BMW 525i 2000 E39 Workshop Manual
Page 721 of 1002
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330-25 
Rear Suspension 
Remove rear control arm: 
Remove inner control  arm bolt 
(A). Push  shock  absorber 
out  of the  way  to slide bolt  out. 
Detach plastic wiring harness support 
(B). 
Remove outer  control arm ball joint  nut (C). Press ball joint 
out  of rear wheel bearing  carrier. 
Installation is  reverse of removal,  noting the  following: 
* Always  use new self-locking  nuts. 
Maite sure 
ail threaded  bolts, nuts  and mating  surfaces are 
clean. 
Inner  control  arm mounting bolt  must thread  to front 
(bolt . head at rear). 
Make sure  long lower shock  absorber  bushing fits in hole 
in  suspension  swing arm. 
* Tighten fasteners  to final torque  only  after vehicle  has 
been lowered  and suspension  has settled. 
Have  car professionally  aligned  when job is complete. 
Tightening torques  Control  arm to 
subframe (M12) 110 Nm (81 ft-ib) 
Control  arm ball joint  to wheel  bearing 
142 Nm (105  ft-lb) 
carrier 
(M14) 
Quick  coupling  screw to air shocit absorber 
2 Nm  (18 in-lb) 
Road wheel  to hub 
Shoclc absorber  to lower  control  arm  127 Nm (94 it-lb) 
Upper front control  arm (traction  strut), 
removing  and installing 
- Raise  rear end of car  and  remove wheel. 
WARNING- 
Maice sure  the car  is firmly  supported  on jack stands de- 
signed  for the  purpose. Place 
jack stands underneath struc- 
tural chassis points.  Do not  place jack  stands under 
< Mark location  of inner control arm eccentric  washer (rear toe    
Page 722 of 1002
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330-26 
/ Rear Suspension 
Remove  inner control arm eccentric  nut and  bolt (A) 
Remove  control arm ball  joint  nut (6). Press ball joint out 
of  wheel  bearing  carrier. 
Lifl  out control  arm. 
Installation  is reverse  of removal,  noting the  following: 
Use previously  made 
marks to install eccentric  bolt and 
nut. 
Always  use new  self-locking  nuts. 
Tighten fasteners  to final torque  only after  vehicle  has 
been lowered and suspension  has settled. 
0 Have  car professionally aligned  when job is complete. 
Tightening 
torques 
Road wheel  to hub 120klONm 
(89 i7 ft-lb) 
Upper  front control  arm (traction  strut) to  60 
Nm  (44 
ft-lb) 
subframe (rear  toe adjusting  bolt) 
Upper  front control  arm (traction strut)  to wheel 
65 Nm  (48 ft-lb) 
carrier 
Rear axle  assembly,  removing and 
installing (sedan models) 
In  case  of damage  to the subframe, or  if a  pressed-in bushing 
is  worn,  remove 
subframe by removing  complete axle  assem- 
bly. 
- Raise car  and remove  rear wheels. 
WARNING- 
Make sure  the car is firmly  supported  on jack stands de- 
signed  for the  purpose. Place  jack stands underneath struc- 
tural chassis points.  Do not  place 
jack stands  under 
suspension parts. 
- Remove  exhaust  system.  See 180 Exhaust System 
- Detach  driveshaft  from differential.  See 260 Driveshaft. 
- Remove brake caliper  and brake disc. Hang  brake caliper 
aside with  stiff wire. Do not  disconnect  brake fluid hose. See 
340  Brakes. 
- Remove lefl and right ABS sensors from  wheel bearing  car- 
riers. 
- Disconnect  parking brake cable from brake shoe expander. 
See  340 Brakes. 
- Remove  heat shield from  above driveshaft.    
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330-27 
Rear ~uspensionl 
- If equipped, remove ride height sensor connectors. 
Support  final drive unit  from below  using transmission jack 
(BMW special tools  00 
2 030 and  33 4 390 or equivalent). 
NOTE- 
Special tool 33 4 390 will need  modifications  to cradle the ii- 
nal drive properly. 
4 Remove right  and left suspension trim  panels  (arrow) 
4 Remove right and left lower strut mount bolts  (arrow) 
Remove rear suspension 
subframe by removing 4 mounting 
bolts  (arrows). 
Carefully lower rear suspension 
subframe away  from body to 
remove.    
