Looking through the Bentley Service manual and two other manuals, I have almost come to the conclusion that the ball joint that holds the lower arm to the frame may be broken. That would explain why the wheel and drive shaft have moved back to where it rubs against the sway bar link.
Does that sound like a possibility?
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The rain stopped long enough for me to get a closer look. What I found it the lower control arm is bent back. With the geometry changed, that put the sway bar link rubbing on the drive shaft.
You can see how the arm is disfigured at the bend. I estimate the arm at the wheel side is moved back at least 1/2 an inch. -
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BlimeyCabrio Oscar Goldman of MINIsLifetime Supporter
- May 4, 2009
- 2,896
- Professional Facilitator and Alignment Consultant
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Lower control arm bending is a common failure mode on these cars when you whack the wheel hard like that. That's probably your primary issue, and may be the only real issue. Also possible the bushing at the rear of the arm is damaged or worn out, as others have said. Also possible to bend the upper strut mounting plate and the strut tower itself.
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Thanks! -
Check out the description and black and white picture/diagram of the strut mount protection plates
http://new.minimania.com/part/NMS7300/Mini-Cooper-Suspension-Strut-Tower-Reinforcement-Plates
If the towers are mushroomed, so are the strut mount plates, along with possible broken rubber bushings. The strut towers are weak and hard hits cause this issue. There are other types of plates available to prevent this, some mount underneath between the mount and tower, and others are like the ones in the link, but can also mount an optional strut tower bar to connect the two towers. -
Rawhyde Active Member
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Looks like the strut tower is mushroomed. Definitely going to order a set of strut mount plates.
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I think that I may have a used, but good, control arm. Get the part number off yours, and PM me. I will take a look in my garage when I get off work tonight. If I still have it, you can have it for the price of shipping.
Ray. -
Control arm. Off to work now.
Attached Files:
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Rawhyde Active Member
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PM sent
Bill -
Update; I received the Control Arm Ray sent me. Thanks so much! I will be ordering all the other parts I need to get the Mini back on the road today.
When my son hit the curb that did the damage to the control arm, the driver's side wheel was also damaged so I looked through Craigslist for another wheel. I ended up buying a set from a local guy for $200. I did not need all 4 wheels but I could not pass up the deal. Now I have backup wheels if he damages another one.
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All of my parts has arrived. Look what showed up yesterday!
Hoping the weather stays good this weekend to finish up all the work. It will be good to have the Mini back on the road. -
I have those wheels on my Mini. They are indestructible! The other day I heard they were going to start putting them on tanks but decided they were too heavy. Your son bent one? We need to give him some sort of trophy!:lol::lol:
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