My mini (08 r56S) is experiencing some wobble in the driver side front tie rod. I've narrowed it down to the tie rod being loose. I've just gotten both of my replacement tie rods in, but they didn't come with the boot that covers the inner tie rod. Hose clamps for 7 dollars each, and a boot "kit" (hose clamps and the boot) for 70 bucks via ecs/pelican.... I'm wondering if I can reuse the old boot or source the inner tie rod cover locally for a more reasonable price?

Secondly, I'm lowering my car via bilstien springs and koni shocks (kit b12?) so clearly I'm in for a doozy of work, my mini is approaching the big 100k, I'm wondering if I should seriously consider other things, such as the wheel bearings? Looking at the price of the bearing/hubs (about 130 each on the low side of things ). Obviously money is a limiting factor but if I should really go out of my way for things like that then of course I will do my best. I have control arm bushings, but is there anything else that, while everything is taken apart, would be a really good (nearly essential) to replace/take a look at?

I know my way around a tool box, but my experience with suspensions is with 4x4's. I'm used to jacking things up, not slamming them down, the mini has been a blast to learn things going in the other direction, but it's also my primary vehicle right now and I really need it to last me basically forever, so I'm trying to take the best care of it I can, while having a little bit of fun with it. Any tips/help is much appreciated, thanks guys

 

I don't think you'll be able to reuse the clamps on the inner tie rod boot since you'll have to cut them off but you should be able to re-use the boot. You could probably find replacement clamps locally.

I wouldn't worry about the wheel bearings until they're actually bad. With 100k on the car getting those struts out of the steering knuckles is going to suck big time. You're going to do the control arm bushings yourself? You do realize that involves mostly dropping the subframe right? It is kind of a pain but not a terrible job. The control arm bushings are really the only common failure points in the front suspension. I wouldn't worry about anything else unless you can see that it's failed. Obviously check over the ball joint boots and stuff on the control arm just to make sure everything is still in good condition.

 

After ~7 years and 100K miles, I'd suggest replacing the boots - you'll save in the long run, and know that your new tie rods are protected rather than having to worry about the boot cracking. Also a lot easier to take care of it now when everything is apart than have to go back and do it over in a year or two.

Wheel bearings - wait until they go bad. My Acura is 12 years old with 250K miles on original wheel bearings. My wife's Subaru had one go at 80K miles, so it all depends on the quality of the original bearing and some luck.

Doing the shocks isn't too bad. There's a special socket tool for opening up the steering knuckle that might make it easier, it is an oval shape that goes in the slot in the knuckle and you twist it with a breaker bar. You should consider replacing the top mounts in front as the rubber eventually wears out, and the top bushings in the rear. Again, easier to do now while everything is apart and you have to get an alignment done anyway. Also if you have the xenon headlights, make sure to disconnect the headlight leveling sensor on the front driver's side before disconnecting the knuckle from the strut, otherwise you risk breaking it.

 

I personally wouldn't worry about the boots I never really see them ripped coming into the shop the clamps are a pain just reuse the old boot and use some good zip ties they will hold on just fine and you will have no issues its the fastest cheapest and best way to do them. I have done many with no issue.

I assume you have purchased or rented the inner tie rod tool? If not you will need too

As far as the opening the knuckle just use a air hammer and a chisel or just a nice pry bar and open it up you don't need much a little lube goes a long way too .

Good luck and also where are you located I would be willing to help on a weekend

 

I can speak to the difficulty of getting the bottom of the strut out of the steering knuckles just yesterday, it's a real pain in the you know what until you spray some WD-40 around the bottom, it popped right out easily. You almost have no chance of popping them out without WD-40 so if you're about ready to tackle the job and don't have WD-40 don't even start trying to remove the bottom of strut from the steering knuckles because you'll get no where!

 

I use air hammer with big chisel to open the slot than leave the chisel in there lube it slide it right out

 

I managed to pull the drivers side tie-rod and intall the new one yesterday. I didn't actually intend to work on the mini yesterday, it just kind of happened, and as such I didn't have enough time to do the other side.

I don't have a tie rod puller but was able to get the inner tie rod with what I affectionately call my Big A crescent wrench. It was a tough gig, I had a hose clamp for the boot but it was too small so I got it wrapped in my head that the hose clamps on the silencer bigger... what better time to do a silencer delete, right?

Damn that thing is a mother to get out. One damned screw, and it's crazy difficult to get to. Discovered my radiator reservoir has a slow leak because of it though. Count my blessing, I guess. After spending way too much time only to find out the hose clamps were all the same size, and all too small I ended up using zip ties, which was one of the those eureka/duh moments, wish I had seen Vinnie's post sooner.

btw, Vinnie, I'm in Newport, RI so a little ways north of you

Even just the one tie rod I can tell it needs new alignment, amazing how touchy something like that can be. I'm hoping that in the next couple days I'll have the time at work to just spend all day doing the other tie rod (passenger side should be a lot quicker) and full suspension. I think the shock mounts and rear bushings first though.

 

Ya definitely do an alignment did you count the amount of turns when taking the outer tie rod off and put the new one back on using the same amount of turns?

It will be a lot closer come alignment time and your alignment guy will be a lot happier lol

make sure you put some blue loctite on the treads of the inner tie rod where it attached to the rack NOT on the threads where the outer attaches to the inner but better yet use some anti seize there.