So I'm in the middle of what should be a very simple install... adding a set of NM torque arm inserts. The bolts come undone (eventually... nice to see they were properly torqued at the factory) and I can get the inserts in place. One minor snag... I can't get the silly thing to fit back into place! It was a very snug fit before the inserts so there just doesn't seem to be enough clearence for the inserts. Any helpful hints or suggestions to get the old ones removed?
:cornut:Rest easy as one of our mechanical geniuses will be along shortly(after you post pictures as they're not also qualified in 'Remote Viewing'). We'd all(actually me:cornut like to here your driving impressions after the install and some spirited and regular city/hwy driving.Hope all goes well. Jasonopcorn:
Usually they fit very tight. It helps if you use some sort of lubricant like soap. You may then need to tap it back in place with a mallet. Good luck, Steve
Please do post pic's from your description not sure if issue is with old or new I recall when I put mine in that I had to man handle the bottom of the engine to adjust it into place. Not a huge deal but had to be done. That is of course one of the main connctions between the chassis and the engine and there is a little play.
When I did mine (R56), I had to pull both bolts out and drop the arm. Make sure the small impressions in the factory rubber molding is completely clean since the NM parts need to fully seat. I then re- installed, the small end first and then the large end. I had to wiggle the engine in order to get the bolts to pass through all the layers of the bracket and arm bushing. And then re-torqued the nuts.
Squeeze them into the bushing as best as possible. Then you should be able to push it back into the subframe, if you can't go ahead and use a hammer to tap it back into place.
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions; unfortunately, I ended up needing to run out, so I bolted it back together without the new bushings (at least I got to break in my new torque wrench!). The inserts were seating in just fine into the torque arm... the clearence on the subframe was just exceptionally tight. I'll give it another try this coming weekend with a few extra things on hand (had a few other suggestions from another site): *Soap/grease/WD-40/slippery sort of substance to help fit it in. *Rubber mallet for 'assistance' *Large C clamp (hook one end over the subframe, the other under the arm, and screw it up into place... in theory) I'll also make sure to have the camera on hand for documentation/further troubleshooting if need be. Should also note for posterity... R56... 2010 MC
I put a thin coat of silicone grease on the bushing and then used a screw type bar clamp to both seat the bushing and put the torque arm back into place. Slid right in!
So I finally had the time and cooperative weather to go back out and take care of this. It's a nice, easy process... took maybe 15 minutes and that's with me taking my time and taking a few shots of the process. Here's the inserts as they arrived from Outmotoring. The NM tag unfolds into a printed copy of the installation .pdf For those who have never looked underneath their MINI, the torque arm is just a little ways in from the front, a little off to the right hand side of the car. If you look in the above picture, you can see my rachet driver hanging down from one of the bolts. So here's the torque arm, itself. There are two 16mm bolts to deal with - the one the rachet is currently on is the connection to the subframe, and you can see the exposed bolt head that attaches to the engine. Here, the bolt attaching the arm to the subframe has been removed; the second bolt has been loosened so the arm will move easily. I did not remove it due to very close spacing to the exhaust made it more trouble than it was worth. The inserts fit in easily enough that removal wasn't necessary. There is only one way the inserts can fit in and they go in fairly easily. There was one spot that didn't want to seat in with hand pressure, but that was easily fixed with a c-clamp (sorry, that pic didn't come out). The arm is now a very tight fit and would not go back into place with hand pressure. I gave each side of the inserts and each side of the subframe a quick shot of WD-40 and tapped it back in with a rubber mallet. Just a bit of figeting (and another tap or three with the mallet) and the arm is back in place. All that was needed after this picture was to tighten the bolts, make sure they are properly torqued in (80 fps) and it's done! Having test driven it for a bit, I'm pleased with the initial results. There is a very slight vibration when at idle... so faint that I'm still not positive I'm just imagining it or not. The most noticable results have been on slow take-off from a stop... light pressure on the accelerator is immediately transferred to the drive instead of just moving the engine in it's mounts before moving the car. I'll post more once I've given the car a bit more thorough testing.
OK, So I gotta ask..... You did this work around lunchtime, correct??? Those are chicken bones, right? Glad it worked out for you, I sure like mine....:cornut:
Just bits of tree branch... the tree in front of my house is constantly dropping branches, leaves, bark and who know what else. Even dropped a big ol' branch right through the windshield of my previous car. :incazzato: One of these days, it's going.
So JT, when you 'tapped' it in with the rubber mallet, was the torque arm still attached to the car or did you remove it at the time?
The mallet was used to get the torque arm to fit back into the subframe. I used a c-clamp to get the inserts seated all the way. The entire operation was done without ever completely removing the torque arm.
Either way you do it Ric (leave it attached with one bolt or completely remove like I did) it's a really simple install. Nothing to it....
Yet again, something I didn't know I wanted or needed to do until after I saw it. Thanks for the photos JT.
Way at WMW has said more than once this is one of the best investments for the dollar for a MINI... a $60 mod you can do yourself in a few minutes that has a noticable positive effect. Don't be afraid... just do it!