Hi guys...
MINI USA is just a headache!... They just won't do any repairs, so they decided to take the easy way and void my warranty for drive train, suspension and transmission... Nice!!... They basically told me that they have nothing to do with the dealers, so is my problem with them directly... So... everybody cleans up their hands there and I still have my problem unresolved... Screw that! I am not going to give my money away to those thieves, so I am fixing it myself.
I just ordered Powerflex bushings... I am going to start doing that because is a part it needs to be replaced anyway, those OEM are just crap.
My father is a Pro mechanic, he used to build his own cars for over 30 years... I definitely trust him way more after seen all he can do on his cars. Than we are going to fix the axles. I'll post pics later.

I am now planning to get an extended warranty once I fix this issue... Any suggestions?... I need a good one that accepts aftermarket mods and don't give me all these stupids excuses to steal my money.
Thanks

 

I wish you good luck, but the way you are going about it, luck is what you need. If you don't investigate the problem in a systematic manner and totally eliminate one component at a time (again in a logical manner) then you are going to be replacing 'this and that' and spending a lot of money in hopes that you find the problem. Again, I wish you all the luck in the world.

Please post your findings as you start changing things and if/when you ever find the true cause.

I still feel (as stated by others) that you need to get a couple of wheel/tires that you 'know are round and true', and start a logical rotation of putting them on the car and driving and observing which wheel is shaking. This will be low cost and should be very effective at pinpointing the offending corner of the car. I wish you well.

YD

 

Put a straight edge on the axles to verify they are straight while you are under there.
Are you sure the vibration is coming from the front and not the rear?
Used to be, if the vibration was in the steering wheel it was the front, if the vibration was shaking the whole car then it was usually from the rear.
Just some ideas.

 

Start with some control arm bushings
http://www.waymotorworks.com/product...cat=284&page=3
They won't hurt especially if you have any real miles on the car. I see these worn out all the time.

 

I am getting a brand new set of Powerflex bushings installed on my R53 S at the end of this week. I bought them from Way Motor Works. One of the best and inexpensive mods you can do to these cars

 

I already ordered a set of Powerflex bushings last week. I should get them by tomorrow. I'll try to install them by Wednesday. If that does not solve the issue, I'll start working on the axles... if not, then shocks... But I am almost sure the problem is with the axles, I lifted the car again this past weekend and did the test again... same thing, axles look bent... I'll post an update of the issue as soon as get bushings installed
Thanks!

 

start with having someone watch the wheels at the onset of vibration! Really, the symptoms are much more in line with bad dampeners than bad axles.

While the bushings are shot and need fixing for sure, I had bushings that had self destructed really, really badly (worse than yours look to be) and they didn't result in vibration, just really loud clunks going over bumps.

Good luck with the work....

Matt

 

update ???????????????

 

sorry, I've been very busy. I replaced control arm bushings. One was completely destroyed...Vibration feels "controlled/hold" for now by the powerflex bushings, but I still need to get axles fixed... haven't had the time to do it. The whole problem is a big pain in the butt! Changing those bushings was really complicated!




















I'll post update later
Thanks

 

Good job getting those out without removing the sub frame.

 

i had 69 mustang with a bad steering box, i damaged it agaist a curb exact same thing. good luck!

 

Nice job

I recommend performing a full 4 wheel alignment after fitting the new bushings in.

 

Wow thats a big hatchet / hammer on the floor. Did you have to use it?

 

lol it is indeed huge

 

I did not read every response, but have you driven the car with the control arms on jack stands (wheels in the air obviously) to see if the vibration is repeated? Then perhaps you can cautiously (or set up a movie camera) look under the car while it's turning at the speed in which the vibration happens, to determine if there is an imbalance in your rotating assembly (if an axle is bent and out of balance, or something is loose, etc).
That's how i'd do. If this replicated the vibration, i'd then remove the wheels and watch the axles. Maybe even set up a dial indicator on the axle shafts to see if they are true.

 

This is definitely not true. There are several law firms that are getting wealthy by specializing in Moss-Magnuson litigation at the expense of manufacturers who are obliged to pay the consumer's legal bills.

Paipuky,
Contact www.lemonlaw.com . They will review your case for free and if they feel you have a claim they will represent you at the expense of BMW. You have nothing to lose by inquiring. I know first-hand that Moss-Magnuson works.

