a screwdriver in there but that hits the strut tab that inserts into the knuckle slot. If anyone has a brilliant idea on how to do that, I'm listening. My most recent strut install needed a wood block hammered from the bottom of the knuckle to get the strut in its proper place.

 

Maybe my knuckles are different or something, but I've never bothered with a wedge. Pretty sure I just pushed down on the knuckle to release the strut and used a floor jack when reassembling things both times. IIRC, I rotated the knuckle out and forward a bit to give me enough clearance to pop the strut out or get it started in the knuckle.

 

I've never separated the ball joint when doing struts, only issue I've had was with painted struts that were just "that much" too large in diameter from coats of paint, or simple miss-alignment when trying to slide the strut into the collar. (Pulling out at the top of the rotor helps in re-alligning things)

My process is simply:
Remove the wheel
Pull the pinch bolt and disconnect the sway bar
Use a hammer to tap the upper control arm (collar) down to release the strut. (Sometimes you may have to use a small pry bar to clear the collar from the strut completely. Usually pulling the upper control arm slightly out and forward)
Loosen and remove the the upper mounting bolts from the tower.
Pull the strut.
(you may have to "loosen" the tower bolts first to maneuver the bottom of the strut out and forward enough to release and clear the collar)

Clean the rust from the inside of the collar with some brake cleaner and a scotch-brite pad

Install is reversed:
Install the 3 strut tower bolts with only enough threads to hold the strut up.
Align the collar in place around the bottom of the strut, push up with a floor jack from under the rotor while pulling out on the top of the rotor to help with alignment.
(some wiggling may be needed, use the rotor for this. A small amount of lube won't hurt anything if you think it will help.)
Tighten the strut tower bolts with the jack still forcing the assembly up into the tower
Replace pinch bolt and sway bar bolt.

That's how I've done all of mine.

 

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

deepgrey and BlwnAway: thats how the RHS strut went. I could easily alight the strut with the collar/knuckle on reassembly and used a jack under the ball joint to seat the strut. Easy-peasy.

The LHS strut however is impossible to align in the knuckle without compressing the strut a significant amount or disconnecting the ball joint. My best idea as to why is that a weld bead on the back side of the control arm is impinging on the subframe near the forward bushing, which wont allow it to rotate downwards as much as the RHS. Manufacturing inconsistencies might explain why some people don't seem to have much of an issue with this, and some have a hell of a time.

I started working on the ball joint but cant get it out either way...and I tore the boot in the process so I guess I gotta replace that too.

 

The painted strut was my issue I believe. Paint was so thick the strut would not slip into the collar. Next time I'll sand it down a bit before trying.

 

It's absolutely a thing, I fought and fought with mine after a couple of coats with a rattle can, (granted on top of the factory color coat) but even that was too much on my car, sanded the paint off from the slip fit area, slid right in.
At least I know that slip fit is pretty tightly toleranced.

 

Follow up: Just discovered this tool that should make this process easier. It has an oblong tip (3/8" drive) that opens the knuckle gap as you turn the socket. $12 or so on eBay. The Audi/VW type is supposed to fit the Mini.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265008057323?hash=item3db3b60beb:g:91IAAOSwHdJf-jKt

 

I've used one of the tools that cooper48 linked -- very helpful.

 

planing to change my springs soon so looked this up. Bentley recommends removing the tie rods and ball joints

 

I spread the knuckel apart with a chissel and put the end of a smaller box end wrench at the end of the opening/slit to keep it open. It was just barley in there holding it open. Removed the chissel and the let the knuckle start to slide over the fin on the strut before removing the wrench with a few taps of a hammer.

So, looking at that picture just above, Chissel went in about where the arrow is pointing, end of the box end wrench at the bottom below where the bolt is. Tapped out the chissel (just up and down, itll work out without the wrench falling out) then just slid the knuckle on the shock. It was like a 10 mm or so. Small one if I remember correctly. Doesn't need to be too thick.

 

Followup: The spreader tool mentioned in one of my earlier posts above substantially lessened the effort require to seat the strut assembly. I would recommend it. It is a bit difficult for one person (though I did it) to hold the tool AND seat the strut assembly. It would have been beneficial to have some help.

 

Thanks All for the great details above. Just now drilling out the old pinch bolt and reaming out a bit of the pinch bolt hole on the LHS of our 2006 R50. Replacing with a stainless carriage bolt with stop nut. Poor design on the old pinch bolt; or perhaps a previous owner replaced that bolt with an inferior bolt that seized. Next, we'll see how the RHS bolt goes.
Cheers...

 

Be careful with stainless fasteners. They seem like a great idea but can be problematic. They can seize if tightened against a stainless nut twice. The strength isn’t always what you might want.

They are not terrible, just not the solution to everything.

Peter