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If you put them back on that way, I do not think that they will start to even out as the piston will push evenly but the clip will allow the pad to "float" and tip to being flat against the rotor which will be at an angle. Unfortunately, I'd just get new pads. Crappy I know, but it's the only way to be sure.
What I have done with my brakes is replace all the rotors after 2 sets of pads, front and rear. It's more for peace of mind then anything else, plus I do not have a caliper to measure the thickness of the rotors. You probably could let the rears go 3 sets of pads.
The rear blanks (non-slotted or drilled or cryo treated) are as little as $30 each on tire rack.
Just replace the pads, as you will be wasting your time trying to correct, what can not be corrected. The next step would be wasting the rotors! Pads are fairly inexpensive, after all!
Brakes are not something to mess with!
Yeah... You two are probably right. Thank you... I'm buying new pads now.
BUT Who cares about brakes when you just scored some used Cabrio braces for cheap!!!!! Used R52 Cabiro braces
60 bucks total with the 8 bolts. I've been searching for about a year and couldn't bring myself to spend the $280+ the shops want now. They are becoming pretty hard to track down.
Cabrio Braces are in! I think this project is much more about the hunt. Install was super easy with the threaded holes already there... just pull the plastic plug covers and pop them in.
Need to push some wires out of the way on the drivers side and the lowest bolt (yellow arrow) is a little tricky to get to. Wobble extension seem to be the best.
Drivers side Cabrio brace.
Passenger side Cabrio brace.
Also got rid of the messed up rear brake pad, actually all 4. Rotors were still in great shape and I wanted to stay with the same manufacture until I switch rotors. So went with the HPS Hawks... should have a little more bite than the Hawk Ceramics... We'll see if I can even tell.
Ceramic is for the birds, like the bowl for bird seeds. I like heavy metal and only if we can have the asbestos friction material back - just kidding. I like Raybestos as it has the superfund site legacy.
I am pretty sure you should relocate the plastic clip for the circular connector onto the Cabrio brace, instead of letting it flopping in 100+ mph wind.
isn't the left brace came with the clip already inserted?
With the other wires going through the area as well, I couldn't make the round connector fit on the on the brace with the plastic clip/carrier. So... I zip-tied the carrier to the wiring below the round connector and then snapped it in.You can barely see one of the zip ties. Should keep it from flopping and rubbing.
One of the best parts of going to the HPDE days is seeing the other cars up close and talking to the drivers of those cars. This was they highlight of all the cars for me yesterday. (**4 Mini's in all.)
Seem like I'm removing, swapping, rotating my wheels a lot more than I thought I would. Found a wheel alignment pin on Amazon and it's only $7.
I have the stock M14 x 1.25 lug bolts and the pin helps more than I thought.
If you want/need one...I got it on Amazon >>> It's called: Steel Wheel Hanger Alignment Pin Guide Tool - Metric 14x1.25 Threads - Wheel Lug Bolt Automotive Mechanic Tool Compatible with European Cars (newer BMW and Mini Cooper) M14x1.25
My MC40 is dirty AF. I've been waiting and waiting to get it washed/cleaned and have been getting all of the mechanical/reliability stuff out of the way. I also have a huuuuuge dent in the hood from where it was "totaled" out and keep telling myself I want to get it replaced/repaired before I really detail my car. It was also my moms prior to me buying it over half a decade ago and there's incredibly fine dog hair everywhere that's been such a pain in the *** to try and get out. I say all this because seeing your car and the shape it's in is an embarrassment to mine.
MINI33342The stud conversion is on the list... but a ways down the list right now.
ACGOGThanks for the compliments. I bought her in very good shape to begin with, but it's been fun to upgrade, modify and learn. I drive my truck most of the winter so the Mini has the winter to hibernate and stay clean. Looks like you are well on your way to getting yours back in full action. Good luck.
Quite the informational thread here, i like it and like what you have done with your car. I picked up our first mini almost 3 month ago and started with the Supercharger maintenance and did a few more things including coil-overs and such. I like your thoughts on your 22mm sway bar and i will look into that for ours as well. Looking forward to more updates.
If you ever go for a decent coilover and camber plate set up, that 22mm sway bar is probably going to be to much. Adding front camber is going to req. less rear bar to stay neutral.
If you ever go for a decent coilover and camber plate set up, that 22mm sway bar is probably going to be to much. Adding front camber is going to req. less rear bar to stay neutral.
The camber plates will definitely move the in the direction of undesirable handling with that big RSB.
However, with coilovers “it depends”. Handling to stay neutral depends on sway bars, yes, but it also depends on spring rates and shock setting (if talking about adjustable shocks/coilovers). I have set up a MINI with a 22mm RSB and Ohlins coilovers, and it went from being almost undriveable on the track to being great on the with adjustments of the shocks. It is important to know what the spring rates are on the coilovers to see how they will function with a big RSB. The Ohlins are nice as they give the spring rates (which a lot of coilovers don’t) and the fronts are stiffer than the rear. This will help to retain the MINI balance which is also stiffer front than rear. From there is was a matter of finding the shock settings that bring the car back to neutral. In this case it was stiffen the front almost to the max and soften the rear to almost the softest it could be made.
