Page 644 of 1002

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31 0-8
Front Suspension
Slide strut assembly out of steering lknucltle pinch collar. If
necessary use pry bar.
CA UTIOI\C
Do notpullstrut out of steering knuckle with twisting motion.
This can scratch and damage the strut.
Disassemble and reassemble strut assembly as described
later.
When installing new strut, be sure to align locator letter (A)
on strut body with slot in steering
lknuckle pinch collar (6).
Struts are marked with L for left and R for right.
Remainder of installation is reverse of removal.
Make sure strut shoulder (below locator letter) bottoms out
in steering knuckle pinch collar.
Use new self-locking nuts and bolts.
When attaching stabilizer
lrnk to strut, use a thin wrench to
counterhold
link ball joint while t~ghtening nut.
- Have car professionally al~gned when job IS complete.
Tightening torques
Brake caliper to steering knuckle
110 Nm (81 ft-ib)
Road wheel to hub 120 ti0 Nm (89 t7 ft-lb)
Stabilizer bar
link to strut 65 Nm (48 It-lb)
Steering knucltle pinch bolt at strut 81 Nm (60 It-lb) - mountlng collar
Steering tle rod to steerlng knuckle 65 Nm (48 it-lb)
Strut assembly top to strut tower 24 Nm (18 it-lb)
- - -
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Front Suspension
< Use BMW special tool 31 2 240 or equivalent to separate
control arm ball joint from steering ltnuckle.
- When installing control arm, make sure all thread bores.
bolts, nuts and mating surfaces are clean.
- Install bushing end of control arm to subframe, using wash-
ers on both sides of bolt and a new self-locking nut. Do not
tighten nut at this time.
- Install control arm ball joint to steering lknucltle using a new
self-locking nut. Tighten fully.
- Install wheel and lower car.
- Load car to normal loaded position as described under Ride
height. See
300 Suspension, Steering and Brakes-Gen-
eral. Bounce suspension a few times.
- With car on ground and loaded, tighten control arm bushing
through-bolt.
Tightening torques
Control arm to steering ltnuckle
80 Nm (59 ft-lb)
Control arm to subframe 110 Nm (81 It-lb)
Road wheel to hub 120ilO Nm (8957 it-lb)
Control arm, removing and installing
(V-8 models)
- Raise car and remove wheel
WARNING-
Make sure that the car is firmly supported on jack stands de-
signed for the purpose. Place jack stands underneath struc-
tural
cliassis points. Do not place jack stands under
suspension parts.
Loosen and remove stabilizer bar link mounting nut
(A) while
counterholding ball joint
(B). Disconnect stabilizer link from
stabilizer bar.
- Cars equipped with vertical headlight adjustment system:
Disconnect control arm from level sensor.
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310-1 5
Front ~us~ension/
4 Remove control arm fasteners (arrows). Lightly tap inner
control arm mounting bolt out of subframe.
Use
BMW special tool 31 2 240 or equivalent to separate ball
joint from steering knuckle.
When installing control arm, make sure all thread bores,
bolts, nuts and mating surfaces are clean.
lnstall bushing end of control arm to subframe, using wash-
ers on both sides of bolt and a new self-loclting nut. Do not
tighten nut at this time.
lnstall control arm ball joint to steering knuckle, using new
self-locking nut. Tighten fully.
- Slide strut back into position and tighten strut pinch bolt fully.
- Install wheel and lower car.
- Load car to normal loaded position as described under Ride
height. See
300 Suspension, Steering and Brakes-Gen-
eral. Bounce suspension a few times.
- With car on ground and loaded, tighten control arm bushing
through-bolt.
Tightening torques
Control arm to steering knuckle 80 Nm
(59 ft-lb)
Control arm to
subframe 78 Nm (58 ft-lb)
Road wheel to hub
120
f 10 Nm (89 +7 ft-lb)
Stabilizer bar
link to stabilizer bar
59 Nm (44 fl-lb)
Strut pinch bolt
81 Nm (60 it-lb)
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31 0-1 7
Front ~uspensionl
< Spread steering knuckle pinch collar with BMW special tool
31 2 200 to release strut tube.
- Pull steering knuckle down so strut tube slides up farenough
to gain better access to tension strut or tension strut nut.
4 Unscrew ball joint nut (arrow) from steering knuckle. Use
BMW special tool
31 2 240 to remove ball joint from steering
Iknucltle.
CAUTION--
Tale care not to damage the balljoint threads if the tension
strut
is to be reused.
- Remove through-bolt attaching tension strut to subframe.
- When installing tension strut, make sure all thread bores,
bolts, nuts and mating
suriaces are clean.
- Install bushing end of tension strut to subframe using wash-
ers on both sides of bolt and a new self-locking nut. Do not
tighten nut at this time.
- Install tension strut ball joint to steering knuckle using new
self-locking nut. Tighten fully.
- Slide strut back into position and tighten strut pinch bolt fully.
- Install wheel and lower car.
- Load car to normal loaded position as described under Ride
height. See
300 Suspension, Steering and Brakes-Gen-
eral. Bounce suspension a few times.
- With car on ground and loaded, tighten tension strut bushing
through-bolt.
