Took advantage of the school shop last night and turned my rotors and stuck on some new pads. MINI wanted to charge me 400+ for a (front) brake job which did include new rotors, but the rotors on it are barely a year old. Why are they so quick to replace instead of shave a little warp out? Also, this was my first time changing "BMW" brakes and that wear sensor thingy.... Why the F do they put the connector up behind the dam wheel well cover deal? Such a pain. In other news, turns out I'll be paying MINI 900 bux to change that dam control arm bushing. Apparently it's more difficult than I realized, and the shop I brought it too couldn't do it properly so they said they can't do it. Yay! Just in time for christmas!
Yep front control arm bushings are a pain! A shop shouldn't have much of an issue though, it's only dropping a subframe a couple inches. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I concur, though in their defense his tech said the reason they weren't comfortable finishing the repair was that they didn't have the proper press to fit the control arm back to the bushing. He said something about the angle that it was being pulled on and being worried about the fluid inside. Also, Why the fluid? Me no understand. Guess it is a MINI thing to over engineer things to the point of premature failure :cornut:
Exactly. Avoid the fluid filled oem FCA bushings as they fail so quickly. The Powerflex polyurethane ones last almost forever, work better, and add virtually no extra NVH to the drive.
Because a lot of shops/mechanics are just parts changers. It took me forever to find some thread files but what surprised me is how many people that should know had no idea what I was talking about. I am an old fart that learned from old farts. They taught me how to fix a lot of parts that some would through away.
Brakes: Don't be surprised to find the rotors warping again. My experience is turning a rotor makes them smooth for a while, but the warping comes back. When I have bad rotors I just replace them. Sensors: I hates them. I soldered the wires together & killed them on my MINI. Bushings: Powerflex all the way. If you can wait until the dragon, have Helix do them there. Blue haired Mike did mine. Good job on you for doing all that DIY work.
I've had a mixed bag of experience on the turned rotors, the GM's I've had did great with that route, a Mercury once upon a time, no such luck. I'm thinking of upgrading the brakes simply because this is the second time since owning the car that they've got'n wobbly on me. That's a great idea! I'll have Helix do them at MOTD this year. Can't wait to head up that way! Blue haired Mike cleaned my intake valves this past MOTD
I had cryo treated rotors on my MINI. They were Stop-tech slotted. Those things really lasted & took a fair amount of track abuse. Don't go with drilled rotors, they are known to crack at the holes under very hard use. I think the OEM JCW drilled rotors are an exception to that rule.
I added a factory light to the front power point/cigarette lighter and ordered the PIAA wipers from Tire Rack.
I only got this far yesterday! Something kept coming up I would have to take care of every time I would try to start! Maybe today I will get more done. And yes thats blood on the floor, I manager to smash my thumb!:frown2:
They keep my daughter on ambulance alert when I enter the garage! Just a note to all when compressing a spring clip with channel locks don't stick your other hand into a tight spot to move the clamp. If the channel locks slip it could end badly. :mad2::lol:
One thing that will cause a rotor to warp is not evenly torquing the wheels on. Make sure to tighten in star pattern and not all the way tight on the first pass around.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA I feel if you give your MINI a little of your blood from time to time the car will run better for longer.
I did absolutely nothing to my MINI .It seems like everything I have done since August has resulted in back pain. Found out a week ago Wednesday that I fractured my L2 vertebrae. I need to find a new primary care doctor because this one missed the boat on a diagnosis. I fell last August. The good news is that it should heal by the Dragon .
Goldsmith find a real back doctor. Your GP does not have expertise in these things. He can refer you to one. Take care of your back, see the doc & get an MRI of your lower back. This is something that you don't want to try & tough out. Welcome to the old fart with a bad back club Goldsmith.
Dropped off the R53 today for it's clutch kit, powerflex bushings, front wheel bearing, and cat back exhaust install. Home now and working on a steak and beers to help me focus on other things. :beer
Took a ride to Lowe's... picked up a new cartridge for my kitchen sink faucet. It was starting to drip in the off position... not anymore though. Then when I checked the mailbox, noticed my replacement recline knobs showed up. So, I put the missing one on my passenger side seat.
