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MINI Heavy Steering
If you experience “heavy” steering; notched steering; and/or crunchy steering, try checking these three items below. The first two are caused by faulty designs. The third was probably caused by someone (not me) forgetting to disconnect the lower steering knuckle before lowering the rear portion of the front sub-frame. The steering column is designed to move in many directions: That motion isn’t one of them. It’s a $125-$150 part if you can find it (part number 32306763722 #1 in the drawing below).
Heavy Steering. Cause: Power-steering pump failure. This is a common failure on 1st Gen MINIs. For me, the PS fan failed and then the pump soon after. Listen for excessive whining from the pump when turning close to lock. The whine should grow louder as you approach lock, but if it seems like it is really suffering, then it is probably on the way out. The fan will sound like a bad bearing. You can tell if it is the fan or the pump by disconnecting the fan and turning the car on (not for long). If the noise went away, it was the fan. That’s an easy fix. Pump, no so much.
Notched Steering: Sound comes from the front of the car, not the interior. At first I thought it was spring binding, but it turned out to be the strut bearing in the mount that had failed. The large washer isn’t enough to protect the bearing from all of the road gunk from this past winter causing the strut spindle to bind in the bearing race as the wheel was turned. Replacing the bearing solved the problem. Sometimes just cleaning and repacking the bearing will work too. (See this post for more info about strut mounts.
Creaky Steering: My steering sounded like the groaning deck plates of the Black Pearl. Not just at lock, but any movement off center caused creaking and groaning. Sound was inside the cabin. Cause was lower steering column shaft failure. Sometimes it can be lessened by applying grease (it’s a telescoping shaft), but if the shaft is bent, you have to replace it. Not difficult to do, once you figure it out. (Hint: Connect the upper knuckle before the lower one: I just saved you an hour of frustration.) Here’s how to replace it:
1. Raise the front of the car safely on jack-stands and ensure it’s high enough that you can safely work under the steering rack.
2. If you have any security codes for your radio, be sure you have them handy, then disconnect the battery.
3. Go get a cup of coffee and wait 15 minutes. You are going to disconnect the airbag and you don’t want it to blow up in your face. That would be what we call “bad.” (You don’t have to remove the steering wheel, but it will make it much easier to work on the lower steering column if you do. In the long run, you’ll save time and save your back.)
4. Remove knee bolster or parcel shelf and set it aside.
5. Make sure the wheels are pointed straight forward and remove your key to lock the steering wheel in position. Unlike other cars, the MINI wheel is very easy to remove and very easy to center. Still, having it centered before you begin makes it even easier.
6. Optional: Remove the airbag and the wheel if you need more room to maneuver (Thanks for the tip from Townfryers below.) (Follow the instructions here.) Mark the bottom of the spindle so you know how to reorient the wheel later.
7. Using an interior trim removal tool, carefully remove the rubber boot that surrounds the ignition keylock.
8. Remove Key Surround
9. Locate and remove the two hex screws at the top of the lower column cover and release the two clips at the bottom by pinching them together
10. Remove Lower Cover and set it aside.
11. Locate the upper knuckle on the lower steering column shaft, it has a 10mm nut on one end.
12. Place the steering wheel back on the spindle, put the key in to release the steering lock, turn the wheel until you get the nut into a position you can wrench it. Loosen the nut and re-center the wheel. Do not remove the upper knuckle from the spindle at this time. Remove the wheel, leave the key. When it comes time to reinstall, remember to start with the upper knuckle.
13. Working under the car, locate the nut on the lower knuckle. You may have to spin the knuckle to get into a position for wrenching. Remove the nut and bolt. (MINI recommends replacing the nut [part no. 32206782616] whenever you remove it.) Recenter the wheels and then fold the knuckle out of the way.
14. Working from inside the cabin again, remove the key to lock the steering column. Separate the steering shaft rubber cover from the boot at the foot-well.
