Take my like and my undying gratitude for providing the 12mm socket/extension/bangy thing trick! Your video same me an infinite amount of aggravation and annoyance in releasing those cable tabs. For others in the same struggle, I used a cheapo HF 12mm 6 point socket, a HF 6” long 3/8” extension, and a 3lb hammer.
Lsd Bread majority of cars are legal in the uk, the British government just charge you stupid amounts to drive on their roads and put stupid amounts of tax on fuel
Thanks Eric, especially for showing warts 'n all. Anyone that has ever worked on their car knows that even the simplest job can turn into a major pain in an instant, especially now that ALL manufacturers ensure their fixings are made out of custard.
Man, I appreciate your help. I have the same issue with my wife's older R50 Mini. Those cables are a common problem across generations. I've had the replacement cables for over a year now and just haven't gotten a chance to install them yet. Those inside clips are removed by tapping a 12mm deep socket over them...mini makes their own tool for this for a ridiculous price. You've restored my confidence in doing this job myself...thank you kind sir.
@@ericthecarguyI had a panick attack when I saw those barbed ends and the proximity of where they are located....I like you sized up various sockets sizes but opted for a piece of pipe instead which just fit over end (7/16" id) and compressed the barbs...the pipe was long enough (6") to extend back under the housing towards the handbrake lever( feed that end first and then slide it back over the barbs) and used a pry bar between the h.b. mount and floor just enough to pry the end of the pipe forward...let go on the first try.
I really lov watching your videos man, for the past couple of months now I haven't done any mechanical work now and watching your vids every weekend keeps my knowledge fresh of everything I know. You makes everything look easy.
A) Extremely wise .. EXTREMELY wise to test. Nice work!! Tell Don at Minimania that Jeff told him to hurry it up!! It's suuuuper good the replacements are marked....r and l..... Also kinda like you hinted...the calipers should release and retract a few dozen times to get that movement all smooth to know where the final position of the caliper when the parking brake is applied will be.
Another $115 repair, even with DIY labor and aftermarket parts. It's a good video because it shows the actual kinds of problems that come up in this type of job.
Great series Eric. To release the e-brake cable clips, try a 1/2" ID iron pipe instead of socket. Those little 'fingers' on the clip all need to be squeezed exactly the same amount.
I don't have a Mini and I never will. I watched the video because it's NOT A FAIRMONT and I want to encourage Eric to do more repair and service videos. Maybe, some day, we'll bet back to Honda/Acura.
I love that you included the hiccups along with the video.. if someone makes something look super easy, and i run into a snag trying to follow, its terribly disheartening. Seeing it give a pro a bit of a battle from time to time helps me keep my head in the right state!
Eric: some honest and hopefully constructive feedback from an early subscriber of yours. There were a lot of losses from the Fairmont project. Now we're experiencing the Mini project, with a release schedule of one video per week. Some of the weekly videos include work on trivial topics that either aren't entertaining/interesting, or don't have a lot of real-world helpfulness. Now let's look at South Main Auto, which surpassed your channel as my favorite auto repair channel about a year ago or a little longer. He's putting out about double the amount of videos as you, while also managing an auto repair shop as the sole master technician and owner. His videos are awesome because they include both physical repairs and diagnostic troubleshooting on customer vehicles, so there's generally a wide variety of makes and models, and he uses decades of knowledge to show workarounds or unusual solutions to the problems he encounters. His electrical troubleshooting and diagnostic work, is at times fascinating. Finally, he also shows us the family aspect to his family-run business and throws in random shots of his cute husky pups as a bonus. Instead of a second channel where he doesn't perform auto work (ETCG1), he does a weekly live-cast to chit-chat, gives his opinions on auto related topics, and occasionally gives out some advice when circumstances allow. There's also the occasional video where he's out of the shop. He integrates some informal tool reviews by simply using them on actual jobs and stating how they worked (such as his love for the Astro Nano 3/8" Impact and the Earthquake 1/2" impact), but he's generally not sponsored, and shows an active hatred for Dorman products even though they try to win him over with letters and swag. He has about the same number of views per video, but he has about ~1M less subscribers than you. I strongly recommend changing your channel format and schedule to something a little more similar to his channel. If he's doing double the videos with about the same number of views per video on about 10% of the subs when compared to you, he's doing this type of thing better. Thank you for the years of hard work, but I'm rooting for your recovery and I don't see your current path getting the job done.
Thank you for the feedback. I'm aware of my situation and I'm OK with it. The truth is, I simply don't have the resources to produce more than what I'm producing now. Not only do I have my ETCG1 channel, but I also produce videos for Premium Members of my website. In short, I produce up to 3 videos a week as it is. To do more than that, simply isn't possible without outside help. I've been trying for the past 2.5 years to get help with editing, but I've come up short every time. I'd like to also point out that I've moved into a new house in the past couple of weeks. Meaning I had to produce this video and the 2 weeks prior for all 3 channels ahead of time. As a result I had to push myself to the limit just to keep up with my current schedule. This workload leads to burn out as I found out last year. It would be great to change the format, however, I have several hours worth of video, terabytes actually, that's already been shot and produced that I need to work through in addition to the videos that are coming out now. In fact, I have some footage that's 5 years old now on an Odyssey transmission R&R and rebuild that I never got a chance to edit. I would argue that my level of production exceeds Eric O., and therefore takes more time, however, I would also admit that he is a more practiced mechanic than I am at this point. I've been producing ETCG and related videos for the past 10 years, and not working as a mechanic everyday like Eric O. has. Much of what Eric does now was modeled on what I used to do on my channel, including the live shows. I don't do live shows anymore because they take a lot of time and don't really get many views. In short, not really worth the time unless you're one of the people asking a question on that video. I'd rather use that time to spend with my family. The truth is 'repair' videos just don't get the views they used to. This puts people like me and Eric O. on the 'outside' if you will. In order to gain more views, like ChrisFix and Scotty Killmer, I'd need to produce more videos like, "How to wash your engine", or "This is why I hate product 'X'". Honestly, that doesn't appeal to me at all. To me it's just pandering to get more views. I started ETCG to help people with auto repair, not to get views. I'll admit that the views and the success of my channel have been great, but as the saying goes, 'be careful what you wish for'. In short, the problem is more complex than you give credit. Unless you produce videos for RUclips for a living, there really is no way for you to understand that. Once again, I appreciate the feedback as I feel you are just trying to help. However, as I stated, the problem is much more complex than you see it. If there was an easy answer, I would have explored it already.
