2000 BMW 540i axle

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330-24
Rear Suspension
4 Working from underneath, position BMW special tool 33 2
301 between 2nd and 3rd spring coil from bottom.
Make sure tool recess faces upward.
Working in cargo compartment, guide BMW special tool 33
2 304 from above and thread into special tool 33 2 301.
4 Working in cargo compartment, attach BMW special tools 33
2 302, 33 2 303 and 33 2 305 to special tool 33 2 304.
Use special tool 33
2 306 to compress spring.
Tighten until lower spring coil lifts off spring seat on wheel
bearing carrier.
4 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
- Support wheel bearing carrier from below.
CAUTION-
The shock absorber prevents the drive axle and wheel bear-
ing carrier from dropping too far. Supporting the wheel bear-
ing carrier before disconnecting the shock absorber
mounting iastenerprevents damage to the brake hose,
parl-
ino brake cable and drive axle CV ioints.
- Models with air shock absorbers: Detach air supply line from
shock absorber. Plug ports and lines to keep out dirt.
- Remove shoclc absorber lower mounting bolt

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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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330-33
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.

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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.

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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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I Rear Suspension
4 Press out axle shaft using BMW special tools 33 2 117. 33 2
116and332111.
4 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 shafl 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. Tight-
en collar nut firmly, but do not fully tighten it at this time.
WARNING-
For safety reasons, the axle 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 tiqhtened
suificiently may darnaqe the bearina.

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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.