I changed all 4 pads, rotors, and both sensor wires on my '04 without a problem thanks to your great post. I used a C clamp and ring clamp pliers on the rear pistons. It worked but by the time i got finished i wished i had taken the time & $$ to get the Harbor tool. Used EBC Green's which had the sensor slot and have done very well stopping during aggressive street driving; quiet and much less dust. Also, the bedding procedure and brake wear warning light reset procedures i found in the thread worked great. Thanks to all!

 

great write up Richard....I have this tagged for the next time....I just wish I would have read the section rears b/4 tearing her apart. Had to run down to Harbor Freight for the tool kit ($19.99...no coupon). Also, AutoZone rents these tools for cheap (although they may be a bit abused, find a "new" location to get the better tool set). I had 1/64" of material left on my original rear pads (77k miles) now I'm using the EBC Green. Can't wait for Spring Mountain next month!!

 

WOW ... first pad change on the rears for your 02? You got your money's worth out of those. Was gonna ask about the sensor but I see an 02. I changed mine at about 70k and had a good bit of pad left but did pads and rotors all the way around then as I was selling/giving car to son for his college car. It now delivers pizzas

 

I just installed EBC Green Stuff pads and EBC 3GD Sport Rotors, but I have a problem. This is not my first time doing brake work, but my first on my Mini, and now it seems like the brake pads are constantly rubbing the rotors on all 4 wheels. It is like the brakes are being applied lightly, but constantly. I thought it might go away after I got some miles on them, but it hasn't. Any advice? I don't have any squeeling, just the brakes feel as if they are constantly being applied.

 

Scribbless
Be sure that the clips on the pads are installed correctly. This seems to be a common problem of installation. Go back to the beginning for the "How to"
Steve

 

They are installed properly, I have checked multiple times. I lifted the car and checked eash wheel individually last night and it feels like the front wheels have some resistance, but not as much as the rear wheels, specifically the left rear. I am really starting to think it is a bed in concern, meaning that the front are bedding in faster than the rear, which makes sense and the feeling on the front has already started to go away. I am just over 100 miles on them, mostly highway, so I am going to give them a few more 100 miles and check to see if there is a noticable change. I think the problem might end up taking care of itself, it is just really annoying in the mean time. The only harm in this I can see right now is the fact the pads will get worn down a little faster until it goes away and I will not take any extended trips to prevent excessive heating of the rotors. Thanks for the hint though.

 

The problem seems to have corrected itself. After about 300 miles, they feel great and perform very well. I did contact EBC concerning the problem, and this is what they sent me in response to me problem:

Hi there,
That is the sound of the Brake-In material scrubbing your rotors.
The sound should dissipate by around 200 miles as the pads bed in.
EBC Brakes USA

It was exactly what I thought, too bad their reply came after I had figured that out. Thanks for all the help.

 

Ok I bought the 12v electric impact wrench available at Wal*Mart. to work on getting the torc bolt off the rotors. I have a 2005 Cooper and I don't think they have ever come off. I live in WNY so salt has been on this car each winter.

I used crc freeze off (Wal*Mart) the night before, and when I was working on them

They came off with no problem with the electric impact wrench. I recommend this tool for the cheap price of $25.

Now that I got these bolts out I will go ahead and order some rotors and pads, so I can finish the job.

 

$18.99 w/ coupon - expires 3-29-9
Coupon

 

Someone posted on NAM a few days ago that you can also get the same tool for FREE rental at many local parts stores. Might call around.

 

OctaneGuy!!! Absolutely awesome instructions and photos. Thank you!!! And my tidbit: it took around 2 minutes for my warning light to reset after turning the key on - longer than I expected - so for you who are about to do the first pad change - be patient. Motoring on (and stopping), Al.

 

Oh yeah. One more thing - I was able to compress both front pistons by hand, just like I used to on my '79 Toyota. And no, I'm not big and burley, just patient - it goes slowly, but it goes. That's why he gave us opposable thumbs.

 

do you know where to connect the rear brake sensor? for some reason couldn't find it?
my email: johnaboujaoude@yahoo.com
Thanks

 

Hi, for some reason couldn't find where to connect the rear sensors of the brakes to the panel? any ideas?
thanks
my email : johnaboujaoude@yahoo.com

 

I'm not sure I understand your question. What "panel"?

normally one plugs the new sensor into where they unplugged the old sensor

you don't mention what year - note an 02 did not have sensors

and

there is only a sensor on the left front and right rear when sensors are present....

or are you saying you don't know where it goes on the pad? It is possible you got pads without the slots altho I thought those were out of the system by now.... Most pads have a slot in the top that the sensor slides into.

