How many different ways can a fat boy bend his body to get leverage... not so easy working on jack stands.

 

I hear you Joel. This is not an easy DIY IMHO and your saga is the reason why I'm on record encouraging owners to have it done at a shop. It proves that Tech's are not expensive they are really "Priceless".

 

I am the type of person who says "I can do that" and it usually ends up as a learning experience. Some times it is a lesson learned.

BTW, since I bought the pressed powerflex I was not too worried about the condition of the old bushing.... I also was tight on space since the ball joint would not separate (in fact I am not convinced that the ball joint needs to be separated now). I took a small drill bit and drilled 3 holes out of the bushing close to the control arm, sprayed a little deep creep in there and the bushing came off with very little effort.

Another hint, I used a breaker bar with a jointed head, and was able to get at both bolts. Easily? Not too bad. The bolt towards the back of the car was easier, and if the jack stand was not in the way I would have had more than 15 deprees of movement, the front bolt needed a small extension(went in from side). I used my air ratched to back it out the rest of the way... came out quick once a little loose. I was also able to fit the torque wrench in to get at the front bolt from under the car (not from the side) but had very limited space so tighten it down as much as possible with the air tool and box wrench.

I was very pleased and satisfied to have them both in, now I just need to clean up what I screwed up and then install the PS pump.

 

Bravo Joel, don't forget the alignment too.

 

I am scheduled for a tire replacement and alignment this weekend.

 

X 2 - my thoughts exactly - I'm pretty mechanically adept, but sometimes these things can be such a PITA that halfway through you're saying to yourself WTH was I thinking! (ie: when it seems like everything you need to get apart [a] you can't reach or/and [b] comes apart much harder than you thought it would), but, man, what a great feeling when it (finally) comes together...

How'd you make out w/ the alignment (and road test :devil: )?

 

I did my pre-winter oil change and checkup on Artoo this weekend, 2003 R53 with 90,000 miles, and noticed that a strut tower bushing was cracked and the lower control arm bushings are trashed. I am considering Fixed Plates, Koni FDSs and PowerFlex bushings. There is a Mini tech near me that does work in his garage and is reasonable. Since it all has to come apart anyway, how many hours is reasonable for the shock and bushing job?

Thanks in advance.

Rich

 

Hey Rich, sounds like a nice setup you are thinking about. I don't know of any places in your area, but I'm sure you can find some in your local sub-forum.

I'd say getting all that work done by a tech would be about 6-8 hours of labor. Once you find some local shops just call around and ask them for prices.

 

Having installed that exact set-up a couple of times, I would agree with the 6-8 hr number. For me, it's usually a matter if the owner is watching (distracting)... if left alone, I can usually R&R the struts & upper bushings (plates) in a couple of hours, taking my time. The LCA bushings depend a bit on how much the car fights me (rusty bolts). On one car, I did them in a little over 2 hours... another fought me every step of the way and took the better part of the day. It's kinda a funny... they always want to help... since I won't take money... but in reality, it's faster if I work alone... (bear in mind, I have tools the average DIY-er does not: a lift; OTC Strut-tamer & the BMW tool for the LCA bushing)

If you're have the IE plates installed, maybe find a shop that does suspension and alignments, since you'll need an alignment anyway.

 

Hey IanF, Having done too many of them I'd be happy to drop a MINI off, leave and come back with pizza and beer when you are done.

 

LCA bushing install for a pizza and beer? I wish you guys lived closer.

 

Where on the NJ/PA border do you live? I am actually a good helper.

Rich

 

In all seriousness, I've pretty much 'retired' from doing a lot of DIY wrenching on cars other than my own. For one, I don't have the time or space anymore. And second - and perhaps more importantly - I have a number of friends who work on these cars to put food on their tables, and they don't need one of their friends going around doing somewhat complex projects for little to nothing, especially during these times.

 

Amen brother, I really appreciate you thinking of us. "Real shops" like me, DT, and Helix depend on this for our living, other companies are just making it harder for us to survive, and that does include some of the "vendors" here on NAM working out of their house, and have real jobs.

