While driving I am feeling vibration on the passenger side. I was thinking that the front passenger tire might be lopsided because I remember hitting a pot hole awhile back pretty hard on the passenger tire.

The funny thing is the vibration can be very pronounced and at times hardly noticeable. So I decided to swap the front and rear passenger tires and at first I noticed improvement and then it started acting up again. I believe the tire is the problem but I still notice vibration coming from the front, I think, I am not really sure, I was thinking of swapping the drivers side with the passenger side but the tires are directional tires.

One time when I was making a full turn to the left I noticed a minor shift in the front alignment. Kinda like a little click on the passenger side front tire and nothing noticeable after that. While I had it jacked up I tried moving the tire and it was pretty secure.

I also notice the front passenger side with the rear tire now in the front has more tread wear then the original front tire is making a lot more noise then the original tire in front.

This is really stressing me out when I am driving I keep thinking that the tire is going to blow up or fly off. I can even feel the vibration on the gas pedal which is additionally stressing. Any advise will be greatly appreciated. I am thinking I need an alignment adjustment.

Another question how important is it to torque the lug nuts. I just tightened it with a tire wrench.

2004 mini cooper s tire size 215/40/17

 

Sounds similar to my experience. I got a vibration that changed with speed on the passenger side, which I thought was tires that were out of balance. I took it to the tire place to have the balance checked, and it turned out I had bent both passenger side rims when I hit a big bleedin' Pennsylvania pot hole.

Have the wheels checked for balance.

 

It's probably your lower control arm bushings. Notoriusly they go bad and cause the exact problem your stating. Ruined my front set of run flats when I had them. Had the bushings replaced with the Alta PSRS (solid) bushings. Never had the problem again. You'll experiance a little more road noise with these. But everythings feels tight now.

 

Since it started after hitting a pot hole I would suspect your alignment (toe) needs adjustment. If the toe is way off it can make the tire scrub across the road which can cause a vibration that feels like an out of balance tire.

 

Well I went to the local tire shop today. Had an appointment at 4pm for wheel alignment.

After waiting an hour they inspected my car and I was told that I need to change both lower control arm assemblies and they will not be able to make the alignment adjustment.

I wasted an hour and they charge me $25 for nothing.

I talked to my friend at the Mini/BMW dealership shop and he informed me that in order to do alignment on the Mini you need the specific software to do it.

I am suspecting that they weren't even capable of doing the alignment but they probably figured they could make an easy $25 bucks off of me.

Oh well I will be going to the Mini dealership tomorrow for their assessment.

So question do I need to change the whole control arm assembly or just the bushings?

 

Well I jacked up the mini this evening wanted to take a look at the problem myself.

As far as I can tell nothing wrong with the control arm assemblies including the bushings. But I did notice the passenger tie rod end is loose I am able to move it. I checked the driver side and it is solid.

The passenger tire is definitely out of line. Tried to adjust the tie rod.

Was able to loosen the nut that connects the inner and outer. Was not able to adjust the inner the open end wrench kept slipping and the fact that it moves wasn't helping.

Gonna have to wait until tomorrow for dealer to take a look at it.

Question I know I need to get the part replaced. But it is safe for me to use the car until then? What is the worst that could happen?

 

If your alignment is way off (which it probably is) you will wear out a tire pretty quick so if you have to drive I would limit the driving otherwise you might be purchasing a new tire.
Not sure what you mean by the tie rod end is loose. Was the adjustment nut loose so the rod could twist (in and out of adjustment), is the tie rod end loose where it mounts, or is the tie rod end about to fall apart? If the tie rod end breaks you could lose control of your car.

 

The tie rod isn't loose were it is just laying there. I can move it as in I can twist it.
It's not jiggly loose it still kind of snug but I can twist it not like the driver side.
The ball joint doesn't really move it is the outer tie rod that I can twist around.

I tried to adjust the inner tie rod but it wouldn't budge.

I pretty much need to drive I am a pizza delivery guy for now. I am hoping I can use it until I can repair it with minimal down time.

 

Worst case senaro... The tie-rod fails, and that tire turns in a different direction.....big accident, totaled car, and you hit a bus load of handicapped children on a bus that then after going off a bridge, hits a truck carying nuclear waste, rendering the entire county you live in unihabitable for the next 10 million years.......
When you get the car looked at, be sure to tell them you moved the tire/rim...it is possible that the tire/rim is dammaged, along with the suspension....Some placed will refuse to do an alighnment on a Mini unless they have the weights to place in the seats...( the mini/BMW spec/procdure calls for the seats to have very specfic weights placed on them) but many places will just for it like any other car...if you don't track the car, you likely would not notice the differance.

 

The tie-rods are desgined to be adjusted...so it is likely they are fine, just out of adjustment...drive carefuly, and get it looked at.

 

And they *don't* necessarily need the software to do the alignment. I have a local shop that does mine and they did just fine. When I hit a pothole this past winter, I had an alignment and they also found the wheel bearing needed replaced (it was causing some vibration).

 

Worst case scenario. You forgot to mention that the pizza would be cold and the delivery would be late.