1997 BMW 540i 120

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330-23
Rear Suspension
Remove rear control arm:
Remove inner control arm bolt
(A).
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.
Malte sure all threaded bolts, nuts and mating surfaces are
clean.
Inner control arm mounting bolt must thread to rear (bolt
head at front).
Tighten fasteners to final torque only afler 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 shock absorber
2 Nm (18 in-lb)
Road wheel
to hub 120-flONm
(89 i7 ft-lb)
Upper rear control arm, removing and
installing (Sport Wagon models)
CAUTIOG
Disable air supply pump by disconnecting electrical plug be-
fore
perlorming any repairs. Pump is located beneath a cover
under the spare tire in the floor of the
carqo compartment.
- 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 jack stands under
suspension parts.
Models with rear coil springs: Remove cargo compartment
floor carpet.
Worlting at top of coil spring, press center cap down or pry
upward to remove. If pushed down, remove from inside coil
spring from under car.

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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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330-28
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-

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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)
-

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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). .

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330-35
Rear Suspension
- Remainder of installation is reverse of removal, noting the fol-
lowing.
Always use new self-loclting nuts.
Make sure all threaded bolts, nuts and mating suriaces are
clean.
Make sure long lower strut bushing fits in hole in wheel
bearing carrier.
Tighten fasteners to final torque only after vehicle has
been lowered and suspension has settled.
Stake axle collar nut after tightening.
Tightening torques
ABS pulse sensor to wheel bearing carrier
8 Nm (6 ft-lb)
Brake rotor to hub 16 Nm (12 ft-lb)
Rear brake pad carrier (caliper) to wheel 65
Nm (48
ft-lb)
bearing carrier
Rear axle shaft to hub
(M27) 300 Nm (221 ft-lb)
Rear strut to wheel bearing carrier 127
Nrn (94 ft-lb)
Road wheel to hub
120+10 Nm
(89
i7 ft-lb)
Swing arm to wheel bearing carrier 256
Nrn (189 ft-lb)
Upper front control arm (traction strut) to 65 Nrn
(48
ft-lb)
wheel carrier
Upper rear control arm to wheel carrier 142
Nrn (105
ft-lb)
Rear wheel bearing carrier, removing and
installing (Sport Wagon models)
- Raise rear end of car and remove wheel.
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.
Models
with air springs: Disable air supply pump by discon-
necting electricalplug
beforepedormingany repairs. Pump is
located beneath a cover under the spare tire in the floor of the
cargo compartment.
-- 4 Models with air springs: Loosen compressed air pipes (ar-
rows) at air distribution assembly to release system pres-

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330-39
I Rear suspension1
- Remainder of installation is reverse of removal, noting the fol-
lowing.
Models with coil springs: Fit spring correctly in lower spring
seat.
* Models with air suspension: Fit eccentric lug at bottom of
air spring in recess of wheel carrier spring seat.
Always use new self-locking nuts.
- Make sure all threaded bolts, nuts and mating surfaces are
clean.
a Tighten fasteners to final torque only after vehicle has
been lowered and suspension has settled.
Stake axle collar nut afler tightening.
Tightening torques
ABS pulse sensor to wheel bearing 8 Nm (6
ft-lb)
carrier
Air spring to wheel bearing carrier 20 Nm (15 ft-lb)
Brake rotor to hub 16 Nm (12
it-lb)
Rear axle shaft to hub (M27) 300 Nm (221 ft-lb)
Rear brake pad carrier (caliper) to wheel 65 Nm (48 ft-lb)
bearing carrier
Road wheel to hub
120ilONm
(89 k7 ft-lb)
Swing arm to wheel bearing carrier 256 Nm (189 it-lb)
Upperfrontcontrol arm (traction strut) to 65 Nm (48 ft-lb)
wheel carrier
Upper rear control arm to wheel carrier 142 Nm (105 ft-lb)
Rear wheel bearing, replacing
< The rear wheel bearing is integrated with its mounting flange.
1. Torx bolt
2. Wheel bearing and mounting flange
3. Wheel hub
4. Collar nut
- 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 jack stands underneath struc-
tural chassis points. Do not place jack stands under
suspension parts.

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330-42
/Rear Suspension
- Install ABS sensor and road wheel.
- Lower car to ground. With an assistant applying brakes, use
new axle collar nut to tighten to final torque. Stake nut.
- Remainder of installation is reverse of removal
Tightening torques ABS pulse sensor to wheel bearing carrier
8 Nm (6 ft-lb)
Brake disc to hub
16 Nm
Rear
brake pad carrier (caliper) to wheel
65 Nm (48 ft-lb)
bearing carrier
Rear axle shaft to hub
(M27) 300 Nrn (221 ft-lb)
Road wheel to hub 120F10 Nm
(89 ?7 ft-lb)
The rearstabilizer bar is mounted to the rear
subframe and at-
tached via stabilizer bar
linlts to the lower swing arms.
Stabilizer bar, removing and installing
- Raise rear end of car.
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.
- Paint mark stabilizer bar on left side for ease of assembly.
Remove stabilizer link fastener
(A) on each side. Press out
stabilizer link ball joints.
Remove stabilizer support bracket fastener
(B) on each
side.
Remove stabilizer bar.
Installation is reverse of removal. Use previously made paint
mark for reassembly.
Tightening torques Stabilizer link to stabilizer bar
42 Nm (32 ft-lb)
Stabilizer bar bracket to sublrame (ME) 22 Nm (1 6 fi-lb)