15. Separate the upper knuckle from the spindle and remove the lower steering shaft by pulling it into the cabin.
16. Installation is the reverse of removal. Connect the upper knuckle first before extending the new shaft into the foot well. Get the rubber cap seated and then pull the lower knuckle onto the steering rack spindle.
Words of Caution. Don’t worry too much about losing center if you don’t have a steering angle sensor (no DSC). The mini steering rack is only five turns lock to lock. The wheel can go on in only one position. If you get totally lost take the following steps: Fold the lower knuckle back up. Get the front wheels pointed more or less straight forward. Go into the cabin and move the spindle so the lower mark you placed earlier is straight down. Reattach the lower knuckle. Looking at the steering wheel interface you’ll notice a white plastic ring. Grab the pin and spin it slowly to lock right or left. Do not force it, let it stop. Go back the other direction five turns and stop. Now go back the other way 2 1/2 turns. The pin should be located at the bottom and match the hole in your wheel when you put it back on. If you have a steering angle sensor (have DSC) the process is similar but you have to first do it with the spindle and then do it with the white plastic ring. Working with the lower knuckle folded, spin the shaft left or right to lock. Turn five times to the other lock, and then back 2 1/2 turns. It should be centered with the mark at the bottom. When in doubt, refer to your service manual and read this post.
Crossing the Line: MINI gets a Rollbar
This past weekend brought another arctic blast to the Mid-Atlantic region and the first driving event of the year. We learned a couple of interesting lessons driving in sub-freezing temperatures on the track:
- According to the National Weather Service, the wind-chill of 7 degrees F at 109 MPH (the max speed of their calculator) is -29.
- Seat heaters are wonderful things and you don’t want to stick your hand outside if you don’t have to.
- Even with road surface temperatures near 20 degrees, summer tires will get warm enough to grip (they aren’t supposed to work under 40 degrees) and will actually reach temperatures near 100 degrees.
- The Roots-type Supercharger really likes the higher density air that comes with extremely low temperatures.
The biggest disadvantage to having a driving event in this type of weather is the preparation that’s always required for the first event of the year, especially if you have a garage with questionable heat. During the few days of above freezing temperatures, we did manage to install new brake calipers and rotors; flush the brake system; reinstall the cold air intake and prep the interior for the roll-bar install.
The big news for this year is the installation of the SneedSpeed roll-bar. Finally crossing the line from street-car to dedicated track-car, the rear seats have come out for the last time and the roll-bar was welded in.
The finished job looks great. We’ll have to do a better job of fitting the required padding once things warm up again and the padding becomes more pliable, but it was good enough for this weekend.
The interior trim required only a small amount if trimming on the bottom edge where the side meets the roll hoop where it welds to the chassis. Removing the side pockets from trim panels reduced the total amount of trimming that was required. All that is left now is to re-carpet the plywood panel that sits where the seat-bottoms were.
Carbon Fauxber DIY
I’m not generally a big fan of carbon fiber trim, but this stuff may very well change my position.
As I was preparing for the recent JCW steering wheel installation project, I thought it might be a great opportunity to get rid of some of the silver trim I don’t like in the MINI. I have tried unsuccessfully to paint small trim pieces in the past, but it was very difficult to get a really high quality finish on small plastic parts using only rattle-can paint. I was looking on ebay to see how much carbon fiber trim pieces cost for the JCW wheel and all three pieces would still cost $240 or more which is ridiculous. Just replacing the existing plastic pieces is $120. Then I found this carbon fiber fabric from Psyspeed.
I bought a yard (36×55 inches) of the glossy black carbon fiber fabric. It is very stretchy and has a really nice texture. (Remember “Pat the Bunny“? Kind of like that.)
All you need is a good pair of scissors, a good automotive contact adhesive, and a clean surface to work. Keep in mind the angle of the weave as you lay out your pieces.
Wearing gloves, spray two coats of adhesive on the parts to be covered (front and back edges) and let sit for 2-3 minutes before starting to work.
Stretch the cloth evenly over the first piece and work the material until it covers evenly and smoothly. Stretch to wrap the edges.