Sorry for the off topic, but Ian made a great point

 

I do my own work because that's what I have have always done. But when I buy performance parts you are the guys that will always get my business, you can bank on it.

 

Now that I am done and recovered I want to give my $0.02.

First, I will explain my skill level. I am an average mechanic, tho I have a large number of tools, I know enough to be dangerous. I am a big guy, 260 lbs so getting under a car on jack stands is tight. I also Have rheumatoid arthritis, so I have limited range of motion and the joints get sore quickly... that being said here I go.

Would I do this again? Maybe, it would have been easier to have hired a professional. If it were not for the power steering, i would have.

Tools I recommend for the job, impact wrench to get the subframe bolts out. Mine were not rusted but without the impact wrench it would have been very hard to get them out. I am not convinced you need to separate the outer ball joints. One of the ball joints would not separate and I was able to work on that side. I started with the cheap Ebay tool shown in an earlier post, NAPA sells a good one for $20.

MAKE SURE THE STEERING SEPARATES! Mine was a pain as it had rusted a little. I separated the steering but it some how hung on by a small fraction and pulled the steering column down... avoid this.

Getting the old bushings off can be tough, as I stated before I took a small drill bit and drilled the bushing as close to the CA as possible and then sprayed oil in. This will scratch the CA a little, but the bushing comes off easy. If you are not separating the ball joints you will appreciate the ease it comes off (it is not super easy and you will need a pry bar, but once started it comes off with a good tug). Go with the pre-pressed poly bushings, they go on easy and I like the feel compared to my wife's. I have a good comparison as she just had her done by a dealership with stock parts, not a huge difference but I think the poly will last longer.

Raising the sf back up can be a little challenging by yourself, phone a friend. One side of the frame went up fine and lined up at the wheel (there is a metal guide). I inserted the bolt 1/4 of the way and then lowered the sf enough to wrestle the other side to line up.

Amazingly enough my car was still aligned when I took it to a shop. Still, get it aligned to be sure.

If you need to replace/rebuild your PS pump it is much easier with the SF down... so if you need to replace both the bushing and pump, do it together. I took the ps pump before I lowered the sf and there is some wrestling to get the pump out, with the frame down it fits is easy, plenty of room to work and you can see all the bolts.


Thank you for all the advice I received from this group, it was very helpful.

 

 

Good tips, doing that on the floor is such a pain. Hope our prepressed bushings made it a little easier. I know it's still hard to get them off the arms. And that steering shaft is the most important, as you found.

 

I have to jump in on this. The prepressed bushing made things hella easier.
If anyone who hasn't done their LCA Bushings is going to DIY soon PLEASE if you don't have a tie rod/bushing puller go get them at your local auto store.
They're not pricey at all. (Compaired to the BMW tool)
I replaced my LCA bushings by lowering the rear of the subframe and without fully removing the control arm. (Thanks to "Jango's" write-up.) Props to WAY for providing the prepressed bushings.
Not to change the subject, but those of you who have the R53 aero front on your car and scrape the bottom edge on the curb or speed bump all the time you may want to check all your bushings. My Mini scraped curbs/speed bumps at very low speeds. After changing the bushings (Powerflex) it hasn't happened.

 

Replaced the LCA bushings and tie-rod ends etc to fix the shimmy when slowing down and braking. Already had replaced brake rotors thinking that was it...

Used Way's pre-fit bushings and the job went reasonably well with the help of my son lowering the subframe etc.

The shimmy is a LOT better but still present- had it aligned after doing all this- 46K miles, '03 S, never been in an accident, super clean. What else would be causing some residual shimmy? It's very irritating as the rest of the car looks and drives like new.

 

Did you check the top strut mounts? I replaced mine with Ireland Fixed Plates as the OEM ones were shot.

Lower control arms too also with ball joints bar bushings, oil pan gasket and crank sensor seal. Figured I'd do it all with the subframe down. All seems good and I'll really test it after the alignment on Monday.

Rich

 

The only thing I haven't replaced! Will check into it... calling Way...

 

> Did you check (change) the ball joints?
> How old are the tires? (fwiw, my son just had a problem w/ a new one from T/R)