Tightening torques Road
wheel to hub 120-i-10 Nm (89+7ft-lb)
Stabilizer bar to subframe 24 Nm (1 8 ft-lb)
Tension strut to steering
knucltle
80 Nm (59 ft-lb)
Tension strut
to subframe 110 Nm (81 ft-lb)
81 Nm (60 it-lb)
L BcniliiyFlrblrillirn con,-*I R!,illJ Rci,:n>d
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31 0-1 8
I~ront Suspension Tension strut bushing, replacing
- Raise car and remove wheel.
WARNING-
Make sure that the caris 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 tension strut from car as described earlier.
- Using a service press and appropriate press tools (BMW
special tools 31 2 26112621263 or equivalent), press bushing
out of tension strut.
4 Clean bushing bore and press in new bushing while aligning
mark on bushing with
rnarlt on tension strut (arrows).
CAUTION-
To avoid damaging the new bushing, press only on the outer
steel sleeve during installation.
- Press bushing in so it protrudes equally from both sides of
tension strut.
- Install tension strut as described earlier.
CAUTION-
Tighten the tension strut bushing through-bolt to its final
torque only with car on the ground and the suspension nor-
mally loaded as described earlier.
The front wheel bearings are permanently sealed and require
no maintenance. The bearing is integral with the wheel hub.
The wheel bearing and hub assembly is bolted to the steering
knuckle.
- Raise car and remove front wheel
WARNING-
Make sure that 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
susoension Darts.
- Unbolt brake caliper and hang to side with stiff wire. Do not
disconnect bralte hose. Remove bralte disc. See
340
Brakes.
Page 657 of 1002
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31 0-21
Front Suspension
4 Remove four bearing hub mounting bolts (arrows) and tap
hub assembly out of steering knuckle.
4 Before installing new wheel bearing and hub assembly, be
sure hub and steering knuckle sealing surfaces are free of
dirt and grease.
- Installation is reverse of removal.
Replace hub mounting bolts.
Use new self-locking nuts at steering tie rod and stabilizer
link.
Tightening
torques
Road wheel lugs to hub 120i-10 Nm (89i-7ft-lb)
Stabilizer link to stabilizer bar
Steering tie rod to steering
ltnuckle
Tension strut to steering
knucltie
Wheel bearing hub to steering
Itnucltle (replace bolts)
65 Nm (48 ft-lb)
65
Nm (48 it-lb)
80 Nm (59 ft-lb)
1
lo Nm (81 ft-lb)
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31 0-22
I Front Suspension
Stabilizer bar, removing and installing
On E39 models the front stabilizer bar links attach to the strut
assemblies.
- Raise car and support safely.
Male sure that the car is firmly supported on jack stands de-
signed for the purpose. Place jack stands underneath struc-
tural chassis points. Do not place jaclc stands under
suspension parts.
< Remove slaol zer bar connecring I nk rnounl ng nLts (A) from
r~glit and eft s~des of slaol lzer bar C~~nIerhol~ ball ]olnl (6)
with flat wrench
NOTE-
Use a thin wrench to counterhold shaft of stabilizer bar link
ball joint while removing mounting nut.
< Remove stabilizer bar anchor bushing nuts (arrows) on right
and left sides and remove bar.
- Installation is the reverse of removal, noting the following.
Use new self-locking nuts on stabilizer bar links.
Installation of stabilizer bar is easiest with car level (front
wheels at the same height).
Tightening torques Stabilizer bar to stabilizer link
59 Nm (44 ft-lb)
Stabilizer anchor to subframe 22 Nm (16 ft-lb)
Page 664 of 1002

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Steering and Wheel Alignment
Steering system warnings and cautions
WARNING -
The BMW airbag system is complex. Special precautions
must be observed when servicing the system. Serious in-
jury may result if system service is attempted by persons
unfamiliar with the BMW
airbag system and its approved
service procedures. BMW specifies that all inspection and
service should be
peiformed by an authorized BMW deal-
e,:
The BMW E39 is equipped with an airbag mounted in
the steering wheel. The
airbag is an explosive device
and should be treated with extreme caution. Always fol-
low the
airbag removal procedure as outlined in 721
Airbag System (SRS).
BMW airbags are equipped with a bacli-up power sup-
ply inside the
airbag control module. A 5 second wait-
ing period should be observed after the battery cable
has been disconnected. This will allow the reserve
power supply to discharge.
Do not reuse self-locking nuts. They are designed to
be used only once and may fail if reused. Always re-
place them with new locliing nuts.
* Do not install bolts and nuts coated with undercoating
wax, as correct tightening torque cannot be assured.
Always clean the threads with solvent before installa-
tion, or install new parts.
Do not attempt to weld or straighten any steering com-
ponents. Always replace damagedparts.
CAUTION--
- Some E39 models are equipped with aluminum suspen.
sion components. The following cautions apply:
Due to the chemical and corrosion characteristics of
aluminum, do not bring into contact with battery acid.
Do not clean with wire brushes with brass or iron bris-
tles. Only use brushes with stainless steel bristles.
Do
not expose to flying sparks from grindinghutting op-
erations.
Do not subject to steel welding splashes.
* Do not expose to temperatures over 80% (176°F).
even for short periods. Temperatures in painting iacili-
ties are not a problem.