Got my car up on the ramp, noticed the bush on the front driverside was tarnished, i can push the wheel back and forth with my hand while its stationary, it looks like i have to take the whole suspension off to replace it? wtf! there are two bolts going into the floor holding the arm in, there is no room to get the bolt out, is there anyway around this, can the bush be taking out and replaced without dropping the whole suspension? i got quoted from a guy 250 to replace both bushes.... the bushes only cost me 12 quid flip sake so im paying for labour, i could do it myself but i really do not have the time to do it
I've done them without dropping the whole front subframe.
You need to remove the track control arm which can be freed from the inner and outer bushes - you can't get a ball joint splitter on the inner one so if that won't release, you'll need to fiddle with the two bolts on the inner one in order to remove it. One of my inner ball joints wouldn't release and it took a bit of fiddling to get them out but it is possible.
To remove the bushes, I used a Sealey tool designed for the job which was great - well worth the money (£55 for a 2nd hand one).
It's a long old job though and probably touch and go as to whether it might just have been easier to drop the subframe.
Time element then is probably why the dealer drops the whole thing.
Of course trying to do it with the restrictions you also risk scratching the paint on the suspension components
Once you've done it a few times, everything gets easier too. Plus with a lift and more than one person, removing the bumper etc is much easier. With some practice, you can probably get the subframe out in less than an hour.
If I ever have to do it again, I'll probably drop the subframe too... the side where the control arm released from the inner ball joint was fine and much easier than dropping the subframe. However, the side that didn't release was very fiddly and took much longer - less of a risk of scratching anything (not that I found anyway, but then I have a pretty well equipped tool chest so lots of choice over what to use) but more that you need quite a bit of patience as you only have 1/8th turn at a time so it takes quite a while (16mm racketing spanner helps though )
Anyway, long story short, yes dropping the subframe is ultimately the easiest way unless you're lucky and both inner ball joints release. Whether you do it with or without dropping the subframe though, this bit of kit is brilliant for changing the actual bushes:
I did both of mine in just over an hour with no special tools but replaced them with poly bushes. just dropped the control arms, carefully driled out the rubber bush, sawzall out the metal bush, used a 3 arm hub puller(less arms) and plate to install the poly bush. install control arm
The trick isn't so much replacing the bushes as it is removing the control arms... if they release easily from the inner ball joint it makes the job pretty straight forward. If they don't release it becomes very fiddly to the point where you start to consider whether you should just have bitten the bullet and dropped the subframe.
good point. I just tapped both ball joints with a hammer and they popped out which is the case with most ball joints. I used an angle grinder to get the left over rubber off the control arm.
im going to see the car anyway its to slow, tt here i come, ive only had the mini a few weeks, have to say il not be buying another one as the engines are dead, even with a remap it doesnt go anywhere but i could buy a cooper s, but then you still have the same problem with gear boxes, power steering and clutches etc, so f that!! lol
Cooper S has a different gearbox to the cooper/one.
We have an R53 and a mk5 R32, have had loads of Audis/VW etc, as mentioned each car has its faults and agree that it can be misleading taking negatives from some forums.
well put it like this, its 225bhp which is 100 more than what im driving at the min!! plus the engine would be alot better than the mini engine, i know things do wear but ive learnt minis have alot more issues than most cars, ie gear box problems, power steering problems, clutch problems, electrical problems etc etc, i havent heard of many tt's which the same problems, anyway, everyone has their own opinion, mine is a 2002, 112k on clock, full service history, 80% from bmw mini other from a decent garage, been remapped with brand new cooper 17 inch wheels on it, its in decent shape with panaramic sunroof etc, only thing needs done is the bush, what price do you think il get for it?
i know things do wear but ive learnt minis have alot more issues than most cars, ie gear box problems, power steering problems, clutch problems, electrical problems etc etc, i havent heard of many tt's which the same problems, anyway, everyone has their own opinion,QUOTE]
Ironic for me to come across your point- valid when you have had a guts full of trouble!
My heart was set on a TT before I considered the Mini. Would have been the standard 180bhp, but after reading on honestjohn.co.uk things such as £500 for a water pump replacement, engine removal required! Turned me right off.
Mini is the only car that puts a candle to the TT's attention to detail (I still love the TT) inside and outside the cabin. And peerless access to the engine. Still, all cars have trouble. My Mini having wishbone bushes replaced next week. Enjoy your change of scenery!
Like I said, it's all relative... my MCS is over 100bhp down on my previous car Plus what I like/find important in a car will no doubt differ from many other people (would be a pretty dull world if it weren't).
The 1.8T VAG engine is well proven and pretty bulletproof (it's also quite tune-able ). However, spend a bit of time on a TT / VAG forum and you'll start to think that they're the most unreliable cars in the world (which in general they're not). The problem is that many people only post on forums when their cars go wrong, you don't get too many that post "drove my car today, worked perfectly" which tends to add a little bias to proceedings so a lot of the issues we fear aren't nearly as common as forums might have us believe. I'm a member of several Subaru forums and if you didn't know better, you'd think every single one was within seconds of falling to pieces.
Re the price of yours, it's 11 years old and 100k+ miles so I'd say somewhere around the £2k mark with a following wind.
Hi,
Don't know why you've open a new topic. Read my post under "R50 front control arm bush replacement " VidalPT. Did mine last weekend 1 hour per side. Used the Nielsen tool bought from ebay. No need to drop the subframe. I have posted photos.
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