height BMW 3 SERIES 1987 E30 User Guide

the longer side of the sleeve facing towards
the centre of the vehicle.
Refitting
12Refitting is the reverse of removal. Refit
the inner pivot bolt first. Don’t fully tighten the
nuts on the pivot bolts or the shock absorber
yet.
13Bleed the brakes as described in Chap-
ter 9.
14Support the trailing arm with a trolley jack,
and raise it to simulate normal ride height.
Tighten the bolts and nuts to the torques
listed in this Chapter’s Specifications.
15 Rear wheel bearings-
renewal
4
3-Series models
1Loosen the driveshaft nut and the rear
wheel bolts, then chock the front wheels.
Raise the rear of the vehicle and place it
securely on axle stands. Remove the rear
wheel. Note: Depending on the type of rear
wheel, it may be necessary to remove the
wheel first, remove the hubcap, then refit the
wheel and loosen the driveshaft nut.
2Remove the driveshaft (see Chapter 8).3On models with rear brake drums, remove
the drum. On models with rear disc brakes,
remove the brake caliper and mounting
bracket. Don’t disconnect the hose. Hang the
caliper out of the way with a piece of wire.
Remove the brake disc (see Chapter 9).
Working from behind, drive the wheel hub out
of the wheel bearing with a large socket or a
piece of pipe.
4Remove the large circlip (see illustration)
that holds the wheel bearing in the wheel
bearing housing, then drive out the bearing
with a large socket or piece of pipe.
5Refitting is basically the reverse of removal,
bearing in mind the following points:
a) Be extremely careful where you place the
socket or piece of pipe when you drive
the new bearing into the housing. It
should be butted up against the outer
race of the bearing. Driving in the new
bearing using the inner race will ruin the
bearing.
b) Refit the wheel and lower the vehicle to
the ground before attempting to tighten
the driveshaft nut to the torque listed in
the Chapter 8 Specifications.
5-Series models
6Chock the front wheels, then raise the rear
of the vehicle and support it securely on axle
stands. Disconnect the outer CV joint from the
drive flange (see Chapter 8). Support the outer
end of the driveshaft with a piece of wire -
don’t let it hang, as this could damage the
inner CV joint.
7Prise out the lockplate that secures the
drive flange nut (see illustration). Once
you’ve prised out an edge of the lockplate,
pull it out with a pair of needle-nose pliers.
8Lower the vehicle and unscrew the drive
flange nut, but don’t remove it yet. You’ll need
a long bar (see illustration).
Warning: Don’t attempt to loosen
this nut with the vehicle on axle
stands. The force required to
loosen the nut could topple the
vehicle from the stands.
9Loosen the rear wheel bolts, raise the rear
of the vehicle again, place it securely on axle
stands and remove the wheel.
10Remove the brake caliper and the brake
disc (see Chapter 9). Hang the caliper out of
the way with a piece of wire.
11Remove the drive flange nut. Using a
suitable puller, remove the drive flange (see
illustration).
12Using a soft-faced hammer, drive the stub
axle out of the bearing (see illustration). If the
bearing inner race comes off with the stub
Suspension and steering systems 10•11
15.7 Prise out the lockplate that secures
the drive flange nut - once you’ve prised
out an edge of the lockplate, pull it out
with a pair of needle-nose pliers15.4 An exploded view of the 3-Series rear
wheel bearing assembly14.8 On 1983 and later models, remove
one of these trailing arm-to-axle carrier
bolts (it doesn’t matter which one you
remove - one attaches the link to the
trailing arm, and the other attaches the link
to the axle carrier)
15.12 Using a soft-faced hammer, drive
the stub axle out of the bearing15.11 Remove the drive flange with a
puller15.8 Lower the vehicle and loosen the
drive flange nut
10
If the bearing inner race
sticks to the hub (it probably
will), use a puller to remove
the race from the hub.

