FordCook
Ford Cook
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« on: September 13, 2011, 12:31:24 PM » |
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Guys/Gals - I'm installing my lowering springs and discovered the rubber bushing on my passenger side front strut upper bearing is cracked (surprised - only 35K miles on this '04). I haven't noticed a problem driving yet - but the crack is deep so of course I will replace it. That's where the big Question comes in:
Checkered flag wants $135 per bushing. Waymotorworks has OEM replacements for $90 each. Online I've found "Sachs", "Moog", and "Raybestos" (via RockAuto and PartsGeek) for $35-45 per side. I had good experience with Moog steering components before. They were considered a step up from OEM for my old GM car.
So - what do you guys think? I'm probably going to pickup some reinforcement plates to go with them. THANKS!
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mugami
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« Reply #1 on: September 14, 2011, 01:30:55 AM » |
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Hi. the problem your talking about i belive is rather common. I have an 03 and have replaced those bushings twice. Once under warrenty and second out of warrenty. On the second time i replaced them with power Flex poly bushing and havent had trouble since. As for the cost Mini sells you not just the bushing but the housing and all as one unit. while most others sell just the bushing and you have to have it press in the stock housing.
even when there totally worn out most wont feel the difference since it was gradural (cant spell) and there is no danger, but it will cause increase tire wear and the car does push a bit more. Once you replace them then you can feel the difference.
Im From Richmond and i keep and extra set of the factory housing along with a few other parts ive swaped out through out the years. So if you in the area or if Adam want to stop by and pick up his transmission. You can have them to make the upgrade easier by having the replaces pressed into my housing then doing the swap on the car. That way the car is always on the road if your a DIY person.
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JumpingJackFlash
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« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2011, 12:17:13 PM » |
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Yeah, I still need to get that transmission from you. Our van was not working for a few weeks but has since been repaired, so that is certainly doable now.
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FordCook
Ford Cook
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« Reply #3 on: September 14, 2011, 12:27:46 PM » |
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Thanks for the reply Mugami. I'm looking at OEM's from waymotors for $90 and Moog's from RockAuto for $40. I think I'll go w/ Moogs. I'm going to get an M7 front strut tower brace that comes with anti-mushroom end-plates that are 13mm thick. There are some upper strut bushings from Ireland Engineering that are offset and add -1.25 deg camber to the front end. But being lowered, there's concern that the resulting negative camber could be too severe (and perhaps not even left/right). I'm too cheap to buy an adjustable camber kit for the front end (for now at least). Anyone have thoughts on the Ireland fixed -1.25 camber upper strut bushings? Thanks again!
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FordCook
Ford Cook
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« Reply #4 on: September 19, 2011, 09:10:02 AM » |
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Update: I was advised to not go w/ the fixed neg camber bearing supports from Ireland Eng: w/ the car lowered, the neg camber is magnified and could wind up with some weird camber numbers. Advice came from two sources - so I ordered Moog strut bearing/bushings. Also ordered craven strut reinforcement plates. Skipped the strut tower brace. I don't think there's a lot of flex in the body. Thanks for the feedback.
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maacodale
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« Reply #5 on: September 19, 2011, 06:08:24 PM » |
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That should work well. But, I can tell ya from experience, we have Ireland fixed camber plates on Tyler's MINI along with some very loooooow H&R springs. We do have a fair amount of camber, something like 2.4 degrees negative. But with his aggressive driving style it works pretty well. After cording the outsides of his Hoosiers sitting stock, that really cured the problem and tire temps across the face of the tire was perfect. Granted, for a sanely driven MINI, or just occasionally driven spiritedly MINI they might be overkill. But from Florida to Rhode Island and back to Florida a couple of times we saw no significant wear issues. Besides, I'm an old racer, we LOVE negative camber!
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Dale Blankenship
Poquoson, VA
09 Laser Blue Clubman S
Wife thinks it's hers!
07 Mellow Yellow Cooper S
Of course son thinks it's his!
Guess I need a third MINI!
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FordCook
Ford Cook
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« Reply #6 on: September 19, 2011, 07:37:01 PM » |
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Darn it Dale! My Moog strut bearings just shipped! :) well - maybe they'll wear out...