Thank you for your time in replying. Congratulations on the house! Also, I hope my words weren't overtly negative or demeaning; it's hard to convey sincerity, appreciation, and care in a YT comment. I'll be the first to admit, I'm not a YT expert. I can only hope my feedback gives some sort of benefit, whether it's clarification from an avid longtime viewer or confirmation of your existing thoughts. I only replied in hope of doing what little I can to ensure you keep earning enough money while doing what you enjoy in life. To be more specific in my feedback, I'd love to see a variety of cars and some diagnostic work. Given your past and current formats, would you give a thought to perhaps selecting one "Fixing it Forward" vehicle every 1 to 2 months? This would entail being a bit more selective in the cars you take on, perhaps they have one or two major issues versus 20 small maintenance-type issues, and then fundraising for that car via your various platforms. This would then culminate into producing two videos (at a minimum). The first would be an introduction to the car and owner, then going immediately into diagnostics. The second would be the actual repair of the vehicle, and perhaps a third shorter video as a follow-up with the benefactor, so they can thank both you and the people who donated. I think this would convert more of your substantial subscriber base into regular viewers once again. Thanks again as always and best of luck to you and your family.
Fixing it Forward is in the future, I'm just not sure how yet. Once again, time is a factor. The bottom line is, I have more work than I have time for. I need help. I've been working on soliciting that help, but it's been slow going. Life is happening. As I mentioned, we just moved into a new house. That was 10 years in the making. ETCG helped me get there, but it was just one part of what brought me to this point. I don't share everything on my channels. As stated, I make enough to get by. In fact, my YT channel may not be doing as well as it used to, but the business of EricTheCarGuy is doing quite well, and I'm grateful for that. Now that I'm settling into my new work environment, and the house is pretty much put together, I'm going to refocus on the future of ETCG. I honestly don't know what that will be yet, but I'm optimistic. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. However, one option that appeals to me more and more to me is moving away from YT as my main source of income. As I mentioned, the YT landscape has changed and I'm not sure if I want to change with it. I've done a lot of things in my 47 years, ETCG is just one of them. It may end up that it was just a stepping stone to the next thing. 10 years is a good run. I'd be just fine with that was it as long as I can provide for my family. Thanks again for your input.
Eric, thank you for the great videos! I came across an R56 myself, a little bit before you. Despite mine being in pretty decent shape, I've experienced some of the same issues you've been addressing on yours... needless to say, I'm not looking forward to replacing the e-brake cables when they go after what you went through. But again, thank you for putting together some great videos!
Hey Eric, another way of dealing with those barbs on the cable- take a small worm-drive hose clamp, slip it on over the barbs and tighten it down. It'll compress all the barbs at the same time. Pull the cable a little way through so the barbs are in the hole, then loosen/remove the clamp and pull the cable the rest of the way through. I don't know if you had enough room in there for this method, but I used it on another vehicle and it worked great
Yea, I know that trick, but space is VERY limited and I couldn't get anything like that down into the space. I think it would have been easier to cut the cables and pull the ends through the floor.
This was exactly my experience with the R53. I could only be sure parts would fit if they were directly from the dealer or from online stores like Way Motor Works, Mini Mania or Pelican Parts. BMW is one of those brands that has special tools for everything and the special tool for this job is a must, just get it from fleabay.
45 degree pick - interior cable end: spin the flared spring keepers to where they are slotted, pry the keepers out of their locations. Long hawksbill pliers - cable above exhaust: pry the cable from its two (each cable) plastic semi-circular retainers. Pull and guide cable out towards rear. Put a light inside car at cable entry holes. Route cable from back to front, use long hawksbill pliers to guide inner cable end over exhaust and into interior holes. Keep exhaust installed. I did this on 2004? Mini Cooper S with dual exhaust and all sorts of this that and the other in the way. No way I was gonna drop that exhaust. Took about two hours total, including jack up the car etc. Stay gold.
Good tutorial a car lift is perfect for this job but my question is (from a DIY pov) Is removing the exhaust + shield avoidable by tying a line/threading device to the cable from inside as I removed it to then tye it to the new cable to help thread it back between the floor and shield? I don't have a lift just stands restricting room to work
FWIW the couple other minis I've driven (newer BMW-produced ones) all had the lever hit the armrest when the parking brake is applied so I wouldn't worry about it.
A mini with a handfull of problems indeed a intresting car and aswell we got or main champ EricTheCarGuy fighting and winning over the car good job and stay dirty
It’s not the engineering ist the world wide part production with always cheap purchasing. Normally a cable survive the whole car life....car is produce also everywhere but not in Germany.
skutch Blobaum : Ok, more clear words. Usage of e.g. chinese parts means short usage Life. This is a quality issue... If the cable is sealed and creased it should work the whole car life.
Anyway... general note for ppl tackling this job, it's dead easy to do & for the R55/56 the interior end of the brake cable now has plastic locking tabs & no longer have the annoying metal ring of doom, so replacement is much easier & quicker to carry out, in my case r55 clubman it's taken me less then an hour to complete & that's using axle stands.
