Front Suspension Strut Removal, Tear Down and Refitting on BMW MINI Cooper R50 🚗

In this video I remove a MacPherson front suspension strut on my MINI, strip it down to see how it works and reassemble. Finally refitting back onto the car.
⬇️💥⬇️ Links Below & Donations ⬇️💥⬇️
⚡Useful Tools Some Used In This Video
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⬇️Timecodes
00:00 Introduction
00:45 Raise Car and Support on Axle Stands
02:59 Remove Brake Caliper, Drop Link etc
10:39 Strut Tear Down on Bench
19:11 Reassemble the Strut
22:04 Refit the Strut back on MINI
31:07 Torqueing Top Nut Properly
32:47 End Notes
33:20 Reference Photographs
34:34 Credits
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Disclaimer:
This video only contains tips and my personal methods that could be helpful when carrying out home car repairs or replacing parts. Coats & Gaiters is not liable for any harm, injury or property damage incurred while carrying out such repairs or replacements, that are a result of incorrect use or misinterpretation of the provided information. This video is for informational purposes only and does not guarantee achievement of a specific result. The user is personally liable for incorrect use of repair equipment, tools or car parts, in particular, when this use poses the risk of injury. Coats & Gaiters strongly advises taking personal care and adhering to all safety rules when doing any repair or replacement. The use on inferior or low quality vehicle parts does not guarantee the proper level of road safety.
#mini #bmwmini #r50
CK51WXZ
CK51 WXZ
CK51-WXZ

[@CoatsandGaiters]

If you click "SHOW MORE" in the description above your be able to see Links to the Tools 🔧🔨🔧 I use. Also Clickable Chapters📋 📙 throughout the video and other Links 🎬 that may be of interest. I've had a few viewers request where they can buy the tools they see in some of my videos but it's not very clear that the "SHOW MORE" tab has a lot of information in that may be of interest. Admittedly the amazon links are associated with me and I would earn a small commission which helps towards keeping the channel funded.

[@MecanoDeLaCave]

Thanks for the video! Just did it, it helped me a ton to have a good video to reference. It doesn't make justice on how hard it is to take the bottom end of the strut out of the steering knuckle and put it back in. At least for me, it was a massive struggle, one hour to take it out, one hour to put it back in, for both sides. The "proper" way is to remove the lower ball joint and driveshaft. But to remove the lower ball joint you need an extractor, and I didn't plan ahead. The jackstand + hammer trick might work for some, it proved absolutely useless in my case, which means I had to fight the strut and steering knuckle. One last note: there are 2 styles of drop links: before 03/2002 (like yours) and after 03/2002. The later one can be removed from the strut without much fuss. There are also a few other minor differences in the strut parts before and after that date.

[@CoatsandGaiters]

It's good to hear my video helped you. Quite often If I get a long struggle with something I have to cut it down time wise. I think I had issues with the drop link at one point. Like you say they changed the design as I did this on my later Black Mini which was more accessible in one of my other videos on Mini's. I still have huge struggles with simple jobs. My next video on replacing Renault Laguna rear brake pads nearly put my car off the road.

[@user-sl6mb9bq2f]

😮Thanks for making a clear tutorial, very helpful indeed. G,day from Down Under

[@CoatsandGaiters]

Thank you for the comment and hope it helped.

[@philipmannino6689]

Excellent video

[@CoatsandGaiters]

Thank you Philip

[@woodrow_mayes]

I found refitting the strut into the knuckle a tempestuous farce of biblical proportions.

[@CoatsandGaiters]

Sounds about right lol. My next video is taking the whole strut off with wheel hub and stripping both those items on the bench. Was surprised to find the bearing housing completely smashed.

[@ipbloke]

Brilliant Video - Thanks for putting this together. Can I ask what kind of vice grip protectors your using there, as they seem different to the standard insert that just protect the jaws ?

[@CoatsandGaiters]

Thank you. They are leather faced ones to protect the item

[@TheMiniLives]

Great video! Very imformative. I replaced the strut, top suspension mount, and kept everything else. But it creaks a lot ever since I've replaced it, not sure what's causing it, I was going to use some lithium grease.