The camber plates will definitely move the in the direction of undesirable handling with that big RSB.
However, with coilovers “it depends”. Handling to stay neutral depends on sway bars, yes, but it also depends on spring rates and shock setting (if talking about adjustable shocks/coilovers). I have set up a MINI with a 22mm RSB and Ohlins coilovers, and it went from being almost undriveable on the track to being great on the with adjustments of the shocks. It is important to know what the spring rates are on the coilovers to see how they will function with a big RSB. The Ohlins are nice as they give the spring rates (which a lot of coilovers don’t) and the fronts are stiffer than the rear. This will help to retain the MINI balance which is also stiffer front than rear. From there is was a matter of finding the shock settings that bring the car back to neutral. In this case it was stiffen the front almost to the max and soften the rear to almost the softest it could be made.
The camber plates will definitely move the in the direction of undesirable handling with that big RSB.
However, with coilovers “it depends”. Handling to stay neutral depends on sway bars, yes, but it also depends on spring rates and shock setting (if talking about adjustable shocks/coilovers). I have set up a MINI with a 22mm RSB and Ohlins coilovers, and it went from being almost undriveable on the track to being great on the with adjustments of the shocks. It is important to know what the spring rates are on the coilovers to see how they will function with a big RSB. The Ohlins are nice as they give the spring rates (which a lot of coilovers don’t) and the fronts are stiffer than the rear. This will help to retain the MINI balance which is also stiffer front than rear. From there is was a matter of finding the shock settings that bring the car back to neutral. In this case it was stiffen the front almost to the max and soften the rear to almost the softest it could be made.
Good info... I'll have to note this and read all this again once I get back on the suspension rollercoaster...right now (without camber plates) the car feels great. Stock springs, Koni FSD shocks, Stock FSB, 22mm RSB on the middle setting & Falken Azenis RT615K+ tires.
So next project. OIL CATCH CAN.
Amazon special. Need to get some tubing. The tubing that comes with it is suspect, but everything else looks and feels good.
I was going to paint all the chrome parts also, but then I realized that black doesn't looks as good as I was thinking, maybe ill do if I install the aero grill and aero bumper, for now chrome mirrors can stay on pure silver r53.
The camber plates will definitely move the in the direction of undesirable handling with that big RSB.
However, with coilovers “it depends”. Handling to stay neutral depends on sway bars, yes, but it also depends on spring rates and shock setting (if talking about adjustable shocks/coilovers). I have set up a MINI with a 22mm RSB and Ohlins coilovers, and it went from being almost undriveable on the track to being great on the with adjustments of the shocks. It is important to know what the spring rates are on the coilovers to see how they will function with a big RSB. The Ohlins are nice as they give the spring rates (which a lot of coilovers don’t) and the fronts are stiffer than the rear. This will help to retain the MINI balance which is also stiffer front than rear. From there is was a matter of finding the shock settings that bring the car back to neutral. In this case it was stiffen the front almost to the max and soften the rear to almost the softest it could be made.
Woop, this is good timing for me. Not to try and jack the thread but quick question if you don't mind? I've literally got the Koni Yellows, Vorshlag camber plates and the WMW suspension package with the TSW springs sitting in the cart waiting for Way to reply back to me. Based off of the feedback I've seen I was going to go with the lightweight 25.5mm bar but is that a mistake? Should go with the 19?
I could talk to you about the Mini running mechanically but I don't know aaaaaanything at all about suspensions and was hoping I can just slap it all together out of the box
Woop, this is good timing for me. Not to try and jack the thread but quick question if you don't mind? I've literally got the Koni Yellows, Vorshlag camber plates and the WMW suspension package with the TSW springs sitting in the cart waiting for Way to reply back to me. Based off of the feedback I've seen I was going to go with the lightweight 25.5mm bar but is that a mistake? Should go with the 19?
I could talk to you about the Mini running mechanically but I don't know aaaaaanything at all about suspensions and was hoping I can just slap it all together out of the box
Sorry, little about suspension setup is cookbook.
Just a quick response so as to not hijack this thread. I assume this is to be basically a street car. I like your choices. To go with your other choices, for the swaybar, I would go with the 19mm. With the springs and shocks, you will be able to dial in a really nice handling ride. I had a set of TSW springs and they were to go on my S with the Konis, but got side tracked with the big front and rear swaybars and, at the time, didn’t want to lower the car. Here is a pretty good thread about setting up a car’s suspension: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...nd-tuning.html
The problem with a really big RSB and not having something to balance it in the front, is that it will make the car want to swap ends at the wrong time. This is a problem when doing things like bookin’ it on an on-ramp and you need to lift off the gas really quickly to keep from hitting the deer that just stepped out in front of your car, or hitting antifreeze at the apex of a 105 mph corner on the track. I am conservative in my setups just for those reasons...
If you have further question, feel free to PM me, or post on that thread I linked to.
Last edited by Eddie07S; 11-07-2019 at 08:07 AM.
Reason: Edit wording
08-05-2019, 08:50 AM
Who cares about brakes when you just scored some used Cabrio braces for cheap!!!!! 
I like heavy metal and only if we can have the asbestos friction material back - just kidding.
I like Raybestos as it has the superfund site legacy. 