Common problem is an understatement it should be guarenteed problem. Its that reliable with mini problems. In my case most of my problems were caused by a hack mechanic at the dealership i bought it from $3,500 in parts at 3 months of my time to correct issues that he caused.
I have a question I need brakes on my Honda civic so should I replace the brakes first and then have a alignment.. I just had Two axles down and struts
Hey Eric, quick question. How come the first set of cables didn't fit? I have a 2008 R56 Base Hatch Back, Non-S. Which one should I get? My right parking brake is sticking and dragging every time when I release the parking brakes.
Hey Eric! How do you feel about doing a fixing it forward on a 2003 honda odyssey? My brother in law Jon was recently hospitalized and his wife is a stay at home mom with three little girls. I went and picked up the van to clean it while they were all at the hospital (unbeknownst to them) and found the rear passenger seat belt is completely broken. I know this is a reach, but I am in the area (Liberty Township) and I know it would mean the world to them to come back to a clean 100% operational van. Thank you for all of your videos, you're the reason I started working on my own vehicles.
Eric I know I could use your forum for this but quick question. Single mass flywheel or dual mass flywheel? on my 05 Acura TL Sport 6 speed. Still stock, but minor bolt ons and needed a clutch.
You’ve mentioned that AC Delco RT Cable 18P97004 did not work..how so? Was it too short/long? I have a mini 2006 R50 and i just got what i ordered which is the exact same cable that did not work in your car..
+EricTheCarGuy I need your help I have a lancer 98 with carburetor and the rings and valves were changed but we don't have the vacuum map where the hose once were and the car is burning too much fuel any idea where I can get this map? Thanks
My wife had an R50 mini and....it made me learn DIY repairs. Luckily its pretty easy to do most things which is good because they break alot. Especially the early models. She now has a Mini Diesel Countryman. A whole series on that one would be great...........!?!?!? (save me thousands....!!??)
It's an emissions thing I believe. Trucks have less strict emissions control under the law. This seems to apply all the way down to half ton pickups. You know, the pickups that Americans buy instead of a car. You of course know about the VW Diesel cars fiasco. In practice, that has doomed diesel cars. Subaru and Mazda definitely wanted to introduce Diesel engines in their cars but couldn't meet the emissions goals.
Nope, That little lever that holds the cable ends just actuates the disk caliper. Also, that's why on rear disk brake cars without the shoes in the disk, you have to push AND turn the caliper piston back in when you change the pads.
Just did my cables, one side grabs other doesn’t. 2001 mini r53 with disk brakes. Could it be a seized caliper? Brakes still have meat on them, no off wear on either side. Is there an adjustment screw on the caliper for the ebrake? Am i missing something?
I think you have it right, a seized caliper. OR maybe a brake pad clip thats not properly fitted into the Piston groove. There is a mechaism inside the caliper that allows the parking brake lever to push the caliper piston outwards against the brake pad. If your caliper parking brake levers are moving properly, and the driving brakes are working properly = caliper seized. Check your brake disks with temperature gun of feel CAREFULLY with hand after driving. If one is hotter than the other, your rear brake pad clips may also not be fitted properly into the caliper piston groove. - Figure 10 here: www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/MINI/33-BRAKES-Brake_Pad_Replacement/33-BRAKES-Brake_Pad_Replacement.htm Stay gold.
struggling to watch the series Eric i think you do a great job and i thank you for that just thought i let you know since ive been watching you a long time. feel like its just because i dont care you know. with the fairmont i wanted to see it finished so i watched all the videos (missing the end btw) and the fixing it forward series i loved because it was very interesting to me. and Brian i feel he made your videos more entertaining now with the head cam its rather annoying. and just this mini series its just i dont care about it dont care if it works or not. not sure how to explain it but just struggeling to be entertained when watching usually turn off like half way though. when before i could watch your vids all day. usually never leave comments but wanted to let u know. not trying to put you down or anything saying this in the kindest possible way cause you've helped me alot in the past. thanks
A O LMAO man! I've owned one for six years, breaks CONSTANTLY, and ETCG videos taught me how to wrench so I could fix BEFORE the MINI series. Worst car I've ever owned, but taught me to be mechanical... now I rebuild and ride old choppers
Heat shield. Protects the gas tank (and parking brake cables) from the heat of the exhaust. Also helps to keep that same heat away from the passenger compartment.
Hey Eric, thanks for the video. I was wondering if you could comment on the use of power tools for automotive work? I've always struggled with ratchets and doubling up wrenches - and have gotten real good at it, but these days the amount of time I spend wrenching is getting a bit ridiculous. I always assumed I would need an air tool, but are there handheld powerdrills you would recommend? (have you already made a video about this already?) - and what kind of drivers and sockets work well with these tools? Thanks!
Hey Eric. Do you know when cars with 5 speed trans started coming out? When did that transition from 4 speed change to 5 speed gearboxes? Love your videos by the way.
Hi Eric, Great work as always! Also, incase you were wondering, here is the factory service tool for the Mini's Brake Cable Service... ---> new.minimania.com/part/NMB8750/Mini-Cooper--S-Mini-Factory-Tool-34-6-330-Bowden-Cable-Extractor-R50-R52-R53 :)
Hi Eric! Should there be any friction applied to the disks at all? I have always wondered about this in the numerous cars I have owned especially in relation to fuel economy. Whenever a car is on a hoist I am always surprised by how the wheels don't spin that freely!!!
Smashing job, it argued with you but resistance is useless :-D. You needed a bent version of your hose plyers for those dam barbs, special tools :-(. I like the old adjustments better, two nuts that you can access to balance the pull. Yep i'm old fashoned.
Driver side on mine wont release all the way. 2007 with 175k on it. Just things you learn to live with or fix.helps to have mechanical ability, and a garage to work in..