[@CoatsandGaiters]

Thank you for that. There is a ball bearing race at the top. Mine was badly cracked up.

[@TheMiniLives]

@@CoatsandGaiters yes I replaced that part with a new genuine part - the whole top suspension mount - all the ball bearings fell out of mine when I took the old one off. But unfortunately have a creaking sound now, going to use some silicon grease on the top under the plastic cover and hope it does the trick.

[@CoatsandGaiters]

Creaking can often be something made of rubber that's dried out a bit.@@TheMiniLives

[@TheMiniLives]

@@CoatsandGaiters thanks, going to try some silicon grease on the rubber suspension bushings and hope I find the fault.

[@seasiderjay5240]

@@TheMiniLives the drop link isnt tightened up right needs to be TAF or creak creak

[@chrisf5475]

Another great video. Are you able to give me any tips on getting the bottom arm to drop low enough to get the strut out / on? i know you don’t do it that way in this video but you make it look easy, and I’ve watched other videos where it has taken a bit of wiggling but comes out without too much fuss. I had somebody stood on my brake disc and still not enough clearance. Ended up pushing the spring cup upwards using a scissor jack between the cup and the hub. Worked great….. but when I did the same in reverse I’ve totally destroyed the rubber on the new top mount I put in. So it’s ruined and needs changing again less than a week after I put it in… oops.

[@CoatsandGaiters]

Sorry to hear the games your having Chris. You did remove the holding bolt on the hub to strut I presume? I'm a bit lost as to how the strut can be stuck in the hub even after hammering it down. Could really do with seeing a video on the exact issue your having as a description doesn't quite convey everything in detail.

[@chrisf5475]

@@CoatsandGaiters yeah the bolt was out and the drop link (thingy) unbolted at the bottom. The strut was free to slide but just couldn’t get the hub to drop low enough. I’ll hopefully have learnt something and my next attempt will be easier but if I struggle again I’ll put a video up : )

[@CoatsandGaiters]

@@chrisf5475 I used a long crow bar to pull the control arm down. I know they make long poles for helping, called wishbone levers but I think the car has to be fairly high to get the leverage.

[@chrisf5475]

@@CoatsandGaiters So I did the top mount again today (the rubber part ‘bulged’ on the first one, actually this one has too but that’s not the point of the story)…. This time I didn’t remove the strut from the knuckle. I removed the bolt and had a go to see if it would, but no. And it doesn’t seem like it would with any amount of force. Sway bar disconnected but it feels like the drive shaft or track rod would need to be removed as well. Anyway… bolted the strut back into the knuckle, put a spring compressor on and dropped the shock shaft out of the top mount. Then pushed it to the side and drop the top mount out, replaced, then released the spring (slowly!) but found that even with no compression there was still enough ‘shaft’ at the top to locate into the bearing. Used a jack to push the strut up, tightened the top nut and lowered the car. Job done!

[@jackiemay9471]

at 14 10 14 15 you were turning the breaker bar anti clockwise therefore tightening the nut onto the strut

[@CoatsandGaiters]

Thank you for the comment and just re watched at 13:45 on and can't see it. I set the ratchet for pushing down which would be turning left. I'm holding the centre part still with my right hand and pushing down with my left hand.

[@jackiemay9471]

@@CoatsandGaiters when you hooked the big breaker bar you pushed breaker anti clockwise pulled ratchet clock wise

[@CoatsandGaiters]

@@jackiemay9471 Just watched that bit and now I'm really confused as you might be right..... at least the air tool knew which way to undo lol

[@jackiemay9471]

@@CoatsandGaiters i have done the same trying to undo the middle you have to tighten the middle through the nut i normally use impact makes life a lot easier thanks for vid it forwarned me

[@CoatsandGaiters]

@@jackiemay9471 this is nothing to this weeks video where I dropped the tip of a broken stud into the injector hole and onto the piston !!!!! now that caused some troubles. So cover all holes up is some more advice haha.

[@manlin1173]

uesless

[@CoatsandGaiters]

Thank you for your feedback. If you have time to elaborate it would be much appreciated.

[@manlin1173]

hopeless video!

[@CoatsandGaiters]

Thank you for your feedback. If you have time to elaborate it would be much appreciated.