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330-28 
Rear Suspension 
4 To install,  jack subframe into position.  Install and  tighten sub- 
frame mounting  bolts. Note that on each bolt,  rubber-coat- 
ed  detent plate 
(arrow) must  be installed  at rear  in driving 
direction. 
Tightening  torques 
Rear 
subframe to  body (M12) 163  Nm (120  ft-lb) 
- Remainder  of installation is  reverse of removal, noting  the fol- 
lowing. 
Make sure long  lower strut bushing fits in hole  in wheel 
bearing  carrier. 
111  0 Tighten suspension arm and shoclc absorber  fasteners to 
502330036 final torque  only afler  vehicle  has been  lowered  and sus- 
pension  has settled. 
Have car  professionally  aligned when job is complete 
Tightening  torques 
ABS pulse sensor to  wheel bearing carrier 8 Nrn  (6 ft-lb) 
Brake rotor  to hub 
16 Nm  (12 ft-lb) 
Driveshaft 
CV joint  to  final drive flange 
- MI0 (Tow bolts)  70 Nm  (51 ft-lb) 
MB (compression nut)  32 
Nm  (24 ft-lb) 
Rear  brake  pad 
carrler (caliper) to wheel 65 Nm  (48 ft-lb) 
bear~ng carrler 
Rear  strut to 
wheel bearlng carrler 127 Nm (94 ft-lb) 
Road wheel  to hub 
120210Nrn 
(89 57 ft-lb) 
Rear axle  assembly,  removing and 
installing (Sport  Wagon models) 
Incaseof damage to  thesubframe,  or if apressed-in  bushing is 
worn, remove 
subframe by  removing complete axle assembly. 
In Sport  Wagon models with conventional coil  spring, lower 
subframe slowly, making  sure rear springs  stay on spring 
seats. 
In  models with air  suspension 
(EHC), disable the air supply 
pump, deflate the air springs  and disconnect them  from the 
wheel carriers  before lowering the  subframe. 
- Raise car and  remove rear wheels. 
WARNING-    
Page 725 of 1002
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Rear Suspension 
- Remove exhaust system. See 180 Exhaust  System. 
- Detach driveshaft from  differential. See 260 Driveshaft. 
- Remove brake caliper and brake  disc. Hang  brake  caliper 
aside with  stiff wire.  Do not  disconnect brake fluid  hose. See 
340 Brakes. 
- Remove  left and right  ABS sensors from  wheel bearing car- 
riers. 
Disconnect parking brake  cable from brake shoe expander. 
See  340 Brakes. 
Remove  heat shield from  above driveshaft 
If  equipped,  remove ride height sensor  connectors 
CAUTION- 
Models with air springs:  Disable air supply  pump by discon- 
necting electrical  plug before performing any  repairs. Pump is 
locatedbeneath a coverunder 
thespare tire  in the floorof the 
carqo compartment. 
Models with air springs: Loosen compressed air  pipes (ar- 
rows)  at air distribution  assembly to release system  pres- 
sure. 
WARNING - 
Vehicle  will lower  when the  air pipes  are opened. 1 
- Working underneath  rear suspension, lift wheel  bearing car- 
rier  to relieve rear  spring tension.  Then unbolt air spring 
mounting bolt  from seat on wheel  bearing  carrier. 
4 Support final drive unit  from below  using transmission jack 
(BMW  special tools  00 2 030 and 33 4 390  or equivalent). 
NOTE- 
Special tool 33 4 390 will need  modifications  to cradle  the fi- 
nal  drive  properly 
4 Remove  right and left suspension  trim panels  (arrow),    
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330-30 
I Rear Suspension 
Remove right and left lower strut mount bolts (arrow). 
Remove rear suspension subframe by removing 4 mounting 
bolts 
(arrows). 
Carefully lower rear suspension subframe away  from body  to 
remove. 
To  install, jack 
subframe into position. Install and t~ghten sub- 
frame mounting  bolts. Note that on each  bolt, rubber-coat- 
ed  detent  plate 
(arrow) must be installed at  rear in driving 
direction. 
Models 
w~th coil  springs:  Fit springs correctly  in lower 
spring  seats. 
Models  with  air suspension:  Fit eccentric  lug at bottom  of 
air 
sprlng in  recess  of wheel  carrier  spring  seat. 