 

Hi,
i have an MCS03, i plug one side to the brake as show in the picture but the other side??? i am changing the sensor cable as well, and ya you are right, it has 2 : one the front left and other on the rear right.
i trace down the cable but wasn't able to find change it. now it shows on dashboard "brake" lights.
Thanks for your help
J.

 

Why not read the article I spent much time on making for you guys? It's the first post.

I'll help with some pix.





You'll find more info by reading the article.

Richard

 

Thanks for step by step and photos...about the simplest brakes to replace. But...I did not see a sensor cable on either side of the front axle. This is a 2002 Cooper. I also noticed that the warning lights on the dash did not have the particular light mentioned, although the dealer insisted that the sensor was there and sold me the sensor/cable anyway. (I returned that within 30 days for full credit.) Is it possible that the early 2002's did not have the sensor? (I ordered my mini in April, 2002...and had to wait for it to be shipped from the UK, so it was early in the production.)

Also...dealer said that the rotors could not be turned down since mini rotors are already at minimum thickness from the factory...wanted me to purchase two new ones. Since I only have 40,000 miles and no pulsation, I decided to wait. The rotors can be purchased at after-market for far less than the dealer (about $50 each), and looked simple enough to replace while doing the brakes. Any advice on the rotors?

 

02's do not have brake sensors ...

minimum thickness from the factory???? minimum thickness is stamped on the rotor .... factory specs are front 20.4mm, rear 8.4mm

my local autozone now has pads and rotors on the shelf - nothing fancy but they work and the price is way below dealer. or Brembo is a safe rotor, equal to OEM and readily available from many online vendors like MOSS (rotors are HEAVY tho, so the shipping cost quickly eats any $$ savings)

once you get the caliber off to remove the pads you are 75% of the way to the rotors. You need to remove the TORX bolt that holds the rotor in place and you can read a zillion posts here about the PIA that bolt can be to get off. Then for the fronts you need to remove the caliber hanger bracket, two more bolts but very easy to do. This is needed to get the room to remove the rotor from the hub. For the rear you'll have enuf room to get the rotor off w/out removing the hanger (which is good cuz the hanger bolts are harder to get to). If nothing is TOO stuck, rotors should add no more than 10 minutes per wheel.

MINI says replace rotors when pads are changed...period. Many will turn the rotors (resurface), this was common in the past. Now many places can put new rotors on for what resurfacig costs them/you in labor.

I've gone 2 sets of pads to one set of rotors on our 02-S thru selling it at 95,000 plus miles with no problems. I did not resurface...there were no significant grooves. After 20,000 I replaced pads with EBC greens all around, and at second pad change went to Brembo (plain) rotors. I do not a/c and am generally easy on brakes. Your performance may vary.

 

The dash "Check Brakes" light came on today. I have an '06 MCS. Are Richard's great instructions applicable to an 06?

 

^^^ yes they are.

 

Ugh, im glad it took you guys only a few hours. Im going on days...

Round 1: Order parts from autopartswarehouse.com (First mistake). brembo rotors and 2 sets of pads. I didn't know each box had 4 pads in it so now i have double pads. UPS guy arrives, I get front end apart. Wonderful. I have 8 rear pads for a front job. Put car back together. Order 4 pads from same vendor

Round 2: Figure I can change out the rotors without having brake pads. The T-50 is as promised completely frozen. Its probably the original as my car as 115K and there is a deep lip. Breaker bar: No. Strips the thread. Knowing now that I have to drill it out, i call a buddy to go to Tom Bush mini and grab some more for me. I proceed to drill them out and whaddayaknow! the extraction bit breaks off inside the bolt!!

Round 3: UPS man shows up and the box weighs a few grams. They sent me spark plug seals. Call and order some more - No, I will not go through your return policy, wait for a refund and order another set. I will set out today with a dremel tool to remove the extraction bit and try to drill out completely the T50 from the housing.

 

Wow that sucks :(
I hate when easy jobs become a pain

did you really get 115k out a set of rotors?
That is nuts! (mine last ~30k but I use the car on track aswell)

I reccomend more track days so that the bolt doesn't have time to freeze

 

I got the car at 73K and have 115K on it now. I doubt these are original rotors but I could flip them over and make an ashtray out of them they are so pitted. My buddy owns a machine shop and has agreed to machine out the T50 for me. The other one came out after I dremeled a large groove in it enough to stick in a 2' long flathead with a massive crescent wrench on it
Hopefully correct pads will arrive tomorrow and I can get that pesky rotor off.

 

Ah, I see, hope it all gets sorted soon! And the rest of the install is straightforward