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FordCook
Ford Cook
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« Reply #7 on: September 19, 2011, 07:46:05 PM » |
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What do you mean by "cording the outside ... sitting stock"? I'm an old wannabe racer... I might have to try this out!
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maacodale
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« Reply #8 on: September 19, 2011, 10:25:06 PM » |
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Quick racing physics lesson, When a car corners, lets say LEFT in this case (remember, I'm on old oval track guy) the right front tire is doing most of the directional changing. Forces want the car to continue straight, but the tire is turning left, so the forces tend to want to push the tire UNDER the car. The tire that was standing straight up, is now trying to roll under the car, so the outside edge is getting most of the wear. SO, lets lean the tire IN at the TOP (negative camber) Going straight the inside of the tire may wear a bit more, however, in that same hard left turn, when the tire tries to roll UNDER, it's going to deflect the same amount, but remember, the tire is leaning in at the top now, so when that deflection occurs, it's actually standing straight up and giving A) better traction and B) even wear across the surface. The bonus factor is that initial turn in feels much more crisp.
Okay, now remember, better, sharper turn in will likely result in a loose condition when cornered hard. That means the front is biting great, but the rear end can't perform as good, so the rear wants to pass the front. Before ya know it, you're facing the direction you just came from. But that's another story all together.
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Dale Blankenship
Poquoson, VA
09 Laser Blue Clubman S
Wife thinks it's hers!
07 Mellow Yellow Cooper S
Of course son thinks it's his!
Guess I need a third MINI!
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FordCook
Ford Cook
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« Reply #9 on: September 19, 2011, 10:54:16 PM » |
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Thanks Dale. I get it! Anyone need some moog bearing struts!? ;)
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rracioppi
DJA VU
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« Reply #10 on: September 20, 2011, 09:39:11 AM » |
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hi, guys!!! i've enjoyed this thread and it might be where i can get some advise on my new toy. as i said in my long-winded intro, i just joined last week, i just bought a 2002 MINI Cooper hatchback. the owner previous to the one from whom i purchased the car had lowered it.... i guess he was planning or did auto cross it. although the front wheels appear to be fairly stock or very slightly cambered, the rear wheels have a very pronounced negative camber. i am a "spirited" driver and may or may not at some point try auto crossing or tracking this car....i have a BMW M6 for that....anyway, what is all that negative camber in the rear doing for or to me ?  i don't have a lot of experience driving a front drive car, but it seems to handle well, a little squirly in the front on hard acceleration (which is often).  thanks for any help......r3 |
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Tripp Racioppi
02 MINI Cooper Hatchback (New toy)
97 BMW M3 (Old toy)
85 BMW M635csi (Track toy)
"It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the establishment authorities are wrong." -Voltaire
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maacodale
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« Reply #11 on: September 20, 2011, 06:48:14 PM » |
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Pretty much all of us have a lot of negative camber in the rear. I'm looking at my Clubman now and it's got a pretty good amount. I do rotate my tires every 3000 miles or so, so I don't get any unusual wear, but I have before I started my rotation schedule. It's worth it to keep them wearing evenly. I did kill my first set of Yokohama S drives but NOT rotating them. The rears did get an odd wear pattern on the inside. When I lowered the car it did add some negative camber, but I haven't seen any major issues. Having said that, I did get a set of rear adjustable control arms from Way Motor Works in GA. to dial out a bit of negative camber. If memory serves me right, I'm sitting at about -1.8 on each rear.
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Dale Blankenship
Poquoson, VA
09 Laser Blue Clubman S
Wife thinks it's hers!
07 Mellow Yellow Cooper S
Of course son thinks it's his!
Guess I need a third MINI!
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rracioppi
DJA VU
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Posts: 18
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« Reply #12 on: September 21, 2011, 07:44:22 AM » |
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thanks for the reply, dale. that makes me feel a little better...i did see those camber adjusting thingees on-line and wondered how they worked...may we can talk about it TUE. i'm planning on attending the Pub thing in Hampton, see you there!
r3
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Tripp Racioppi
02 MINI Cooper Hatchback (New toy)
97 BMW M3 (Old toy)
85 BMW M635csi (Track toy)
"It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the establishment authorities are wrong." -Voltaire
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