Hey all,

I am trying to determine how hard it would be to install the Sportlink myself. I have seen the PDF instructions and the picutre walkthrough that is out there, and it looks straightforward. The only reservation I have is with dropping the exhaust. What is invlolved in doing this? I can get it installed for 60-100 bucks by someone who hasnt done it before (a good friends shop, working from the PDF), but I would rather save the money and keep any mishaps in my own hands. Any advice would be appreciated.

And if this is the wrong forum for such things, please feel free to move the thread.

Thanks!

 

I am also interested in knowing the difficulty in the Sport Link installation.

Anyone?

 

I watched mine get installed. The whole rear bumper, wheel arches, exhaust (from catback) were removed.

I believe it took my installer (home garage) about 4hrs.

Rear photo

Parts photo

 

Which is funny since the tech install document says 2hrs. But then again, they have the tools and the know-how readily available.

I still just need to know whats involved with taking off the exhaust.

 

yep

I would suggest doing a search on how to remove exhaust....

I recall OctaneGuy had a write up on the SportLink installation, try a search

 

I am the one who installed aminicooper's Sport-Link. I have installed
nine ( 9 ) of them for people around the SF bay area. It's true that
I do this install at my home shop, but as you can see by the photos,
I have a drive on lift and all the same prof. grade tools used at a Mini
dealer. In this area there is not one single person who has more experience
doing this modification. Dealers included. If you can get any dealer to do
the install for a 2hr shop labor charge "jump on it" . Of course this means
they have never done one, or they would never agree to a 2hr rate.

I have Sport-Links in stock.... $950 installed including bike rack attachment.

 

How did the install work out for you??? was it hard? My mini comes next month and I need to know if I should let the dealer just do it?

 

i have the sport link and it is great. glad i bought it. i would like to find a plastic cover to place over the receivers to "hide" them when i am not using the bike rack. it will clean up the appearance. any suggestions where i might find a black plastic cap? thanks.

 

It will take you longer to take off any caps and stow them than it will to put on the rack. It takes me between 10 and 15 seconds to put on or take off my bikerack. -Bob

 

i can spare the 15 seconds .....

 

I'm going to revive this thread because I just did a self install of my sport link. I have a mini cooper S and I suspect from the write-up and my experience this install is somewhat easier on the S than on the std cooper. So take my comments as pertaining to the S only.

This is a project that a determined DIY person can do. I had a set of directions that I downloaded from the web, a bentley manual and the BMW TIS CD to refer to. The only difficult bit is dropping the exhaust to get the bottom bolts in. A lift would be a big help but it can be done on jack-stands. I discovered that you do not need to break the exhaust at the flange as detailed in the BMW TIS. It will drop down enough if you unbolt the center and rear supports. The heat shield is held in place by several fasteners, but will also drop down enough when they are removed for you to get the bolts in a tightened. Not really a two hour job like the instructions indicate, but doable in less than four.