No. In this situation putting lubricant in might attract dirt which would shorten their lifespan. Go by what the manufacturer does for the most part. If they don't supply lube, don't use it.
I was thinking to apply "special free up stuck cable lube / cleaner" (I think it actually exists, if not, some kind of light oil) to the sticking cables. If you can work them up and down enough, they do free up (see Mustie1 bike videos). Now, assuming that worked, you have extra life on that cable, one hopes.
Keeping water and other "crud" out is the bigger problem. Where does it get in? My best guess is at the caliper end. The other end is inside the car and barring a flood, unlikely to get wet. I suppose interior crud might find a way in. Unless the cable cladding leaks, that should be it.
To think outside of the box, maybe a tightly sealed plastic bag over the whole cable end and caliper actuator, would work. If it happens again, re lube it. If it won't free up, or reoccurs way too frequently, it's time to replace the cables. Some DIYer should try this and report, Pros HAVE to fix stuff so can't experiment.
Had several minis and had very few problems with any of them apart from the one I have now, 2011 countryman. Bought it in a rush after a neighbour reversed into my 2007 clubman. So far, in one year, I’ve had both front door locks replaced, passenger door lock cable replaced, rear right brake calliper sticks and needs replacing and to top it off the park brake cable snapped today. I got a really bad one and can’t wait to replace it. Would happily have another but would never buy in a rush again.
It's funny how ppl jump at the chance to slate the bmw mini as problematic when if you look at most other ranges/models of cars you'll actually see similar issues.. Also noting these cars also begun life during renovations ie direct inject BMW was one of the 1st manufacturers to implement it, so it's not unusual to find issues after a period of time, especially when production numbers are in the tens of thousands.. also noting alot of ppl making comments usually aren't old enough to drive let alone have never actually driven a car of any form except on a game/PC system.
The answer is: a lot. This car has been driven in the rust belt for several years. My '06 has never been driven in the salt and it's not rusty like this one.
"Use BMW Special Tool *34 6 330* to force parking brake cable barbs free of body." ~ Bentley Service manual (for my R53) Yeah, it's basically what you're doing with the deep-well socket, lol
My ACDelco A/C compressor went in the 3rd year... but see Amazing A/C prices here... (I'm on the second season with a Generic compressor kit and condenser from this guy!) www.bonanza.com/booths/mlark1987
I am following this series because at last you're not working on a japanese or american old rust bucket, I don't want to believe that everything that people drive in the head of the world USA are old Hondas or Acuras rusted to the bone.
"Brake cables? What is this 1930?!...... Oh.. the parking brake... okay I get it now." Welcome to my brain, for a couple minutes I thought they actually had mechanical non-hydraulic brakes..
An air hammer would've made quick work of that cable when you were trying to hammer it through in the cramped interior... But not everyone has an airhammer so there's that
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Thank you Eric, you have cured me from wanting to buy a mini.
You can get those on my social media, or in my monthly newsletter. www.ericthecarguy.com/blog
He did do a good job showing how easy it is to work on a Mini compared to some American and even Japanese cars.
Yes, but with “BMW” quality you wouldn’t except to tear your car apart around 100k miles
chris parenti rotory engine enthusiasts do that anyway on their cars so it's not too bad.
I’m not knocking anyone, I just can’t see the point of rebuilding an engine every 100k
Take my like and my undying gratitude for providing the 12mm socket/extension/bangy thing trick! Your video same me an infinite amount of aggravation and annoyance in releasing those cable tabs. For others in the same struggle, I used a cheapo HF 12mm 6 point socket, a HF 6” long 3/8” extension, and a 3lb hammer.
I love this channel! I don’t have a mini but I love knowing how stuff works and it’s very informative
If you want a Mini then this will be a good 2nd hand buy after Eric has finished!
Davy Arthurs for sure but I’m from the uk so no chance 😂who ever buys it though will have an awesome car
Sizeable Bush are minis even legal in the UK? Doesn't seem like much things are.
Lsd Bread majority of cars are legal in the uk, the British government just charge you stupid amounts to drive on their roads and put stupid amounts of tax on fuel
Thanks Eric, especially for showing warts 'n all. Anyone that has ever worked on their car knows that even the simplest job can turn into a major pain in an instant, especially now that ALL
manufacturers ensure their fixings are made out of custard.
Man, I appreciate your help. I have the same issue with my wife's older R50 Mini. Those cables are a common problem across generations. I've had the replacement cables for over a year now and just haven't gotten a chance to install them yet. Those inside clips are removed by tapping a 12mm deep socket over them...mini makes their own tool for this for a ridiculous price. You've restored my confidence in doing this job myself...thank you kind sir.
Yea, good luck with that 12mm. I wager you'll break them before you're done. Seriously though, good luck.
@@ericthecarguyI had a panick attack when I saw those barbed ends and the proximity of where they are located....I like you sized up various sockets sizes but opted for a piece of pipe instead which just fit over end (7/16" id) and compressed the barbs...the pipe was long enough (6") to extend back under the housing towards the handbrake lever( feed that end first and then slide it back over the barbs) and used a pry bar between the h.b. mount and floor just enough to pry the end of the pipe forward...let go on the first try.
Really enjoying the Mini Series. Make sure and drive it around the block when you are done with repair so we can see another repair.
I really lov watching your videos man, for the past couple of months now I haven't done any mechanical work now and watching your vids every weekend keeps my knowledge fresh of everything I know. You makes everything look easy.
A) Extremely wise .. EXTREMELY wise to test. Nice work!! Tell Don at Minimania that Jeff told him to hurry it up!! It's suuuuper good the replacements are marked....r and l..... Also kinda like you hinted...the calipers should release and retract a few dozen times to get that movement all smooth to know where the final position of the caliper when the parking brake is applied will be.