remove the pin (see illustrations). Be sure to
support the bonnet while doing this.
4Have an assistant hold onto the bonnet on
one side while you hold the other side.
5Remove the bonnet-to-hinge assembly
bolts on your side of the bonnet, then hold
your side of the bonnet while your assistant
removes the bonnet-to-hinge bolts on the
other side.
6Remove the bonnet. Place it somewhere
safe where it will not be knocked over, with
rags to protect the paintwork where it rests on
the ground or against a wall.
7Refitting is the reverse of removal.
5-Series models
8Open the bonnet. On some later models, it
may be necessary to prise out the plastic clips
and remove the insulation pad for access tothe bonnet light connector and windscreen
washer hoses (see illustrations). Having
done this, disconnect the wires and hoses.
9Detach the clips and withdraw the bonnet
support pins (see illustration).
10Remove the pins from the hinges (see
illustration).
11Have an assistant hold onto the bonnet on
one side while you hold the other side.
12Remove the bonnet-to-hinge through-bolt
on your side of the bonnet, then hold your
side of the bonnet while your assistant
removes the through-bolt on the other side
(see illustration).
13Remove the bonnet. Place it somewhere
safe where it will not be knocked over, with
rags to protect the paintwork where it rests on
the ground or against a wall.
14Refitting is the reverse of the removal.
Adjustment
15The bonnet can be adjusted to obtain a
flush fit between the bonnet and wings after
loosening the bonnet hinge bolts. On some 5-
Series models, it will be necessary to remove the
side grille sections for access to the hinge bolts.
16Move the bonnet from side to side, or
front to rear, until the bonnet is properly
aligned with the wings at the front. Tighten the
bolts securely.
17The rear height of the bonnet can be
adjusted by loosening the bolts, and raising or
lowering the catch (see illustration). After
adjustment, tighten the bolts securely.
18Side-to-side adjustment of the bonnet can
be made by loosening the roller guide bolt
nuts, and moving the guide position until it
slides into the catch properly (see illustration).
Bodywork and fittings 11•5
10.8b . . . prise the retainer out10.8a Use a small screwdriver to prise out
the clip pin, then . . .10.3b . . . and pull the hinge pin out while
supporting the bonnet
10.19 Screw the bonnet stops in or out
after making other adjustments10.18 Loosen the bolts (A) and adjust the
roller guide from side to side until it
engages securely in the catch10.17 Loosen the bolts (arrowed) and raise
or lower the catch to adjust the bonnet
height
10.12 Unscrew the hinge through-bolts
(arrowed)10.10 Support the bonnet and withdraw
the pin10.9 Pull off the clip with needle-nose
pliers
11

5Refitting is the reverse of removal. Align the
lid-to-hinge bolts with the marks made during
removal.
6After refitting, close the lid and make sure
it’s in proper alignment with the surrounding
panels. Fore-and-aft and side-to-side
adjustments are controlled by the position of
the hinge bolts in the slots. To make an
adjustment, loosen the hinge bolts, reposition
the lid, and retighten the bolts.
7The height of the lid in relation to the
surrounding body panels when closed can be
changed by loosening the lock and/or striker
bolts, repositioning the striker and/or lock,
and tightening the bolts (see illustrations).
Caution: If the radio in your
vehicle is equipped with an anti-
theft system, make sure you have
the correct activation code
before disconnecting the battery, Refer to
the information on page 0-7 at the front of
this manual before detaching the cable.
Note: If, after connecting the battery, the
wrong language appears on the instrument
panel display, refer to page 0-7 for the
language resetting procedure.
Tailgate
8Disconnect the battery negative cable.
9Open the tailgate and cover the rear edge
of the roof with pads or cloths to protect the
painted surfaces when the tailgate isremoved. On 5-Series models, the window
may be removed separately by disconnecting
the wiring and unscrewing the mounting
screws - have an assistant hold the window
while the screws are being loosened (see
illustration).
10Remove the trim from the inside of the
tailgate. Also where necessary on 5-Series
models, remove the edge covers for access to
the strut mountings.
11Disconnect the wiring loom and the
washer tubing. On some models, it will be
necessary to pull the wiring loom out of the
rear pillar and then disconnect the plug (see
illustration).
12While an assistant holds the tailgate open,disconnect the struts on both sides by
unscrewing the mounting screws. Where
applicable, pull out the retaining pin or spring
clip, and remove the strut from the ball (see
illustrations).
13Mark the position of the hinge arms on the
tailgate with a pencil.
14Unscrew the bolts and withdraw the
tailgate from the hinge arms. On 5-Series
models, it will be necessary to use an Allen
key or bit (see illustration).
15Refitting is the reverse of removal, but
make sure that the previously-made marks
are correctly aligned. Check that the tailgate
closes centrally between the rear pillars and
enters the lock correctly.
Bodywork and fittings 11•7
14.7b Adjust the boot lid lock striker after
loosening the bolts (arrowed)14.7a Loosen the lock bolts (arrowed) and
move the lock to adjust the boot lid closing
position14.3 Mark around the hinge bolts so you
can refit the boot lid in its original location
- unscrew or loosen the boot lid-to-hinge
bolts to remove or adjust it
14.12c Removing the retaining pin to
disconnect the bottom of the tailgate
support strut (5-Series)14.12b Strut mounting on the tailgate
(5-Series)14.12a Removing the tailgate strut spring
clip (3-Series)
14.11 Removing the wiring from the rear
pillar (5-Series)14.9 Tailgate window mounting screws
(5-Series)
11

