Trying to pick the collective MA brain... Last week I replaced the stock control arm bushings with power-flex bushings. Like we've done a couple of times before, we just released the back of the sub-frame rather than drop the whole sub-frame. Since then, steering seems very heavy. It could be coincidental with a PS pump failure, but I doubt it. Anyone experienced this before? I'm thinking of a few of possibilities: 1. It now feels "normal" and before the old bushings were so shot that what I remember as "lightness" was really just sawing away at the slack. 2. PS pump really is failing, count the days. 3. You disconnected or damaged something by taking the shortcut of not dropping the whole sub-frame and are now being punished. 4. Something else, what? Any thoughts? 2006 Cooper S, 61K miles, original PS pump. PS pump is still working, sound hasn't changed, and "heaviness" is very even and constant. It almost feels like the tires are very low (they aren't), but not as heavy as coasting with the engine off.
The shaft telescopes and has U-joints at both ends, I think low probability of being bent. If the shaft was over extended I could see the steering angle sensor becoming cocked in a bind. I had a steering column replaced that had similar resistance toward full lock, but it also made creaking noise while turning. Look at the easy stuff first like the boot on the floor, and try pushing the shaft sleeve up for a feel and listen.
I think #1 is a good possibility. When I had the control arm bushings replaced on my MINI the difference in feel was pretty amazing. It did feel tighter & more connected. Check all those other things for piece of mind, but I'm going with #1.
Sounds silly but also check tire pressure, low front tires can make mine feel like a tractor. Did you rotate tires at the same time? You're also likely feeling the sharper steering. How much heavier is it, like going from a 3/10 to a 4/10, or going from a 3/10 to a 9/10?
Also make sure not to be inadvertently comparing to a 2nd gen as they have variable assist by vehicle speed. A first gen will always feel to have heavier steering at low speeds.
Thanks for the many replies. I'll check the shaft and the boot later tonight. I didn't remove the PS fluid reservoir bracket, is there something to check there as well? Comparison is before/after bushing and swaybar replacement. Tires were not rotated, but are properly inflated. As far as trying to rate how heavy.... It's always been heavier than say my old E30 track car. If 10/10 effort is required to steer a MINI without power-steering, I'd rate my MINI at 6/10 before and 8/10 now. (My old E30: 4/10 for comparison.)
This info is not related to heavy steering feel. From an installation perspective the best you can hope for when installing poly bushings on first generation models is a middle ground between arm travel bind states. Finding the middle ground without the subframe lowered is difficult. With the subframe down, outer ball joint disconnected, and mounting bolts loose, one can see the fishtail movement poly bushings impose on the trailing bracket when the arm is raised & lowered, this is because the bracket attempts to align with a dynamic axis. To minimize poly bushing bind at upper and/or lower arm travel limits from this affect, take care when securing the mounts. With the inner ball joint bracket and trailing arm bracket bolts just loose enough to allow lateral bracket movement, lift and lower the arm, and set at a little above static ride height, then tighten the trailing arm mount bolts, followed by the inner ball joint bracket. After both sides are secured you'll probably discover the sway bar is difficult to move up & down, but that's what you get. If the arms are secured at full droop or full lift, the opposite position will bind. Polyurethane lower control arm bushings remove tolerances engineered to allow free arm movement over the inner ball joint, reduces bushing elasticity (not a positive), and eliminates fluid dampening, which is a superior medium for absorbing vibration & heat. The engineer who designed the front suspension system also said the configuration assists in anti-dive & lift. The latest Powerflex bushing kit allows less movement than earlier versions; if one must install poly bushings, Madness bushings are softer than PF, and provide a slight bit of wiggle room front to rear.
And the answer is .... So what was the answer to heavy steering? Well, after dropping the sub-frame again to replace the clutch/RMS and some other work, checking the PS pump, and putting all back together again.... don't know. Steering is normal again. Maybe we kinked the line or have some form of steering line atherosclerosis, and managed to get the blockage to move out of the way.
So how many years have I been trying to explain this to Mini owners who throw in these hard replacement bushing. Well, at least 5 or 6 years now. :mad2:
Fixed I dug up this old thread in case anyone has similar issues as it proved difficult to diagnose and solve, but I finally fixed it. Three symptoms; three separate but related problems to solve. (I love multi-variate equations...) If you experience "heavy" steering; notched steering; and/or crunchy steering, try checking these items: 1. Heavy Steering. Power-steering pump failure. Common failure on 1st Gen MINIs. For me, the PS fan had failed and then the pump. It just happened at the same time as the other two problems, complicating diagnosis. 2. Notched steering: Sound comes from the front of the car, not the interior. At first I thought it was spring binding, but it turned out to be the strut bearing in the mount had failed. The large washer isn't enough to protect the bearing from all of the road gunk from this past winter. 3. Creaky steering: My steering sounded like the creaky deck of the Black Pearl. Not just at lock, but any movement off center caused creaking and groaning. Sound was inside the cabin. Cause was the lower steering column shaft. Sometimes it can be lessened by applying grease, but if the shaft is bent, you have to replace. Not difficult to do, once you figure it out. (Hint: Connect the upper U joint before the lower one. I just saved you an hour of frustration.) The first two are caused by faulty designs. The third was probably caused by someone (not me) forgetting to disconnect the lower steering knuckle before lowering the rear portion of the front sub-frame. The steering column is designed to move in many directions. That isn't one of them. It's a $125-$150 part if you can find it (part number 32306763722.) Here's DIY for install.