Trim the material so that you can overlap the back by about half an inch. Make small cuts in the edges and pull the material taught, making sure you don’t change the tension on the front.
If you are patient, you can work the material to cover some very complex shapes. You just have to decide when you want to stop. The single yard is probably enough to cover most car interiors.
Starting with this:
And ending with this:
Just don’t go crazy with your new found power, or else you might find yourself covering everything with the stuff…
MINI JCW Steering Wheel Install DIY
When you’re driving a car, how do you get feedback from the road? If you’ve been in the GeorgeCo MINI and said “seat-of-the-pants” or “dental fillings” you get partial credit, but the answer I was looking for was “through the steering wheel.” If you’re like me and spend 3 or more hours a day commuting, you quickly find out that life is too short to have a bad steering wheel. I’ve driven many different cars over the past couple of years while instructing and have finally figured out what I want in a steering wheel. I want a small diameter wheel, thick padding, preferably covered in Alcantara and, for a street car, one that still retains the stock airbag. (Actually, you should click that link to Alcantara in the previous sentence. This is one of the strangest, and perhaps least informative website designs I’ve ever seen. If you still don’t know what Alcantara is, click this instead.)
There is such a wheel available for both the Porsche 996 and the MINI R53. Unfortunately, the Porsche wheel carries the usual Porsche tax, and runs about $1,600. If I ever find one on Craigslist I might consider it, but for now, let’s focus on the MINI. The MINI JCW Wheel seems like a bargain at less than a quarter of that cost. The old wheel should still have some value so once we sell it, our total costs should be about $300.
Every other time I’ve removed a wheel, it involved either a wheel puller, or a complicated mix of wrenching and counter-holding the wheel using whatever was available like a Club (remember those?) This swap was remarkable straight-forward, with only the risk of the airbag blowing up in your face to complicate things. Here’s how to swap it out yourself and save money. (Usual disclaimer: Use at your own risk. No wagering.) This job should take less than 30 minutes. Read the complete instructions a couple of times all of the way through before you begin.
Start with a stock leather MINI 3-spoke wheel (in this case, with a GeorgeCo sewn wheelskin cover to make it thicker….)
Ensure the wheels are straight, the steering wheel is level, and the steering column is locked before you begin. Disconnect the negative terminal from the battery and make sure it won’t make contact again until you finish (not shown.) Wait 15 minutes before working on the car. Now would be a good time to pick up the new steering wheel and make yourself familiar with it. On each side is a small indentation where the covering is actually slit. You are going to slip a screwdriver into this slot and press against a spring to release the airbag. Try using a small Torx screwdriver to get leverage on the spring (T-20).
Practice making contact with the arm of the spring and getting the spring to move before you try it on your old steering wheel. Insert a small torx screwdriver into the indentations on the side of the wheel and release the tension on the spring, one side at a time. In the photo below, the airbag has already been removed to show you how the spring works.
The airbag will move forward slightly once it has been released from the spring. Once both sides have released, gently pull the airbag free of the wheel but support it with one hand. You will need to disconnect two electrical connections on the backside of the airbag. (If you have a multi-function steering wheel, you will need to unplug those connections as well at this time.)
Once removed, place the airbag face up (MINI logo up) someplace where it won’t be disturbed (and explode….) Disconnect the black connector for the horn, but leave the wire attached to the wheel as the new wheel is pre-wired.
Use a 16mm socket with the appropriate extension to remove the bolt at the center of the wheel. Unlike other wheels, the MINI wheel will come off of the spindle with little effort. Take care to feed the airbag wires through the slot as the wheel comes off and ensure that the white plastic ring does not move out of center. (If it does move more than slightly, you will have to recenter it. The MINI wheel turns five turns lock-to-lock. Center the ring by turning it one way until it binds, then backing it out two and a half turns. The pin should be at the bottom.)
Installation is the reverse of removal. Carefully fit the peg of the white ring into the hole on the new wheel and feed the airbag wires through the slot at the top. Reattach the horn wire from the steering wheel. Install the 16mm bolt and hand tighten for now. Reconnect the horn connector. Check your Bentley manual and tighten to spec (my car was 46.5 lbs.)