 

How would you have bent the axles?

 

After reading all the posts of the back and forth dealer trials & errors, it appears that anything's possible.

 

Thanks! I'll give it a try so.
About the axles, I have no idea, honestly, I have never hit the car or anything to cause that kind of problem. What is weird is that both are bent... I have always hought that the car was sold like that (defective parts) since it was a demo and who knows how many people might had hit it before I got it... I don't know... This is a freaking mystery that is costing me too much.

 

Was the car ever towed? It is not unheard of that some idiot tow truck driver wraps the towing tie-down chains around the axles rather than to appropriate points on the chassis.

 

Well, not that I know. I have never had to have it towed...

 

Did the OP ever get this issue fixed or state what the problem turned out to be?

YD

 

Hi, I am having a similar issue with my '05 S JCW. Answering Yo's questions:

Does the vibration happen:

At only certain speeds - I think that it happens at all speeds, but it is much more noticable at highway speeds.

When the car is under acceleration - Yes

When the car is coasting - Yes

when the car is decelerating - Yes

when the car is under braking - Yes

If the car is at speed and vibrating and you coast in neutral what happens - still happens

If the car is at speed and vibrating and you turn the engine off and coast what happens - haven't tried this

You have tested your original wheels and tires and also your aftermarket wheels and tires - I no longer have my original wheels and tires, but I have tried both sets of wheels I do have and it vibrates on both

Have you swapped tires and wheels from another mini that is proven to be smooth? - no, the wheels from my husband's '09 Clubman don't fit my '05

Has the dealer put the car on a set of rollers, such as a dyno with no load and reproduced the vibration in the shop? - Car is no longer under warranty, so I haven't done this

when it is vibrating, is there anything you can do, such as give it gas, let off the gas, coast, turn the steering wheels, push in the clutch, use different gears, etc. to try to make the vibration change for better or worse? - nope, I've tried all of these and noticed no change in vibration

Has anyone followed you with a cell phone on a multi-lane road and observed all four wheels for bounce when you are at the vibration speed? - My husband has watched and didn't notice, but at the time I think he still thought I was imagining it , it's gotten worse since and we haven't done a side by side drive since.

Last, has anyone considered a defective shock absorber or strut. If for any reason the dampening action of the shock should go away, due to a defective valve or whatever and then allows undampened up and down action, it will shake your car like the Jolly Green Giant just shook your car. This will be apparent when your friend observes your wheels when driving down the road. I don't remember you saying that anyone has looked at the shocks. My money is on a bad shock. - I recently came into a set of coilovers, put them on and the vibration remained.

When the car is in the air, we have tried shaking the wheels to see if it is the bearings and the wheels do not move so the bearings seem ok.

This vibration started prior to the end of my warranty. I didn't throw a fit about it because my suspension had been modified. At that time I was driving on the original struts but lowered springs and Wilwood big brakes (which is why my stock wheels no longer fit). At this point the vibration was there but not horrible and I thought that it was likely my struts going bad after being lowered for 4 years.

On the last day of my warranty, my car was in the shop to have the windshield sprayer motor replaced and they noticed that my front lower control arms were cracked. They replaced them and did an alignment. After that, the vibration remained unchanged. Shortly afterward I put on the coilovers and got an alignment and the vibration remained unchanged. From looking around we saw that the hydraulic engine mount is leaking, but I don't think that would cause this vibration, particularly since the amount of throttle used does not affect it. I am planning on replacing it.

Does anyone else have any ideas? I have done a considerable amount of autox and some track events but have never been in an accident or done anything like spin my car.

Thanks

 

Well I can say that it is a very frustrating issue. Like I previously said, I already checked struts and they are ok, already replaced control arm bushings with poly ones, did alignment and everything, but the vibration still there. In my case the problem seems to be bent axles, but I haven't had the time $$$ to fix it... It sucks, even under warranty they didn't want to fix it... And MINI USA end up voiding my whole warranty just because of 15% pulley and aftermarket wheels... You were lucky to have those things fixed by the dealer..
Anyway, I'm just waiting to have the time $$$ to fix it... for now I'm just ignoring it (It is not as bad now with the poly bushings).

 

Been a long time since we last heard from you. Sorry you are still having issues... question, just how did you determine that your struts (dampening ability) were OK?

YD