Removing sub frame and control arm bushings Mini Cooper R50 R52 R53 MCS JCW

This is a little video showing you how I removed the subframe on this 06 Mini Cooper S R53 to replace worn out lower control arm bushings. I do recommend using either a powerful impact wrench or long 1/2 in. breaker bar to take off sway bar bolts (122 ft/lbs).
Useful torque specs:
1. Control arm bushing/sway bar bracket bolts 19mm (x4) - 122 ft/lb
2. Control arm bushing to frame of car 16mm (x2) - 59 ft/lb + 90 deg + 15 deg
3. Inner ball joint arm to chassis 16mm (x4) - 74 ft/lb
4. Sub frame to body of vehicle 16mm (x8) - 75 ft/lb
5. Outer ball joint to front spindle 13mm (x4) - 41 ft/lb
6. Outer ball joint center nuts 18mm (x2) - 41 ft/lb
7. Sway bar end link nuts 17mm (x2) - 40 ft/lb
8. Tie rod end nuts 15mm (x2) - 38 ft/lb
9. Crush tube bolts 16mm (x4) - 75 ft/lb
10. Steering u-joint bolt 13mm (x1) - snug fit + 1/8 turn
*on cars with factory HID lights, there is a headlight level sensor mounted on the driver's side control arm. Remove this before lowering subframe.
Again symptoms of worn down control arm bushings include clunky-banging sound from front of vehicle that can also be felt under the foot well of car. Sound prominent over bumps, going in and out of driveways. Also quick jolt in steering wheel when pumping brakes while car is moving. When kicking front end of front wheels, you may notice tires move laterally towards the back. Should only move on its rotating axis, not laterally in almost straight line.

[@johncain3911]

Good video, clean car. Very clear and easy to listen to, great job. I was in the middle of doing the bushings when I watched this, helped . Thanks

[@bigmurff]

Thanks for the feedback. I am glad that it helped you out.

[@rossaccadia9320]

Great video thanks, jut a note for those with the CVT transmission to remove the shift cable before you drop the sub frame, a 13 mm bolt plus a red clip to remove then press the yellow tab to remove the cable from it's mount.

[@IFish4Tuna]

Wow. Bigger job than I would take on on my own. Thanks for spending the time to record it.

[@VicsVlogz]

Crazy. I watched a video and this mini tech was saying you have to remove the whole sub frame & do it from up top but you did it from the bottom. I plan on doing this with my friends so I’m actually happy I saw this because I need to save some money

[@bigmurff]

Yah dealers will take an arm and a leg from you. Even indy mechanics will charge you a good amount. Anything I can do to save me a ton of money I will try to do on my own. Yah subframe will drop from the bottom and you can roll the entire thing towards the front of the car on a single floor jack. Would recommend also changing the power steering reservoir hoses while you're down there as they are known to leak at some point. Just remember to un-do the steering shaft knuckle and the power steering reservoir bracket, otherwise they would get all jacked up when you drop the subframe.

[@fabini14]

You can replace everything without removing the subframe, bmw/mini does not remove the subframe to replace all the balljoints and bushings,

[@simonlloyd7557]

This must be the cleanest R53 in history..Dry climate for the win.

[@freshdouglas1288]

excellent video - very helpful. Not very many vids of this procedure on youtube.

[@bigmurff]

I'm glad you were able to find my video to be helpful. Thanks for the feedback!

[@stoickov2389]

Merci j'ai galérer à chercher une vidéo mais grâce à tes vidéos je vais mieux avancer merci !!!

[@alexlex85]

This video helped me do the job at home. Thank you

[@zero_gravity1973]

Thx a lot for recording this video - helped me a lot by doing this job. Though I don’t know how you managed to do this without a lifting platform.

[@geoffreyrawlingd2430]

Can actually remove control arms without dropping subframe. Lower it down just enough to remove two long bolts not easy but it can be done . Great info thanks

[@tableleg704]

Started my wife’s r53 today. 130k and every front end part is from birth. Still all in all it came apart pretty decent. The lower spindle ball joints were seized in place so a bit of the persuader did the trick. Tomorrow I plan on loosening the rear sub bolts and wedging it down enough. The passenger side bolt is a bastard to get at.

[@brmcf]

What bolts did you remove just to lower the back of the subframe,I have the 6 rear bolts half taken out and the mid bolts halft taken out, I feel maybe the lower engine mount it keeping it from dropping

[@huwjones5879]

You are so lucky not to have to fight with the seized fasteners we suffer from in the UK due to our wet climate and heavily salted winter roads.

[@bigmurff]

Yah I never had the dreadful experience of salt water corroded bolts or frames living here in California. Must be a royal pain having to torch all the nuts and bolts just to get them to break loose though.

[@monkeytutz2]

I didn’t fancy the chances of a bolt snapping on my 2003 when I did the rear arm bushes on mine, so I fitted powerflex bushes instead of genuine. No need to drop the subframe, you cut the old bush out with a sawzall then push in your new bush with some threaded rod. There’s also supposed to be a special tool available to fit genuine ones in situ, but I’d heard of mixed success stories

[@huwjones5879]

@@monkeytutz2 Thanks, I've got Poly bushes for the rear which are a spilt design. Not heard about a special tool before, I'll investigate.

[@jasont2074]

Top video mate, bravo 👏

[@aimenanwar1988]

How did you remove the bushing?

[@raftonpounder6696]

You should have fitted Powerflex bushes.

[@501stmedia]

Did you have any trouble reattaching the steering shaft? I’m have a lot of trouble getting the joint to link into the steering rack

[@bendaly4711]

I just had the same problem I think. I didn't realize at first that I accidentally compressed the steering shaft a little when I brought the subframe back up to the car. To bring the steering joint back down the steering rack just tie a thin rope to the joint on the end of the steering shaft and give a yank down. At least that's what worked for me. good luck to ya

[@bigmurff]

Same as Ben's comment, just slowly jack up the subframe and keep checking if the joint is aligned with the end of the steering rack. I should have added in the video that before I even unbolt the steering joint, I turn the wheel to line up the bolt that is easiest to remove because I know it's hard to stick a spanner or a socket in there

[@501stmedia]

Sweet!!!! I got it!!! I ended up just dropping the subframe back down a little bit and slowly moved it back up into place, thanks guys!!

[@robda7195]

I'm going for the in situe approach as if it fights to hard I have the drop frame still available

[@wellsyaknow]

Wouldn't it have been easier to take out the CV than take all that apart ?

[@آفَغَآناِفتِخار-ه2ث]

The main part to show us how you get them out and put them in. You didn’t show us!!!!

[@TankGirl19x]

EXACTLY! THE MAIN REASON FOR WATCHING & MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE VIDEO HE DOESNT EVEN SHOW 😠