Install new trim or remove trim pieces from old wheel and reuse. On the back-side of each each arm of the wheel is a torx screw that will need to be removed before removing the trim from the old wheel. Pull straight up on each trim piece to remove. (My wheel did not have the multifunction switches, but if yours does, now would be the time to move them over to the new wheel and plug them in as well.) Top Tip: It’s easier to install the trim before you put the wheel on the steering column.
Reinstall trim pieces and torx screws.
Carefully plug in the two plugs to the back of the airbag and press the airbag back into spring fittings. You will hear a click when it is fully connected.
Reconnect the battery and you’re all done. In this final photo, you can actually see three other DIY projects: Shift Light (although install instructions are for Porsche), Carbon Fiber Trim, and Gauge Pod. Use the contact form and we can help you source any or all of these parts.
Motor.
Talkin’ B-Spec in Charleston
I was in Charleston, South Carolina on business this week (which, I must say is a nice place to be in December when there is a foot of snow on the ground at home.) While there, I stopped by MINI of Charleston which is the home of the Spec B Championship winning MINI of Brad and Robbie Davis. (Brad is the General Manager there and Robbie is his son.) MINI of Charleston will also provide a conversion kit or complete car so you can go Spec B racing. I’ve been having some issues with my rear brakes at the track so I figured who better to ask advice than someone who races MINIs at a top level, so I spoke with Stuart Kestenbaum who was their crew chief this year.
Spec B or Touring Class B (TCB) in Pirelli World Challenge speak, is designed as a way for club level racers to get exposure to professional racing, competing in the exact configuration as they do in SCCA Club Racing, but racing on Pirelli 15-inch racing slicks. B Spec cars have preparation limited to shocks, springs and the required safety equipment. The cost of preparing an R56 MINI is under $8,000 and you can order one new built to the spec for about $26K. In racing trim, the car weighs about 2,600 lbs. The B Spec MINI was competitive right out of the box. They run a restrictor plate and only have 90 hp. Their biggest competition is the Honda Fit which has an advantage in lower gearing off of the line. I was interested in seeing the gutted interior and talking about brakes.
TCB MINIs have to run stock brake calipers with Carbotech Competition pads. Spec B rules do not allow brake proportioning valves to be used. I wanted to know if they had any of the problems with excessive heat that I did. During track weekends I might get 2-3 hours of track time on Fridays (compared to less than 2 hours for the rest of the weekend.) During the last few event weekends, I completely burned through a set of pads in the right rear. At first I thought it was only on the unloaded side, but after running in the counter-clockwise direction on the Shenandoah Circuit, I realized it was always the right side. Stuart thinks I might be binding the emergency brake cable somehow and causing light pressure to be applied to the right rear caliper. This would account for the excessive wear and heat I’ve been experiencing lately. They had a similar issue with a previous model car where they also ran a stiffer rear sway-bar. I’ll have to get under the car and check it out. If nothing else, I can put some slack in the cable before my next track session. While talking brakes, I learned some interesting things about their experience in the B Spec MINI. They do not run any brake ducting. They have to use stock calipers and only used one set of rear pads for the entire season. In fact, they only changed the front pads once. I’ll have to try the Carbotech pads next year before I decide to go the route of upgrading to a big brake kit.
I’m not ready to gut the interior of the GeorgeCo MINI just yet, but it was nice to see how they were able to take advantage of the MINI door pockets to push the door bars out and maintain as much space in the cockpit as possible. Their cage was fabricated by Kirk Racing Products. I would like to get more supportive seats into my car, but don’t know how far I want to go down that road. Stock MINI seats have Thorax airbags built in. They don’t offer any additional protection on the track when you run with the windows down, but removing them would have an effect on the overall safety of the car on the street. I guess it brings up the point as to when I’m willing to abandon dual-use and just dedicate it to track use. I can start with a Kirk roll hoop without crossing that line. (The Kirk roll hoop can be made into a full cage later.)
