Well, just like the title says, I was leaving my home and the Mini didn't feel right and soon after my TPMS started blinking like I've never seen before.

I brought it back home and immediately noticed that the left rear wheel looked like it was cambered to an extreme. I'll include some pics to show you guys.



and



and




This just happened out of no where, but luckily I caught it before the wheel cut through the plastic wheel well and started to rub on the strut, possibly causing a blow out.

Anyway now I need a new lower control arm and I've decided I could take advantage of this opportunity and install a beefier one, thinking about the H-Sport or the TSW, only reason I'm shying away from the TSW tho is that it doesn't come with polyurethane bushings, what do you guys think?

Also, does anyone know how to remove the top bolt for the lower control arm without dropping the sub frame, or is that the only way to gain access to the bolt?

-Thanks,
Alex

 

Yep looks like time for some Hsport control arms, they are a lot stronger. And I've never seen a set wear out in 8yrs.

Yes you can install them without dropping the subframe, just find the right short 18mm socket.

 

thats intense lol.

 

Haha my mouth was wide open when I looked under there, I still don't know how It happened.

 

That is not the first time I have seen that happen. Pretty scary having a suspension part break in half.

H-Sport makes some nice pieces.

http://www.detroittuned.com/shop/?productID=146

I'm curious as to how many miles on that MINI when it broke?

 

Ya, I already purchased the H-Sport, but my MINI has just over 113,000 miles now.
The MINI's just sitting in the driveway now getting rained on, until I receive the new control arms ...

When you say you've seen this before, was it on a daily driver or track raced MINI?

 

From what I remember it was on a daily driver. It was posted here on NAM. I do not remember how many miles that MINI had.

H-Sport makes some nice pieces. You should be happy with them.

 

That is scary. I had H-Sport on my previous 03 MCS but just have the stock arms on my current 06 MCS because I get enough adjustment out of the stock arm. I drive the car very hard so now you got me thinking about replacing the stock arms with H-Sport.

 

This just happened to me tonight after I hit a pothole in NYC. The same side too. Fortunately, I was near a Mini Cooper dealer. I am going to have to bring it in. I am parked there and will have to ask them in the morning if they could take it in I am preparing myself for the inevitable raping of my wallet.

 

I think there are some H Sport arms in my MINIs future.

 

Get a rental don't let them rape you. The stock control arms from the dealer are about $140-160 each for just the part. A pair of adj Hsport arms are $239

 

Well, I ended up with a stock replacement. My local mechanic could not find anyone with an aftermarket product so i would have had to order it myself and wait for delivery (which I didn't have the option since I need the car for this weekend). Sucks since I would have liked to swap out the pair. At least it's not going to cost me the $800 plus MINI wanted. It will be $200 for the part (had to be ordered from MINI), $80 for installation, $120 for alignment. Plus tax. Could have been worse I suppose.

Thanks for the heads up though. That may end up being a future project.

 

good thing you weren't WFO on the highway when this happened. glad to see it's replaced. too bad circumstances didn't give you time to get the h-sport ones.