Okay everyone, time to ask for the FINAL word! But first, the backstory:

I have a 2008 Cooper S. One of my first mods was an Alta rear sway bar. Pretty soon, it started making the AWFUL clunking noise, which I determined to be the rear sway bar bushings. I replaced that twice over a year and a half.

I then went to the Ireland Engineering rear sway bar. Well, I have replaced the bushing at least 5 times (they seem to last a little less than a year) AND have replaced the end-link ball joints twice (boy do those make an awful rattle when they go!). And yes, I use the grease they provide and put it on exactly as the tech guy on the phone tells me.

SO, does anyone have any experience with a sway bar that has bushings that last at least a little while? I hear even the stock bars will do this over time, but this is absolutely ridiculous!

Please, any help would be appreciated!

 

Are you greasing the bushings? Also what do you have it set at? Are you lowered?

 

Not lowered and yes sir I grease em. In terms of the settings I tend to keep it about in the middle. Ive tried loosen and tighten the rear and it doesnt seam to make a difference.

 

The BRAND of the bushings and the type of GREASE can make a difference...
Some swaybars have MUCH better bushings....the H&R one I have, has Teflon in the bushings, and came with a packet of grease...no rubber to shrink....and let thunk!

some bushings Have a Zerk (grease) fitting on them....and a grease channel to HOLD the grease better...
My guess...every bar takes about the same to make...the more $$ bars seem to have better bushings!!
Since a set can cost about $20-40 a pair...well worth the premium IMO.

or
http://www.waymotorworks.com/h-sport...-sway-bar.html

 

I am loving the sound of the HR sway bar!!! Do you know where I can order one?

 

Most of the vendors here carry them. I got mine from OutMotoring but Way sells it too.

 

Thank you all so much! I am not going to lie, I am very excited now. This is literally the only problem I have with my car!!!

 

You MIGHT try new bushinhs before swapping the whole bar...
The ireland engineering bar without the traditional holes on the end (had a sliding lock adjustment) was known for squeeks and thumps....
i got mine at turner motorsports in amesburby mass..(they have been pulling a bit back from the mini market to stay a bmw shop, so not sure if they still have them)....local to me so it saved the shipping.
The H&R bar is nice...even shot-peened, then painted...so typical german quality...a bit harder to find, but have been happy with it.

 

Ive replaced the bushings five times already mate, I am done with them.

 

I have the H&R bar. I just replaced the bushings lat month ($50). So they lasted 5 years (approx 35k miles) and they require no lubrication. They were completely silent until they wore out.

http://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-39...ni-cooper.aspx

They also sell the bushings....

 

And the HR will fit on the R56?

 

Ooops, my bad. R53.

 

I heard that the rear r53 and r56 are basically the same?

 

You could check with a part # search...see if the parts for both vars is the same #.
$160 is a nice price.
I found a few places that sell h&r stuff with a qick google serch...see if both # are the same...

 

One last thing, did the H&R come with the brackets?

 

Wrap the bar in teflon tape near the the bushing location too...it helps.

 

I think I'm going to grab an H&R bar. I had a Hotchkis on my last car and the bushings seemed to need more maintenance than I liked.

Any word on good endlinks? I have had Whiteline's ball joint style links on 2 cars in the past and found them to be a significant reliability upgrade over stockers in both cases, and quieter than any spherical bearing links I've tried (bleh, hate them). It seems like they're a weak spot on this car, so I figure they should probably be replaced along with the bar.

--Matt

 

H&R uses oem brackets

 

Yup...was a strightforward swap....

 

I'd recommend going with the Hsport Comp bar. I've had customers that have had them for 10+ years on their car with no issues. I personally have had one on my R53 for the last 7yrs with no issue, and I took it off my previous R53 when I put it on my current R53. I've never needed to regrease or do anything to it. In the last 10yrs I've only ever regreased one Hsport bar, they truly are the best.

 

Try this. If your IE RSB is 19mm, just buy the 19mm RSB bushings for the H&R and use those with your oem brackets and your IE RSB. Problem solved and you don't have to buy a new RSB.

 

****, I dont have the OEM brackets, and I am willing to bet that MINI wont sell me the brackets with out buying the whole shitty stock sway bar right?

 

I'll bet you could gets some used ones from vendors that have replaced stock bars with aftermarket.

 

I had an H&R bar on my car, it measured at 18 mm. There was only two holes on it, and the stiffer location was a minor improvement over stock. I picked up a h-sport comp bar from the marketplace, and the softest setting on that bar is stiffer than the H&R. I think that there was an H&R bar on the old marketplace recently. I've only put about 15k miles in a year on the H-sport, and no squeaks yet.

Mike

 

Thanks for your help everyone! I think I have settled on the H&R 22mm bar. I cant wait to put it on!!!