REF•2MOT Test Checks
Seat belts and seats
Note: The following checks are applicable to
all seat belts, front and rear.
MExamine the webbing of all the belts
(including rear belts if fitted) for cuts, serious
fraying or deterioration. Fasten and unfasten
each belt to check the buckles. If applicable,
check the retracting mechanism. Check the
security of all seat belt mountings accessible
from inside the vehicle.
MThe front seats themselves must be
securely attached and the backrests must
lock in the upright position.
Doors
MBoth front doors must be able to be opened
and closed from outside and inside, and must
latch securely when closed.
Vehicle identification
MNumber plates must be in good condition,
secure and legible, with letters and numbers
correctly spaced – spacing at (A) should be
twice that at (B).
MThe VIN plate and/or homologation plate
must be legible.
Electrical equipment
MSwitch on the ignition and check the
operation of the horn.
MCheck the windscreen washers and wipers,
examining the wiper blades; renew damaged
or perished blades. Also check the operation
of the stop-lights.
MCheck the operation of the sidelights and
number plate lights. The lenses and reflectors
must be secure, clean and undamaged.
MCheck the operation and alignment of the
headlights. The headlight reflectors must not
be tarnished and the lenses must be
undamaged.
MSwitch on the ignition and check the
operation of the direction indicators (including
the instrument panel tell-tale) and the hazard
warning lights. Operation of the sidelights and
stop-lights must not affect the indicators - if it
does, the cause is usually a bad earth at the
rear light cluster.
MCheck the operation of the rear foglight(s),
including the warning light on the instrument
panel or in the switch.
Footbrake
MExamine the master cylinder, brake pipes
and servo unit for leaks, loose mountings,
corrosion or other damage.
MThe fluid reservoir must be secure and the
fluid level must be between the upper (A) and
lower (B) markings.MInspect both front brake flexible hoses for
cracks or deterioration of the rubber. Turn the
steering from lock to lock, and ensure that the
hoses do not contact the wheel, tyre, or any
part of the steering or suspension mechanism.
With the brake pedal firmly depressed, check
the hoses for bulges or leaks under pressure.
Steering and suspension
MHave your assistant turn the steering wheel
from side to side slightly, up to the point where
the steering gear just begins to transmit this
movement to the roadwheels. Check for
excessive free play between the steering
wheel and the steering gear, indicating wear or
insecurity of the steering column joints, the
column-to-steering gear coupling, or the
steering gear itself.
MHave your assistant turn the steering wheel
more vigorously in each direction, so that the
roadwheels just begin to turn. As this is done,
examine all the steering joints, linkages,
fittings and attachments. Renew any
component that shows signs of wear or
damage. On vehicles with power steering,
check the security and condition of the
steering pump, drivebelt and hoses.
MCheck that the vehicle is standing level,
and at approximately the correct ride height.
Shock absorbers
MDepress each corner of the vehicle in turn,
then release it. The vehicle should rise and
then settle in its normal position. If the vehicle
continues to rise and fall, the shock absorber
is defective. A shock absorber which has
seized will also cause the vehicle to fail.
2Checks carried out
WITH THE VEHICLE ON THE
GROUND

REF•7
REF
Tools and Working Facilities
MImpact screwdriver
MMicrometer and/or vernier calipers (see
illustrations)
MDial gauge (see illustration)
MUniversal electrical multi-meter
MCylinder compression gauge
(see illustration)
MClutch plate alignment set (see illustration)
MBrake shoe steady spring cup removal tool
(see illustration)
MBush and bearing removal/installation set
(see illustration)
MStud extractors (see illustration)
MTap and die set (see illustration)
MLifting tackle
MTrolley jack
Buying tools
For practically all tools, a tool factor is the
best source, since he will have a very
comprehensive range compared with the
average garage or accessory shop. Having
said that, accessory shops often offer
excellent quality tools at discount prices, so it
pays to shop around.
Remember, you don’t have to buy the most
expensive items on the shelf, but it is always
advisable to steer clear of the very cheap
tools. There are plenty of good tools around atreasonable prices, but always aim to
purchase items which meet the relevant
national safety standards. If in doubt, ask the
proprietor or manager of the shop for advice
before making a purchase.
Care and maintenance of tools
Having purchased a reasonable tool kit, it is
necessary to keep the tools in a clean and
serviceable condition. After use, always wipe
off any dirt, grease and metal particles using a
clean, dry cloth, before putting the tools away.
Never leave them lying around after they have
been used. A simple tool rack on the garage
or workshop wall for items such as
screwdrivers and pliers is a good idea. Store
all normal spanners and sockets in a metal
box. Any measuring instruments, gauges,
meters, etc, must be carefully stored where
they cannot be damaged or become rusty.
Take a little care when tools are used.
Hammer heads inevitably become marked,
and screwdrivers lose the keen edge on their
blades from time to time. A little timely
attention with emery cloth or a file will soon
restore items like this to a good serviceable
finish.
Working facilities
Not to be forgotten when discussing toolsis the workshop itself. If anything more than
routine maintenance is to be carried out,
some form of suitable working area becomes
essential.
It is appreciated that many an owner-
mechanic is forced by circumstances to
remove an engine or similar item without the
benefit of a garage or workshop. Having done
this, any repairs should always be done under
the cover of a roof.
Wherever possible, any dismantling should
be done on a clean, flat workbench or table at
a suitable working height.
Any workbench needs a vice; one with a
jaw opening of 100 mm is suitable for most
jobs. As mentioned previously, some clean
dry storage space is also required for tools, as
well as for any lubricants, cleaning fluids,
touch-up paints and so on, which become
necessary.
Another item which may be required, and
which has a much more general usage, is an
electric drill with a chuck capacity of at least 8
mm. This, together with a good range of twist
drills, is virtually essential for fitting
accessories.
Last, but not least, always keep a supply of
old newspapers and clean, lint-free rags
available, and try to keep any working area as
clean as possible.
Bush and bearing removal/installation setStud extractor setTap and die set