Another $115 repair, even with DIY labor and aftermarket parts. It's a good video because it shows the actual kinds of problems that come up in this type of job.
That's my mantra.
Great series Eric. To release the e-brake cable clips, try a 1/2" ID iron pipe instead of socket. Those little 'fingers' on the clip all need to be squeezed exactly the same amount.
It would have to be just the right length. Space is very limited.
Would it have been easier to simply cut the cable from underneath the car and pull through?
There is a boss on the outer part of the cable that would prevent that.
Maaan that car is a pain! And thanks for sharing, I (we the viewers) really appreciate your honesty and guts to share your mistakes!
I don't have a Mini and I never will. I watched the video because it's NOT A FAIRMONT and I want to encourage Eric to do more repair and service videos. Maybe, some day, we'll bet back to Honda/Acura.
I love that you included the hiccups along with the video.. if someone makes something look super easy, and i run into a snag trying to follow, its terribly disheartening. Seeing it give a pro a bit of a battle from time to time helps me keep my head in the right state!
So much patience, well done ETCG
Eric: some honest and hopefully constructive feedback from an early subscriber of yours.
There were a lot of losses from the Fairmont project. Now we're experiencing the Mini project, with a release schedule of one video per week. Some of the weekly videos include work on trivial topics that either aren't entertaining/interesting, or don't have a lot of real-world helpfulness.
Now let's look at South Main Auto, which surpassed your channel as my favorite auto repair channel about a year ago or a little longer. He's putting out about double the amount of videos as you, while also managing an auto repair shop as the sole master technician and owner. His videos are awesome because they include both physical repairs and diagnostic troubleshooting on customer vehicles, so there's generally a wide variety of makes and models, and he uses decades of knowledge to show workarounds or unusual solutions to the problems he encounters. His electrical troubleshooting and diagnostic work, is at times fascinating. Finally, he also shows us the family aspect to his family-run business and throws in random shots of his cute husky pups as a bonus.
Instead of a second channel where he doesn't perform auto work (ETCG1), he does a weekly live-cast to chit-chat, gives his opinions on auto related topics, and occasionally gives out some advice when circumstances allow. There's also the occasional video where he's out of the shop. He integrates some informal tool reviews by simply using them on actual jobs and stating how they worked (such as his love for the Astro Nano 3/8" Impact and the Earthquake 1/2" impact), but he's generally not sponsored, and shows an active hatred for Dorman products even though they try to win him over with letters and swag.
He has about the same number of views per video, but he has about ~1M less subscribers than you. I strongly recommend changing your channel format and schedule to something a little more similar to his channel. If he's doing double the videos with about the same number of views per video on about 10% of the subs when compared to you, he's doing this type of thing better. Thank you for the years of hard work, but I'm rooting for your recovery and I don't see your current path getting the job done.
Thank you for the feedback. I'm aware of my situation and I'm OK with it. The truth is, I simply don't have the resources to produce more than what I'm producing now. Not only do I have my ETCG1 channel, but I also produce videos for Premium Members of my website. In short, I produce up to 3 videos a week as it is. To do more than that, simply isn't possible without outside help. I've been trying for the past 2.5 years to get help with editing, but I've come up short every time.
I'd like to also point out that I've moved into a new house in the past couple of weeks. Meaning I had to produce this video and the 2 weeks prior for all 3 channels ahead of time. As a result I had to push myself to the limit just to keep up with my current schedule. This workload leads to burn out as I found out last year.
It would be great to change the format, however, I have several hours worth of video, terabytes actually, that's already been shot and produced that I need to work through in addition to the videos that are coming out now. In fact, I have some footage that's 5 years old now on an Odyssey transmission R&R and rebuild that I never got a chance to edit.
I would argue that my level of production exceeds Eric O., and therefore takes more time, however, I would also admit that he is a more practiced mechanic than I am at this point. I've been producing ETCG and related videos for the past 10 years, and not working as a mechanic everyday like Eric O. has. Much of what Eric does now was modeled on what I used to do on my channel, including the live shows.
I don't do live shows anymore because they take a lot of time and don't really get many views. In short, not really worth the time unless you're one of the people asking a question on that video. I'd rather use that time to spend with my family.
The truth is 'repair' videos just don't get the views they used to. This puts people like me and Eric O. on the 'outside' if you will. In order to gain more views, like ChrisFix and Scotty Killmer, I'd need to produce more videos like, "How to wash your engine", or "This is why I hate product 'X'". Honestly, that doesn't appeal to me at all. To me it's just pandering to get more views. I started ETCG to help people with auto repair, not to get views. I'll admit that the views and the success of my channel have been great, but as the saying goes, 'be careful what you wish for'.
In short, the problem is more complex than you give credit. Unless you produce videos for RUclips for a living, there really is no way for you to understand that.
Once again, I appreciate the feedback as I feel you are just trying to help. However, as I stated, the problem is much more complex than you see it. If there was an easy answer, I would have explored it already.
Thank you for your time in replying. Congratulations on the house! Also, I hope my words weren't overtly negative or demeaning; it's hard to convey sincerity, appreciation, and care in a YT comment.
I'll be the first to admit, I'm not a YT expert. I can only hope my feedback gives some sort of benefit, whether it's clarification from an avid longtime viewer or confirmation of your existing thoughts. I only replied in hope of doing what little I can to ensure you keep earning enough money while doing what you enjoy in life.
To be more specific in my feedback, I'd love to see a variety of cars and some diagnostic work. Given your past and current formats, would you give a thought to perhaps selecting one "Fixing it Forward" vehicle every 1 to 2 months? This would entail being a bit more selective in the cars you take on, perhaps they have one or two major issues versus 20 small maintenance-type issues, and then fundraising for that car via your various platforms.
