Dropping the rear suspension

Stevehose

Stevehose

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I've tried searching, but is there a basic a-b-c of how to drop the rear suspension, I am going to go through it all (half shafts, bearings, bushings etc) and a simple "first disconnect this then..." would be helpful. I suppose it is easier to do this than to try and replace each part with the suspension still connected?

I plan on sorting:

-emergency brake renew/adjustment
-repack half shafts
-renew rear bearings
-diff support replacement
-suspension bushings
-rear brake pads
-clean/paint/rust proof etc.

Anything else I should do "while I am in there?"

I will search the threads for the specific projects. Getting ready for the fall driving season here, the car is on jack stands now and will be for a month or so. Thanks.
 
Steve,

please share info ... this winter i need to swap out the swingarms with units for rear disks w/ new bearings, disks, calipers, bushings, etc. i already have the reconditioned axles, new bearings, disks, emergency brakes, bushings and disk protection plates. all i need to get are rear calipers.

i have assumed that it would be easier to do this to drop the entire rear suspension
 
Steve, are you planning to reinforce the diff mounting area while you are in there?
 
if you intention is to remove all the rear subframe there is a description on the blue manuals

a friend has done this in our forum, not all the detailed explanation, but pics may help

regards

http://www.bmwfaq.com/threads/desmontaje-e-subchasis-trasero-bmw-e9.743806/

as a summary he says it would be much better to dissasemble and reassemble not as a whole but individual parts, ...i doubt it, but, this was his experience...
 
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once it is out

Hi Steve, pretty straight-forward, just disconnect everything that you see and 3 bolts will drop it out. I have a pic of how to replace the rear swing-arm bushings when you get to that point. Once out you can clean her all up and it will look great, also gives you a chance to fix any corrosion issues while everything is out
 

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Thanks for the tips guys.

Bob, hadn't thought of that but will inspect the area when I get there. I don't drive the car hard and can't weld so if looks solid I may just leave it. The diff support rubber has a little play in it as I can move it up and down by hand by pushing on the diff from below, dont know if this is the norm but it's getting replaced anyway.

More important is that my car has slowly developed a resonating noise when backing up or starting off. It matches the rotation of the wheels and sounds like the note from a french horn or similar but goes away at speed I've determined it is coming from the right rear wheel, either the parking brake, bearing, or caliper is at fault, so I am going to sort through it all.

Scott, am considering going to Eurofest in Oct with the new local owner of the Verona coupe sold in Chicago a while back (if his is sorted in time also), do you have any plans to go?


Nicad said:
Steve, are you planning to reinforce the diff mounting area while you are in there?
Click to expand...
 
Well if it needs it, you could always have a mobile welder type bring a Mig in and add some weld to the area.
 
Where now to support the car?

So as usual I have the car supported at the rear subframe bolts. In order to remove these, where should I now support the car, under the 2 smaller bolts a little forward of it or does this come out too? Not many options here.

IMG-20130825-00041.jpg
 
Stevehose said:
So as usual I have the car supported at the rear subframe bolts. In order to remove these, where should I now support the car, under the 2 smaller bolts a little forward of it or does this come out too? Not many options here.

IMG-20130825-00041.jpg
Click to expand...

dont even think about it, two reasons,
one, you have to remove those bolts too
two, that is not a strong surface

the only point is the lateral point in which the jack is supposed to hold the car
 
I just came back in to ask that, and you answered it, my rockers are solid but I will fab a piece of wood for the jack spot. Thanks.

deQuincey said:
dont even think about it, two reasons,
one, you have to remove those bolts too
two, that is not a strong surface

the only point is the lateral point in which the jack is supposed to hold the car
Click to expand...
 
How do I remove the parking brake wires? Do they come off the caliper or elsewhere? Unclear in the Blue Book.
 
Stevehose said:
How do I remove the parking brake wires? Do they come off the caliper or elsewhere? Unclear in the Blue Book.
Click to expand...

remove the two nuts on the back of the rear wheel drum, just on the end of the parking brake cable, then you will be able to access the end of the cable that goes inside the mechanism, it is just to un-clamp it from the retainer

....aaaagghhh, my english is not rich enough to describe this properly...:sad:
 
Stevehose said:
How do I remove the parking brake wires? Do they come off the caliper or elsewhere? Unclear in the Blue Book.
Click to expand...

Either you remove the two nuts for adjustment at the hand brake lever or you have to first dismantle the brake discs and hand brake shoes and then remove the small pin attaching the end of the wire to the double lever at the bottom of the brake assembly. After that you can remove the two nuts on the back of the brake shield and detatch the wire.

Cheers
A
 
Definitely easier to disconnect at the handbrake lever and slide them out as you drop the rear subframe assembly.

Also, be careful with the two small pins at the end of the ebrake cable behind the rotor. They tend to just want to fall out. You might take a photo of how this little hinge assembly all goes together after you pull the rotor.

good luck.
 
Is it possible to disconnect at the brake? This is very frustrating, the rest of the stuff is easy compared to this. I disconnected at the ebrake lever, does the whole thing come out with the wires all the way to the lever? It doesnt appear so in the books. Here is what it looks like at the hub, I am not sure how this can disconnect here.

Here is mine:

IMG-20130825-00044.jpg


And here is a pic of it disconnected on anonther thread:

2w2r4tv.jpg


Sven said:
Definitely easier to disconnect at the handbrake lever and slide them out as you drop the rear subframe assembly.

Also, be careful with the two small pins at the end of the ebrake cable behind the rotor. They tend to just want to fall out. You might take a photo of how this little hinge assembly all goes together after you pull the rotor.

good luck.
Click to expand...
 
Once the 2 nuts are removed at the ebrake lever. You should be able to pull the metal fitting (at the end of the black rubber flexible hose under the car) that is pressed into the metal tubes along the transmission tunnel. They may be tight. Carefully wedge them out with a screwdriver. They should then just slide out.
 
Got it!

Thanks for the assistance-now for some adult beverages while I do the Sunday night parts ordering ritual.

IMG-20130825-00051.jpg
 
if its any consolation

I found it goes in easier than it comes out, especially when everything is clean, plus it's so much fun when you have all those new parts. I am assuming that you are going to replace springs, bushings, seats, shocks, e-brakes, rotors and rebuild CV joints, boots, etc,etc the list goes on and the price goes up :-) but it's worth it!
 
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