2nd Gen R56 Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: Alignment issues...How does yours run?

1. Take it to another shop!

2. Get a print out of the readings and share them with us please. We can help guide you with that info.

How are the tires worn? Inside, outside? down the middle? Can you post a picture of a worn tire please.

Welcome to the site too, thanks for being a member.

 

The reference of "Pulling To The Right" as an inherent trait of the Cooper S has more to do with "Torque Steer" when you are mashing the go pedal hard. With proper tire inflation and proper alignment the MINI should not pull to the right (or left for that matter) under normal conditions.
Since you bought it from CarMax as a used vehicle, the previous owner may not have been as careful with the pot holes. The best thing to do is to take it to an alignment shop that is familiar with MINI's.

 

Welcome aboard. Follow the advice and this place can help you out.

Jim

 

Hello and welcome! What Nathan and Metalman said

 

When it pulls to the right was it under acceleration (pushing the gas pedal down) or just cruising (no gas pedal) in a straight line?

Rotate your tires every 5-7k miles. MINIs wear tires front heavy and if you rotate them you will find yourself replacing them less often and 4 at a time versus 2.

I'll be honest. I've dealt A LOT wih Carmax, and while I'm sure everyone else here has some epic negative experience with them, I haven't. They have been really great for me in both sales and service. I doubt they are "screwing" with you. My guess is that there may be an issue with what they think the specs should be and what they actually should be. I'd follow up on what Nathan said and upload the alignment print-out so we can see if something is off.

 

Those are just your caster settings, I believe and are not adjustable. You should be primarily concerned with your camber and toe. Not sure what the factory settings for those would be for MIK2 cars.

 

Most dealers farm out their alignment work and if it wasn't a MINI dealer they probably use the cheapest place. You need to find a real good alignment shop since your paying anyway. If it's pulling it's off.

 

If it always pulls in the same direction while cruising, that usually indicates a bad wheel bearing or a dragging brake on that side. Suspension dammage may also be a possibility.
The wheel alignment (especially the toe in) will certainly affect how the tires wear though and if they're wearing really unevenly, the toe must be way off. I wonder if the previous owner hit a curb hard enough to bend a tierod or something.

 

When you get it properly alligned, it should track like it was on rails. At least mine does as do all Indians walk in single file. I know because the one that I saw, did. Find the big dog tire, wheel and allignment shop. They will have the specs, equipment and know-how to do it right, smoke out any possible problems and have you back on the road with the silly grin that you deserve.

 

pulling minis like untrained dogs

It appears that the mini is a very fickle beast. Mine as well has a tendency to go off alignment very easily. Once again my front wheels are cupping, and if anyone out there knows for sure what the toe (not tow) specs are supposed to be, that would be great.
thanks

 

That is a sign of suspension damage or poorly re-assembled suspension. I have 64,000+ miles with autocrosses and track days and I've never needed an alignment.

 

How many miles on your MINI? I agree with Redbeard something is worn out.

 

Front control arm bushings were the first thing to go on mine. Struts were next; I think that's when I saw cupping on my tires.

 

This is for 2nd Gen MINIs.

 

The control arm bushings can still go bad. I'd look at those first then the motor mounts. After having an alignment done properly

 

Oops, missed that.

 

Also check REAR wheel alignment, it's fairly common for them to come from the factory with some weird rear toe settings. This is adjustable by moving the trailing arm mount to the chassis (loosen three bolts, adjust (holes are slotted), drop to ground, roll out, re-check alignment)

(above paragraph edited thanks to my great friend Jason, who posted below AND who checked and corrected this on MY car!)

Also check and re-check tire pressure, even a 1/2 psi difference can result in a pull, as can a "tire pull", where a minor difference in tire construction (even between tires of the same make/model) can result in a "pull". Rotate, change position of tire on car, re-check. Both a tire-pressure difference and a "tire pull" can show up as either a consistent pull, or as a pull only on acceleration/braking.

 

(adjusted my above post, thanks my friend!)