This would then culminate into producing two videos (at a minimum). The first would be an introduction to the car and owner, then going immediately into diagnostics. The second would be the actual repair of the vehicle, and perhaps a third shorter video as a follow-up with the benefactor, so they can thank both you and the people who donated. I think this would convert more of your substantial subscriber base into regular viewers once again. Thanks again as always and best of luck to you and your family.
Fixing it Forward is in the future, I'm just not sure how yet. Once again, time is a factor. The bottom line is, I have more work than I have time for. I need help. I've been working on soliciting that help, but it's been slow going. Life is happening. As I mentioned, we just moved into a new house. That was 10 years in the making. ETCG helped me get there, but it was just one part of what brought me to this point. I don't share everything on my channels.
As stated, I make enough to get by. In fact, my YT channel may not be doing as well as it used to, but the business of EricTheCarGuy is doing quite well, and I'm grateful for that.
Now that I'm settling into my new work environment, and the house is pretty much put together, I'm going to refocus on the future of ETCG. I honestly don't know what that will be yet, but I'm optimistic. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. However, one option that appeals to me more and more to me is moving away from YT as my main source of income. As I mentioned, the YT landscape has changed and I'm not sure if I want to change with it. I've done a lot of things in my 47 years, ETCG is just one of them. It may end up that it was just a stepping stone to the next thing. 10 years is a good run. I'd be just fine with that was it as long as I can provide for my family.
Thanks again for your input.
Eric, thank you for the great videos! I came across an R56 myself, a little bit before you. Despite mine being in pretty decent shape, I've experienced some of the same issues you've been addressing on yours... needless to say, I'm not looking forward to replacing the e-brake cables when they go after what you went through. But again, thank you for putting together some great videos!
I'm happy to help.
OEM stuff is expensive but damn it saves a ton of time and headache. Of course mini would make this difficult.
Hey Eric, another way of dealing with those barbs on the cable- take a small worm-drive hose clamp, slip it on over the barbs and tighten it down. It'll compress all the barbs at the same time. Pull the cable a little way through so the barbs are in the hole, then loosen/remove the clamp and pull the cable the rest of the way through. I don't know if you had enough room in there for this method, but I used it on another vehicle and it worked great
Yea, I know that trick, but space is VERY limited and I couldn't get anything like that down into the space. I think it would have been easier to cut the cables and pull the ends through the floor.
I have always loved the look of the Mini, but this series of videos convinced me that I have absolutely no interest in ever owning one. Thank you.
Thank you Eric, just waiting for parts to arrive from parks BMW , NOW I'm well informed to deal with it thanks to you Sir.
Thank you for your video I’ve just replaced both cables after watching you , great video perfect 👍👍👍
Just acquired one these machines. Saved me a lot of time, thanks.
"Ok, you're now a floor cable!" I love it Eric!
This was exactly my experience with the R53. I could only be sure parts would fit if they were directly from the dealer or from online stores like Way Motor Works, Mini Mania or Pelican Parts. BMW is one of those brands that has special tools for everything and the special tool for this job is a must, just get it from fleabay.
Good series Eric!
Might cutting them from below and pushing them inwards have helped?
And yes I agree, putting it in is so much easier lol.
I thought of that, but there is a collar on the cable that prevents that.
I don't think Eric is going to make any money on this one. But it has a lot of good content.
45 degree pick - interior cable end: spin the flared spring keepers to where they are slotted, pry the keepers out of their locations.
Long hawksbill pliers - cable above exhaust: pry the cable from its two (each cable) plastic semi-circular retainers. Pull and guide cable out towards rear.
Put a light inside car at cable entry holes. Route cable from back to front, use long hawksbill pliers to guide inner cable end over exhaust and into interior holes.
Keep exhaust installed.
I did this on 2004? Mini Cooper S with dual exhaust and all sorts of this that and the other in the way. No way I was gonna drop that exhaust.
Took about two hours total, including jack up the car etc.
Stay gold.
Eric knew this car would give the channel a lot of contents :-)
Thanks Eric! Happy Friday.
I love your videos. Despite how cute a Mini is, I will never, ever buy one after watching this series.
Cracking video. I know what lies before me on Sunday morning. 👍
Good tutorial a car lift is perfect for this job but my question is (from a DIY pov)
Is removing the exhaust + shield avoidable by tying a line/threading device to the cable from inside as I removed it to then tye it to the new cable to help thread it back between the floor and shield?
I don't have a lift just stands restricting room to work
FWIW the couple other minis I've driven (newer BMW-produced ones) all had the lever hit the armrest when the parking brake is applied so I wouldn't worry about it.
A mini with a handfull of problems indeed a intresting car and aswell we got or main champ EricTheCarGuy fighting and winning over the car good job and stay dirty
The words "common problem" seems to be a common problem with these cars...
mrman17 it’s German engineered....... it’s crap
My Astra is German,tomorrow the parking brake will be replaced. After 20 years!!!
It’s not the engineering ist the world wide part production with always cheap purchasing. Normally a cable survive the whole car life....car is produce also everywhere but not in Germany.
skutch Blobaum : Ok, more clear words. Usage of e.g. chinese parts means short usage Life. This is a quality issue... If the cable is sealed and creased it should work the whole car life.
When are we going to get an update on project pikachu?
Anyway... general note for ppl tackling this job, it's dead easy to do & for the R55/56 the interior end of the brake cable now has plastic locking tabs & no longer have the annoying metal ring of doom, so replacement is much easier & quicker to carry out, in my case r55 clubman it's taken me less then an hour to complete & that's using axle stands.
Is there any special tool you can use to remove the hand brake cable when changing the rear calipers or pads and rotors or just a pliers? Tks.
This is a common problem for this vehicle
-every mini owner ever
That's a lot of work. Good details in the video.
good to see your videos eric
Great video Eric nice job on a PITA vehicle, I don't envy you one bit brother.Until next time PEACE.