Tightening torques 
- 
Air  spring  to wheel  bearing carrier 20 Nm (1 5 ft-lb) 
Rear subframe to body (M12) 163 Nm  (120  ft-lb) 
-    
Page 727 of 1002
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Rear Suspension 
- Remainder of installation  is reverse  of removal,  noting the  fol- 
lowing. 
Tighten suspension arm and shock absorber  fasteners to 
final torque only  afler vehicle  has been  lowered and  sus- 
pension  has settled. 
Tightening torques 
ABS pulse sensor  to wheel  bearing carrier  8 
Nrn  (6 ft-lb) 
Air line  connection 2 Nrn (18 in-lb) 
Brake  rotor to hub  16 
Nrn  (12 ft-lb) 
Driveshaft 
CV joint  to final drive flange 
- MI0 (Torx  bolts)  70 
Nrn  (51 ft-lb) 
- MB (compression nut) 32 Nrn (24 ft-lb) 
Rear 
brake pad  carrier (caliper)  to wheel  65 
Nrn (48 ft-lb) 
bearing  carrier 
Road wheel  to hub 
120ilO Nrn 
(89 i-7 ft-lb) 
Rear subframe mounting bushings, 
removing and installing 
- Remove rear subframe mounting bolts as described  earlier. 
Lower 
subframe approximately 40 - 45 mm (1 -2 in). 
4 Install BMW special tools 33 4 140,33 4 151,33 4 154,33 4 
155,33 4  156 as  shown. 
Use  hot air  gun with a  maximum  output temperature  of 
600°C  (1100" F) to  heat bushing area of subframe for no 
more than 
2 minutes. Remove rubber mount  from sub- 
frame. 
CAUTION- 
Aluminum  suspension parts may be severely  damaged 
witli intense heat 
* Heating  for 2 minutes  with the recommended  heat 
source  is intended  to 
keep the  temperature  of the  alu- 
minum 
parts below  the safety  threshold  of 80°C 
(1 76°F). .    
Page 728 of 1002
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I Rear Suspension 
4 When installing subframe bushing, be sure alignment arrows 
point front and  rear. 
Coat  new mount  with 
CircolightB anti-friction  agent. 
< Draw new bushing into subframe using BMW special tools  33 
4152,334153,334154,334155,334157. 
- Remainder of installation is  reverse of removal,  noting the fol- 
lowing. 
* Tighten suspension arm  and shock absorber  fasteners to 
final torque  only after vehicle  has been lowered and 
sus- 
oension has settled. 
Rear wheel bearing  carrier, removing and 
installing (sedan models) 
- Raise rear end  of car  and remove  wheel 
WARNING- 
Make sure the car  is firmly  supported on jaclc stands de- 
signed  for the  purpose. Place 
jaclc stands underneath struc- 
tural  chassis  points. Do not place jaclc stands  under 
suspension  parts. 
4 With an assistant applying  brakes, break free and  remove 
staked  collar nut  (arrow). 
- Remove brake caliper  and brake disc.  Hang brake caliper 
aside with  stiff wire. Do not disconnect  brake fluid hose.  See 
340  Brakes. 
- Disconnect parking  brake cable from brake shoe expander. 
See  340 Brakes.    
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330-33 
Rear ~us~ension/ 
4 Remove ABS sensor mounting fastener (arrow) and sensor. 
4 Remove  outer swing arm  nut (arrow)  and bolt 
4 Press out axle  shaft using BMW special tools 33 2  117, 
332116and332lll. 
- Support wheel bearing  carrier. Remove lower strut mounting 
fastener.    
Page 730 of 1002
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(Rear Suspension 
< Remove upper front control arm (traction strut) ball  joint 
mounting nut 
(arrow). Press  control arm ball joint  out of 
wheel bearing carrier. 
- Repeat  above process on upper rear control arm. 
- Remove  wheel bearing carrier  assembly. 
4 When reinstalling,  pull axle  shaft  through wheel bearing car- 
rier using 
BMW special tools 33 2 115, 33 2 116 and 33 2 
118. 
- Lightly  oil bearing surface  of axle  collar nut and install. T~ght- 
en collar nut  firmly, but do not fully  tighten it at  this  time. 
WARNING- 
For safety reasons,  the ale collar nut should  only be tight- 
ened  to its  final  torque with  the wheel  installed  and the car 
lowered  to 
the ground. However,  loading the bearing  without 
the  nut  tightened  sufficiently  may damage  tlie bearing.