Mini Cooper (R56) - Easy DIY Front Damper (Strut) Change
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- Опубликовано: 20 июл 2024
- A "how to" video on changing the front dampers on a Mini Cooper R56.
Intro: 0:00
Tools Required: 1:15
Removal of Original Damper: 1:45
Deconstruction of Original Damper: 7:20
Building up the New Damper: 10:50
Installing the New Damper: 15:40
Torque Settings: 19:20
Shakedown Drive and Outro: 23:40
Sachs dampers were sourced from Eurocarparts in the UK.
Tools used were a mix of Teng and Sealey.
Sykes Pickavant socket part no is: 01510300
Teng Flex Head 1/2" Drive Ratchet available here:
UK - amzn.to/382MvN8
USA - amzn.to/3sbQM7L
Teng 1/2" Ratchet available here:
UK - amzn.to/3kCIa68
USA - amzn.to/3vHGrmo
Teng Tools Torque Wrench available here:
UK - amzn.to/3kK3YwZ
USA - amzn.to/3ygvOs4
Makita DTW190 Impact Wrench available here:
UK - amzn.to/3kEI6CA 
Хобби
This is a super clear video, thanks so much. It has given me the confidence to fix our broken spring.
Thank you Si, I'm glad it was helpful. Good luck with the job!
Just to let people (do it yourself owners like me) - know they really don't need any special tools like the Pass Through Socket Set (great for full-time mechanics) to remove the Sway Bar Linkage, or the Spreader Tool for the knuckle clamps to loosen the bottom of the struts from the hubs. 1). The backside of the Sway Bar link bolts have machined flats that can take a 17mm open end wrench, to hold the linkage bolts to keep them from spinning while the nuts are loosened. So no need for an open-end socket to insert a hex wrench in there to hold it. 2). And the bottom strut clamp on the Hub Carrier can be opened up with a medium side flat heat screwdriver hammered into the clamp. And spraying some penatrating oil in the strut / hub carrier clamp will help it slide out more easily.
I've been running H&R lowered Sport Springs on first my Gen 1 Mini, and then on my current Gen 2 to make it look and handle so much better. But I made a big mistake in retrospect, in ordering the original Mini HD Sport Suspension with my Gen 2 Mini back in 2012. I assume this is what came on the John Cooper Works option? Either way, it kept the stock ride height and increased the spring rate and added much stiffer shock damping and it handled horrible on the street - way too stiff and bone jaring, and the car sat way too tall in ride hight for good cornering.
So I immediately installedwhen it was new, the H&R lowered sport springs and it handled and cornered much better, but the OEM Mini HD shocks / struts still rode terrible and are too harsh on public roads. I hated it! Then I drove a buddy's Gen 2 Mini that was set up for Autocross with H&R Springs and Bilstein Sport shocks and it handeled and rode so much better. So I went and ordered for my car new Bilstein Stage 3, B12 Pro Kit "Nurburgring" Shocks and Struts. These are shorter units with less travel to compliment the shorter H&R springs, with much larger diameter strut shafts for the demands of racing. The damping is firm as you would expect for a racing shock, but these Bilsteins still ride much smoother and are more complient, and with much better car control than the OEM Mini HD and Standard Struts & Shocks. I highly recommed switching to Bilsteins Stage 1 Street, Stage 2 Sport, and Stage 3 Sport & Track for any Mini shock and strut replacement. And the Bilsteins are not that expensive. You can get a set of 4 under $1000. And get the H&R lowered Sport Srings as well for better handling and looks. I buy my suspenison and Brake components from Tire Rack, who has among the best prices and fastest delivery. Enjoy the improved ride!
Thanks for the comment and the additional information. Good to hear that you've had great results with Bilsteins as they have previously been my choice for uprated shocks on my BMWs.
Thank you very much. Great video. You explain everything well and you do it slowly so we can learn. Definitely helpful !
Hi Heraclito, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and I'm super pleased that you found it helpful. Enjoy your Mini!
Followed your step by step and sorted a snapped spring today, great video with clear instructions
That's great to hear Steve and I'm glad the video was useful.
Great video. I’m replacing the shock absorbers on my wives r57 mini today and this was a great help. Cheers.
Hi Mark, thanks for leaving a comment and I'm pleased that the video was useful for you.
This was actually very helpful. Brilliant vlog and thanks for sharing buddy!
Thanks, it's great to hear that it was helpful and I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. 👍
very cool video! thanks for helping us see the workflow. One thing to mention is that at the end when you torqued the wheel lug nuts, it's best to torque them in a criss cross pattern.
Thanks John, glad to hear that it has helped. Re those bolts, that's a great tip and normally I would tighten them in a criss cross pattern as you suggest. I am not sure why I didn't in this case - too focused on getting the job finished perhaps?