Common problem is an understatement it should be guarenteed problem. Its that reliable with mini problems. In my case most of my problems were caused by a hack mechanic at the dealership i bought it from $3,500 in parts at 3 months of my time to correct issues that he caused.
thank you for keeping it real. it was a bad day.....
I have a question I need brakes on my Honda civic so should I replace the brakes first and then have a alignment.. I just had Two axles down and struts
Hey Eric, quick question. How come the first set of cables didn't fit? I have a 2008 R56 Base Hatch Back, Non-S. Which one should I get? My right parking brake is sticking and dragging every time when I release the parking brakes.
Hey Eric! How do you feel about doing a fixing it forward on a 2003 honda odyssey? My brother in law Jon was recently hospitalized and his wife is a stay at home mom with three little girls. I went and picked up the van to clean it while they were all at the hospital (unbeknownst to them) and found the rear passenger seat belt is completely broken. I know this is a reach, but I am in the area (Liberty Township) and I know it would mean the world to them to come back to a clean 100% operational van. Thank you for all of your videos, you're the reason I started working on my own vehicles.
Am I the only one who watches Eric’s videos while eating breakfast ?
@Eric could you share the brand and model of brake discs you used?
Eric I know I could use your forum for this but quick question. Single mass flywheel or dual mass flywheel? on my 05 Acura TL Sport 6 speed. Still stock, but minor bolt ons and needed a clutch.
Outstanding job
You’ve mentioned that AC Delco RT Cable 18P97004 did not work..how so? Was it too short/long? I have a mini 2006 R50 and i just got what i ordered which is the exact same cable that did not work in your car..
+EricTheCarGuy I need your help I have a lancer 98 with carburetor and the rings and valves were changed but we don't have the vacuum map where the hose once were and the car is burning too much fuel any idea where I can get this map? Thanks
My wife had an R50 mini and....it made me learn DIY repairs. Luckily its pretty easy to do most things which is good because they break alot. Especially the early models. She now has a Mini Diesel Countryman. A whole series on that one would be great...........!?!?!? (save me thousands....!!??)
No Diesel Minis, or Subarus or ... in the U.S. A. to work on.
Bob Pegram really?? Wow. Do u want to buy the first one? Lol
Martin Gardener Not imported, illegal here.
Many thanks Bob. Didnt know that and Ive visited the US many times. What about large trucks and such or is it just domestic vehicles?
It's an emissions thing I believe. Trucks have less strict emissions control under the law. This seems to apply all the way down to half ton pickups. You know, the pickups that Americans buy instead of a car. You of course know about the VW Diesel cars fiasco. In practice, that has doomed diesel cars. Subaru and Mazda definitely wanted to introduce Diesel engines in their cars but couldn't meet the emissions goals.
Good video eric
Does the Mini have brake shoes inside the rotor for parking brakes? I know on BMW's they have a round expanding thing adjustment.
Nope, That little lever that holds the cable ends just actuates the disk caliper. Also, that's why on rear disk brake cars without the shoes in the disk, you have to push AND turn the caliper piston back in when you change the pads.
Just did my cables, one side grabs other doesn’t. 2001 mini r53 with disk brakes. Could it be a seized caliper? Brakes still have meat on them, no off wear on either side. Is there an adjustment screw on the caliper for the ebrake? Am i missing something?
I think you have it right, a seized caliper. OR maybe a brake pad clip thats not properly fitted into the Piston groove.
There is a mechaism inside the caliper that allows the parking brake lever to push the caliper piston outwards against the brake pad.
If your caliper parking brake levers are moving properly, and the driving brakes are working properly = caliper seized.
Check your brake disks with temperature gun of feel CAREFULLY with hand after driving. If one is hotter than the other, your rear brake pad clips may also not be fitted properly into the caliper piston groove. - Figure 10 here:
www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/MINI/33-BRAKES-Brake_Pad_Replacement/33-BRAKES-Brake_Pad_Replacement.htm
Stay gold.
struggling to watch the series Eric i think you do a great job and i thank you for that just thought i let you know since ive been watching you a long time. feel like its just because i dont care you know. with the fairmont i wanted to see it finished so i watched all the videos (missing the end btw) and the fixing it forward series i loved because it was very interesting to me. and Brian i feel he made your videos more entertaining now with the head cam its rather annoying. and just this mini series its just i dont care about it dont care if it works or not. not sure how to explain it but just struggeling to be entertained when watching usually turn off like half way though. when before i could watch your vids all day. usually never leave comments but wanted to let u know. not trying to put you down or anything saying this in the kindest possible way cause you've helped me alot in the past. thanks
Love the MINI series!!!
A O LMAO man! I've owned one for six years, breaks CONSTANTLY, and ETCG videos taught me how to wrench so I could fix BEFORE the MINI series. Worst car I've ever owned, but taught me to be mechanical... now I rebuild and ride old choppers
Is there any good news design on the Mini?
hey could you do a video on how to replace starter on a 2014 chevy cruze.
Lol fun stuff good job keep it up!
I miss cameraman Brian. He is a legend.
Nice work 😊
eric is the fuel tank metal or is it plastic? i noticed it didn't have some kind of shielding as it looks exposed
Plastic.
What's that silver lining above the exhaust pipes ?
Heat shield. Protects the gas tank (and parking brake cables) from the heat of the exhaust. Also helps to keep that same heat away from the passenger compartment.
Hey Eric, thanks for the video. I was wondering if you could comment on the use of power tools for automotive work? I've always struggled with ratchets and doubling up wrenches - and have gotten real good at it, but these days the amount of time I spend wrenching is getting a bit ridiculous. I always assumed I would need an air tool, but are there handheld powerdrills you would recommend? (have you already made a video about this already?) - and what kind of drivers and sockets work well with these tools? Thanks!
