I have searched to no end trying to find a thread that addresses this issue. I found some related threads but no definitive answer.

When I drive under 10 mph on a rough road, I hear a knocking noise like something is loose up front like metal on metal hitting. I have inspected personally and have taken to a shop that I trust and nothing has been found. I replaced the upper engine mount, checked the lower mount, replaced the LCA bushings and ball joints, inspected the struts and strut mounts, inspected the brakes for looseness and anything else that would be obvious and I replaced both front wheel bearings thinking it was that. My question is, could bad swaybar downlink bushings cause the sound I'm hearing? I had basically the same issue with a Ford Superduty truck I own a couple years back and it was the bushings where they attach to the swaybar and frame. Took 7 years and 5 different dealerships and no one figured it out until the guy I mentioned above that I trust, found them.

The Mini doesn't pull left or right and it has no unusual wear pattern on the wheels. I had alignment checked and it came up within spec. I am getting very frustrated over this because outside of this issue, the car is superb. If anyone out there is in the know on this please reply, as I have about decided to just replace the downlinks and be done with it but I hate to shotgun repair. I guess the best part is I have replaced a few known problem parts so when I do find it it will be top notch all the way.

 

I'm not sure about the MINI specifically, but those end link bushings can certainly cause this kind of sound, and in my experiance, they can often seem ok, because of the slight preload they almost always have on them. The nice thing is that you can disconnect them, and tie the bar up with some mechanics wire to test this theory.

 

Good idea about just disconnecting the sway bar end links to test.
I recently saw a post where the front bumper was loose. Might want to give the bumper a shake.
I would also give the exhaust a good shake just to rule it out, sometime the middle mount gets weak or torn, letting the exhaust move a little too much.

 

Mine has the same issue. It wasn't the end links but was the sway bar mount bushings. The guy I got the car from was told by the dealer that the rack was going bad o_O. Guess all it takes is a bit of time by a mechanic that isn't out to screw someone. Try unbolting the end links, chances are it will quiet up. If it IS the links it's a lot faster and cheaper to change them out then the bar bushings. I just learned to ignore the noise.

 

Well I thought I would update this thread to tell how I resolved the noise issue. I just bit the bullet and replaced the sway bar bushings with Forceflex bushings and replaced the downlinks. As soon as I pulled out on the highway I knew I had beaten the knock. After inspecting the old parts, I think it was actually the bushings and not the downlinks. The end result was a total fix and it steers tighter than ever in turns. After a small rack alignment it was like a new car. Hope this helped anyone who may have read this thread.

 

Mine had this the second week after I got it and it was loose sway bar mounts.

 

Did your clunk/rattle sound like something loose under your left foot? At low speeds and driving over rough irregular pavement, I get a soft clunk from the left corner of the driver's footwell. I initially thought the left-front jacking pad was loose, but not the case. '07 MCS, regular street use only. How challenging was it to replace the bushings?

 

Yes - particularly driving slowly over a speed bump at a slight angle where the sway bar would be forced to twist in the mount. It really sounded like something was really loose Good luck!

 

Thanks! I have found a MINI TSB (SI M31 01 07) on "knocking noises from front axle". Sez MINI fitted incorrect sway bar bushings on all early '07 MINIs and repairs are covered under the new car warranty - which expired a year ago for me . Pulled the LF tire and sure enough, there's visual signs of bushing movement. Unbolting the bushing clamp and swapping the bushings would be straightforward - if you could get to the bolts. Suspect you've got to lower the subframe to get at them, so it's off to the shop for me ...

 

I really appreciate this thread. I have the same problem with my 2009 Clubman. It is still under warranty so I am letting them go through the steps, and get parts replaced for free in the process (ball joint, tie rod + alignment so far). But I will be sure to have them check these bushings before the warranty expires.
Lightning Blue '09 MINI Cooper Clubman

 

Similar problem: my rattle is in the back somewhere. The rear sway bar bushings were worn and replaced; the tech claims the problem is now resolved- but the rattle remains larger than life - notably at low speeds over rough, irregular pavement. Don't know what to do at this point.

 

LCA, sway bar bush/endlink clunks move randomly all over the place. I honestly believed I heard some in the rear. It ran my patience out & I finally gathered enough courage to drop that sub-frame. Swapped out the LCA/swaybar bushes & inner ball joints. Inspected the PS fan, PS hoses & clamps; cleaned & detailed everything under. Inspected those endlinks, outer ball joints, rod ends, boots, everything good, all done in 6 slow paced hrs. Bolted & torqued everything back to spec. The MINI now feels its just out the showroom floor!
Trick is- once you're under, go through everything thoroughly. The MINI has too many tight corners, no room for half-**** jobs in there. I can't understand why folks would change LCAs & leave the inner ball joints & sway bushes for some other time....just my opinion.

 

so if you want to run a disconnected front sway bar, what would you tie the ends of the sway bar to?

 

just tie them up to your suspension ... unless you plan on driving without your endlinks for a while. If so I would recommend removing them completely

 

thanks- I want to do some clunking diagnosis but I don't want to mislead myself by hearing the anti roll bar hit the wishbone just because I tied it to the wrong place. If the clunk persists, I'll reinstall the droplinks and keep looking and listening.

 

Update to my post - Finally took the car to the Portland OR dealer Aug 2013 for a host of repairs, including new sway bar bushings. The factory left front bushing was indeed defective. Labor and parts came to $550 total ($15 parts), and after some yelling to BMW by me and the SM, BMW has agreed to refund the repair costs, even though the car is way out of warranty. Much quieter ride now on the highway!

 

I have the same noise and diagnosis: swaybar bushings but everything else is tight and in good shape. I was told it is not dangerous, just noisy and to wait until I have something else to do before dropping the subframe for just for those bushings. ???????????

Was $500 the average labor cost for you guys? TIA

 

I have this sound right now after replacing rear stock and strut, just ordered new sway bar bushings, will replace and see if it fixes it. Car has 94k miles on it. Its strange that it just started after replacing the spring/strut...but we'll see if it fixes, sounds like it should.

 

Since the noise started after you replaced the shock/strut I would suspect the top shock nut is not tightened down all the way and the spring is moving slightly in the perches. It is sometimes difficult to get the nut fully threaded down on the shock rod. You might be able to verify by jacking the car up, grabbing the spring, and trying to move it in the perches. The spring should not move.

 

I was planning on trying that as well..since this was a lone DYI job and its been a few years since I did my last spring install, I wouldn't be surprise if that wasnt it either. With the miles, it won't hurt to replace the bushings either. Thanks for the info though! Will report back if that fixes it for anyone else.

 

Worked, no more rattle!! I will still replace the rear sway bar bushings as well. Thanks for looking out!

 

I started getting this knocking noise after I changed my front bearings and adjusted the height on my kw v2 coilovers. I did not have this noise prior to doing all this. Any ideas what it could be?

 

Maybe you didn't tighten everything down completely?

 

yes i made sure i tightened everything to spec

 

I have the same issue, but worse. My 2009 R55 Clubman S is downright dangerous to drive! If I go over a pothole or bump or speed bump, the steeringwheel gets really squirrely and almost rips out of my hands. If you run over something like that while turning, I fear that it might lose control. I looked at the sway bar links and bushings, and they seem okay, but the car drives like complete crap over anything but smooth roads. I thought it might be the shocks, but people say that worn out shocks would make the car smoother and less bumpy.. Not sure what to think here...