I was looking at the suspension set up on our MINI this weekend and I was presently surprised at how similar design were to the BMW's E46(this explains their great handling). I studied the design of the FCAB and RTAB, they look quite similar aswell. Coming from the E46 camp, this was a big issue. If there's any E46 driver here then we can relate. They were good up to 30,000 miles (even less mile if you drive it hard) and after that you have a really bad handling car. I swapped out my factory bushing with Powerflex, and the improvements were just incredible. I know that the R56 is too new to have this problem yet and I don't know too much about the R50/R53. but do you guys think that the R56 will have simliar problem with their FCAB and RTAB? Does any venders have urethane bushing for the R56 yet?

 

For those that aren't hovering on Bimmerforums 24/7:

FCAB = Front Control Arm Bushing

RTAB = Rear Trailing Arm Bushing


--->Zimmy330: FCAB's on the R53 are notorious for crapping out every 30k-60k miles, depending on engine torque, driving style, and area roads. Since the R56 has more torque from the factory and uses a very similar bushing, you can bet they'll require even more frequent changing. Going to a solid/spherical bearing FCAB has been the best move I've discovered besides a rear-sway-bar on the MINI's suspension.

RTAB's aren't as big a deal, mostly because the MINI is front drive and gets very little loading on the rear suspension compared to the front. Putting in a set of poly reinforcement pieces from Powerflex will pretty much leave the setup good-to-go for 100k miles.

 

Hey... so what are you trying to imply?


Anyway, do Powerflex make bushings for the R56? I was on their website and see I didn't see anything.

 

Powerflex makes a RTAB for the R56; it's the "small" one and it's the same as the '05-06 R53 RTAB's.



From Powerflex's website: Shows the "new style" RTAB poly insert on an R53 arm, but the bushing is identical on the R56. I know for 100% certain, I adapted R56 arms to my old R53.