June 8th - Shop Day

[Zack]

Besides coffe, I'll also bring jack. Jack stands, wheel chucks and hand tools.

Dave has a lot of tools in his garage, although I think you can never have too many at a garage day. I bring my socket sets along just in case usually.

[SWT CHI]

The whole hatch assy? It's a bit of a job, but I don't see why not.....

We're gonna need some helpers for this event, who's coming? Need some guys to give back a little for the help they've gotten in the past.

Davester, BluGoose, Boxer, Minicoopers43, Dimini.......you guys are always welcome but if you want to let someone else volunteer I'd understand as you've helped at pretty much every shop day we've had - and I appreciate it!

Sign me up for an assist.

[Minidave]

SWT CHI I have you down for some suspension work on your car.......

[Gears]

Do you guys ever do a Shop Day on Sunday?

[Minidave]

Not generally, is that the only day you're free?

But there is absolutely no reason in the world why they all have to be done at my shop, if someone else wants to organize one at their choice of place, please feel free.

[Gears]

Sunday isn't the only day I can be free but Saturday is the only day I can't do a shop day. Like the idea of maybe organizing others. It's cool that you guys get together to do a shop day regardless.

[imabyter]

I am running a 5K in the early morning, but hope to make this meet by late morning. I don't have anything to work on, just lend a hand where needed and learn a little more about the coop.

[DSKSMini]

I'm in as a helper. I can also bring some KK's or Coffee let me know. Might just check my brake pads if there is time.

Daryl

[GPCharlie]

I'll show up, but I will need directions .First get together for me , so I'm a " newbie ", finally landed a job with the weekends off so now I'm able to participate with you all. So just where is this going to be held ?

[Derek1387]

Did my springs last night so that should give us a little more time to get everything done and spend more time on other cars.

[Clubby Clutch]

I'll show up for a bit to get my hands dirty. I love good ole suspension work

[Zack]

I'll show up for a bit to get my hands dirty. I love good ole suspension work

Good, you can help me replace my front strut bearings...

[Zack]

Picked up the strut bearings today. I'm ready to roll. See you all at the garage day on the 8th.

[minicoopers43]

I will be going to Worlds of Fun that day. I may have to actually let Baron handle my problem this time. Its getting too hot to wait. I'm getting a fault code on my Auto climate control for blend flap servomotor fault. A/C works but mixes with Hot air. Have fun everyone!

[sonofray]

I'm about as noob as it gets here so forgive me!

I love working on cars but haven't on my 2007 MINI due to it being CPO. Well, the warranty just ran out and I'm looking forward to jumping under the bonnet soon! (quite possibly literally!).

Can someone give me the mini (pun intended!) version of what shop days are, where they are, ... and what you'd recommend for a relatively new MINI owner preparing to get dirty?

Thanks for everything.

- Michael

[Minidave]

Anyone needing directions to my shop send me a PM please.

Shop day starts at 9 am and the weather is looking OK so far, with a 50% chance for rain. See y'all there!

[matti the mini]

I'm still attending - but have to make a visit to the MO DMV first thing in the am to take care of plates for Gertti. Hope to be there by 10ish.

[Derek1387]

2/2 on not going to be able to make it down. Think either my wheel bearing or CV axle just went bad....turned right and got on it, got up to about 30mph, and now i hear a clunk and squeek from the drivers side wheel. Gets worse as i get faster. Goes away when i stop, and doesnt show back up until i hit about 20-30MPH.

I am so sick of this car already.

[Zack]

2/2 on not going to be able to make it down. Think either my wheel bearing or CV axle just went bad....turned right and got on it, got up to about 30mph, and now i hear a clunk and squeek from the drivers side wheel. Gets worse as i get faster. Goes away when i stop, and doesnt show back up until i hit about 20-30MPH.

I am so sick of this car already.

I say bring it if you're safe and ask one of the experts to look at it at the garage day.

[Derek1387]

I don't think it would make the 70 mile trip sadly....

I contemplated it but it shakes to the point I feel like the wheel is going to fly off

[Minidave]

Have you checked it out yet?

Sounds like you might have a failed wheel bearing.....

[Derek1387]

I'm about to get it off the ground to find out.

Bad wheel bearing or Cv at 42k miles would suck. I lowered the car a few weeks ago, wonder if it had anything to do with that

[Derek1387]

So-


wheel was about to fall off. lug bolt missing, and the rest were barely in there.

LAst time I ever let someone else torque them down. Car is fixed.

[Zack]

Fun garage day. Everyone got a lot done. The new bearings are in my car and that fixed the noise, though I did break an end-link that I need to replace. No big deal. Thanks to Davester and Bentley for helping, and at times doing, and as always thanks Minidave for hosting these shop days.

Also, Carfreak427, found your bracelet in the bathroom. I have it with me. I can bring it to the next event I can make to or if you're ever in Lawrence, give me a ring. I PMed you my number to get in touch so I can return your bracelet.

[Minidave]

So-


wheel was about to fall off. lug bolt missing, and the rest were barely in there.

LAst time I ever let someone else torque them down. Car is fixed.

Good, I'm glad it was something simple.

So when you say you did your springs last night, you didn't mean that YOU actually did them, someone else did them for you?

One of the things I preach on shop days is to mentally recheck your work before you leave, including wheel bolt torque.

We did have one "comeback", Monte's rear brakes were making a clicking sound, especially at slow speeds. What usually causes this (and was the case this time too) is not getting the rear pad clips engaged with the groove on the piston, we had to pull both rear calipers and reinstall the inner pad on both rear wheels, but the good news is that fixed it! no harm, no foul.....

we had another pretty good day in the shop, Hagar's rear hatch went in and the latch worked, still a couple of bits and bobs to fix, the screws on his old plate were to rusted to remove, and the antenna wire requires some special coupler that I didn;t have so those two things went undone, but the color matched perfectly and it fit well too! Job done.

We had moderate success with SWI CHI's car, I wasn't paying attention to the fact that it was a JCW, and as such already had an undersize pulley from the factory - consequently the standard pulley puller would not remove it. We did get his new motor mount in and the spring tower defenders, but the pulley will have to wait for another day - turns out WMW sent him the wrong pulley anyway, so he'll address that at the same time.

Carfreak427 got his new plugs installed and a new serpentine belt, so he's ready to motor on, but he may need a new battery as his died on his way home.

Monte got new pads and rotors all around, Zack got his new bearing plates installed, Grey Guy got his plugs changed and burned out bulb sorted, and Matti the Mini got his new front plate holder installed.

It was a warm, breezy, busy day, but all the cars went home under their own power - I call that a successful day in the shop!