좋은 정보 감사합니다.
Hey Eric. Do you know when cars with 5 speed trans started coming out? When did that transition from 4 speed change to 5 speed gearboxes? Love your videos by the way.
Hi Eric, Great work as always! Also, incase you were wondering, here is the factory service tool for the Mini's Brake Cable Service... ---> new.minimania.com/part/NMB8750/Mini-Cooper--S-Mini-Factory-Tool-34-6-330-Bowden-Cable-Extractor-R50-R52-R53 :)
Hi Eric! Should there be any friction applied to the disks at all? I have always wondered about this in the numerous cars I have owned especially in relation to fuel economy. Whenever a car is on a hoist I am always surprised by how the wheels don't spin that freely!!!
The rear wheels should spin freely if they are not the drive wheels. Mine do now after bedding the brake pads in.
Kent Moore Parking Brake Cable Release Tool J37043 ?
Smashing job, it argued with you but resistance is useless :-D.
You needed a bent version of your hose plyers for those dam barbs, special tools :-(.
I like the old adjustments better, two nuts that you can access to balance the pull.
Yep i'm old fashoned.
They're slightly bent, just a bit too long.
Thanks. You my hero
Driver side on mine wont release all the way. 2007 with 175k on it. Just things you learn to live with or fix.helps to have mechanical ability, and a garage to work in..
Would it have been a good idea to lube the cables with cable lube before installation?
No. In this situation putting lubricant in might attract dirt which would shorten their lifespan. Go by what the manufacturer does for the most part. If they don't supply lube, don't use it.
I was thinking to apply "special free up stuck cable lube / cleaner" (I think it actually exists, if not, some kind of light oil) to the sticking cables. If you can work them up and down enough, they do free up (see Mustie1 bike videos). Now, assuming that worked, you have extra life on that cable, one hopes.
Keeping water and other "crud" out is the bigger problem. Where does it get in? My best guess is at the caliper end. The other end is inside the car and barring a flood, unlikely to get wet. I suppose interior crud might find a way in. Unless the cable cladding leaks, that should be it.
To think outside of the box, maybe a tightly sealed plastic bag over the whole cable end and caliper actuator, would work. If it happens again, re lube it. If it won't free up, or reoccurs way too frequently, it's time to replace the cables. Some DIYer should try this and report, Pros HAVE to fix stuff so can't experiment.
I would use an appropiate size hose clamp insted of a socket
Won't fit into the space.
Need problem in your life?
If NO, stay away from the MINI🚗!
Had several minis and had very few problems with any of them apart from the one I have now, 2011 countryman. Bought it in a rush after a neighbour reversed into my 2007 clubman.
So far, in one year, I’ve had both front door locks replaced, passenger door lock cable replaced, rear right brake calliper sticks and needs replacing and to top it off the park brake cable snapped today.
I got a really bad one and can’t wait to replace it.
Would happily have another but would never buy in a rush again.
I was saying righty is tighty, lefty is loosey when you started tightening that adjustment nut. Lol
18:05 "ah, I always feel really good when I guess right"
i no this is after the fact but can u not cut from the under side and pull it through the cable its bad any ways
I would do it that way next time for sure.
Modern cars are a lot easier to put together than they are to take apart because it means they can build them quicker in the factory
It's funny how ppl jump at the chance to slate the bmw mini as problematic when if you look at most other ranges/models of cars you'll actually see similar issues..
Also noting these cars also begun life during renovations ie direct inject BMW was one of the 1st manufacturers to implement it, so it's not unusual to find issues after a period of time, especially when production numbers are in the tens of thousands.. also noting alot of ppl making comments usually aren't old enough to drive let alone have never actually driven a car of any form except on a game/PC system.
Jesus, how many problems does this one mini have?
Derpyderp A Minimum problems xD badum tsss xD
The answer is: a lot. This car has been driven in the rust belt for several years. My '06 has never been driven in the salt and it's not rusty like this one.
Soo many.
everything
Derpyderp very many!
"Use BMW Special Tool *34 6 330* to force parking brake cable barbs free of body." ~ Bentley Service manual (for my R53)
Yeah, it's basically what you're doing with the deep-well socket, lol
with the hot exhaust pipe going rite under the plastic gas tank that heat shield is really a necessity.
where do u buy these stuff
Links in the description.
do get money on this job is it a good job to work
is this diagonstic job
Maybe its just me, but I've always had bad luck with ACDelco parts.
My ACDelco A/C compressor went in the 3rd year...
but see Amazing A/C prices here... (I'm on the second season with a Generic compressor kit and condenser from this guy!)
www.bonanza.com/booths/mlark1987
What brake pads and rotors did you install?
Video with a link will be forthcoming.
Could you have cut the cables on the outside and pushed them inward?
Yes.
Knipex FTW!
Thanks
Im a lucky bastardo... they stole mine and i get the insurance refund. Woohoo
I am following this series because at last you're not working on a japanese or american old rust bucket, I don't want to believe that everything that people drive in the head of the world USA are old Hondas or Acuras rusted to the bone.
Dang, that’s a lot of work just to replace a cable. German engineering at its finest... Great video though Eric!
This is actually fairly typical of parking brake cable replacement. I've seen and repaired worse.
"Brake cables? What is this 1930?!...... Oh.. the parking brake... okay I get it now." Welcome to my brain, for a couple minutes I thought they actually had mechanical non-hydraulic brakes..
Seems like there is a hell of a lot of common problems with these cars.
Minis are reliable at being unreliable.
this began as the Mini Series and is ending the Maxi Series. So many problems for such a small car!!!!
Is camera man Brian still working with Eric?
An air hammer would've made quick work of that cable when you were trying to hammer it through in the cramped interior... But not everyone has an airhammer so there's that