Thank you for that information now I’m ready to do it 😊
Hi Mike, thanks for taking the time to comment and glad to hear that the video was useful. Good luck with the job!
Well done 👏🏼 👍🏼 good video and info thank you from England 🏴
Thanks Mel and glad you liked the video.
@@MostlyHelpful You’re welcome 🏴
Very helpful, thanks!
No problem, glad it was helpful.
Thanks a lot, definitely helped. For anyone doing this in future make sure you use plenty of penetrating oil and heat on the pinch bolt, both of mine snapped. Luckily they're not threaded inside the hole so can be removed with a bit of fuss.
Thanks for taking the time to comment and glad to hear it helped. Snapping those pinch bolts was one of my biggest fears though so I'm sorry to hear it happened to you.
I used plenty of penetrating oil, but I still had to bash it out with a sledgehammer🙂
@@ln4693 Yeah so did I, unfortunately I noticed a lot of bolts on the Mini have the same life span as the components they're holding. At least by the sea side.
@@TheGhostTrollekdejvu Fortunately I could reuse the bolts. I have to say that even though I watched a lot of videos on how to do this job, it´s never as easy as it looks in the videos. There´s always something going wrong that is not supposed to go wrong and it takes a lot more time and effort to get it done. I did the right side today and doing the left side tomorrow. I can say that it was hell getting the strut into the wheel assembly. I had to use wd40 on the new strut and the hole to get it to slide in better, and I even had to bash a screwdriver in the gap where the plate on the strut is supposed to slide in and widen it a bit before I got the strut in. At first when I used the jack to rise the wheel assembly it just hightened the car instead.😅 But now I know all the things that needs to be done to get the left side done quicker.🙂
Thanks mate!
Thanks for commenting and glad it helped!
Very helpful
Thanks Robert, I appreciate you taking the time to comment.
Looks great and will help when I need to replace a broken coil spring (when it arrives!). Why did you remove the xenon headlamp sensor? Surely if you just support the hub when it’s knocked off the strut, the sensor won’t get damaged.
Thanks James, it's not too bad a job as long as you have the right tools. I removed the xenon level sensor as I've previously broken one (on an E46 BMW) which was an expensive mistake and it only takes a few moments to do. That way you can move things around without worrying about the consequences.
Great video 😃 do you have to get the tracking done after this work?
Thanks Dave. In theory no, since you aren't changing anything when you pull it apart. But I would say that almost all cars when they reach a certain age/mileage would benefit from some proper wheel alignment so if there's a time to do it, then after work like this would make sense.
had hell getting my strut back in on the bottom, had to fart with it and re-lube to get it back in.
I definitely had that problem on my R53 struts, but having done it on that car it was much easier 2nd time around (the R56 is totally the same).
Same shit on mine, I had to use tons of wd40 on both the strut and wheel assembly hole, and even widen the gap on the wheel assembly to get the strut to go in. It was hell!
is it ok to do just one side or should i do both sides? I mean when changing the shocks?
Personally I would always do both in order that there was the same level of damping on both sides. If you replace just one, you'll have a nice damper on one side and a worn damper on the other which could give some unusual handling. But equally there are probably millions of cars on the UK roads with mismatched tyres, brakes, dampers and so on and it's not like they regularly fall off the road without warning. I will say though that once you've changed one, the second one is always much faster to do. Good luck with it.
Yes I am planning to do both shocks and have ordered 2 for both sides, this even though Only one shock has failed. Thanks for replying to me
Amazing video. When trying to undo the 21mm nut on the strut it just spins the whole pole that goes through the middle of the spring and won’t undo. Any ideas how to stop the pole from spinning so I can actually undo the nut?
You should be able to get a set of mole grips in there and hold it that way while undoing the nut at the top. Only use this technique if you don't need to reuse the damper though as it tends to scratch the surface of the damper rod. Good luck 👍
You can get through sockets that allow a hex key through the middle, pricey solution for a one off job though. I tried gripping the shaft but no matter how much force i put on it always span. In the end (the cheap option) I ground flats to the side of a 21mm socket so I could grip it with an adjustable and hold the shaft with a 6mm hex key.
A 21mm spark plug socket with the hex on the top should do it
Searching for the rear part
Do you mean a guide to change the rear dampers?
Thanks for great video. I fitted new Sachs front springs to my R56 and after 1yr they were rusty. Not impressed by their poor quality and i wouldn't buy them again.
Thanks for taking the time to comment Andy. I've never replaced a set of springs myself (only dampers) so have no experience but it's a shame to hear that Sachs quality isn't what it once was.
do you have an email address or any way to contact you with some questions? thanks
Sure, I'll be happy to help. Use j60uld@gmail.com