Best way to remove diff, arms, beam

[Idol]

What's the best way to remove the diff, arms and the beam, I want to remove it all for the start of my resto but wasn't sure if it was best to drop the whole lot, or bit by bit.

And what bit needs to be done first etc.

Thanks

[Grrrmachine]

Exhaust off
Diff off
Break off rear beam nuts
Wheels off
Handbrake cables off
Rear beam support plates off

Then either trailing arms off, or arms and beam dropped as one. I preferred the former, but some people moan about nut/bolt access on the driver's side because of the fuel filler hose.

[Idol]

Cool, thanks I'll give this ago then, I'll be purchasing a breaker bar tomorrow as well, as some on the nuts seemed very tight, especially the top 2 on the diff.

Also there's a strange looking bracket on the left hand side of the rear beam, I can't upload a pic at the mo as photo bucket is playing up, anyone know what it's for?

[Idol]

In fact, looking on realoem the bracket isn't standard and looks like its been welded on, I'll get a pic up as soon as I can.

[Grrrmachine]

The beam has a cup mount either end that bolts to the sill, and a hanger on one side to support the exhaust. That should be it.

You'll need the breaker bar to undo the beam nuts, but I doubt you'll get a bar and socket onto the top of the diff. A ring spanner over the diff bolt and another spanner linked to it is usually enough to get the diff nuts off, and it's well worth investing in a 17mm and 19mm ratchet spanner for rear beam work.

[Idol]

This???

[Grrrmachine]

Yeah, that's the exhaust hanger. A rubber doughnut slips over the top, and the exhaust pipes have a corresponding metal tag on the pipes that it links up to. At least, that's how it was on my 320i.

[Idol]

It looks as tho the exhaust pipes don't run underneath it in the pic tho? I thought the hanger for the rear box wraps around the box itself?

[Grrrmachine]

The rear box has its own hangars, but so do the pipes, and then there's the brass clamp that comes off the back of the gearbox. Maybe it's just for catalyzer cars, since mines European and LHD.

[Idol]

Cool, I just thought the welds look a bit non BMW behind the bracket.
Yeah I have some ratchet spanners. I'll be renewing the all the bushes, I've heard the bushes in the cups are a pain to remove, what's the best way to remove/replace them?

[Idol]

Is it ok, I've found it in the wiki

[milescook]

i had the opposite bracket issue: my old beam had the hanger beam bracket which the exhaust mounted to, the new beam didn't so exhaust just held by the two brackets on the muffler.

where in Essex are you? just if you get stuck. think the brake lines are the worst job the nuts just disintegrate get some brake spanners and heat on them.and lots of wd40 night before!

[Idol]

I was having problems with loosening the brake lines, so I just cut the flexible hoses for now as I will be replacing them.

I live about a 15 min drive from the QE II bridge.

[daimlerman]

There does not seem to be an 'easy' way to pull the rear beam/suspension out.
I would imagine that the bit of kit for installing it at the factory would be very complex!

Problem is finding a point of balance that allows the beam to slide downwards out of it's top mount,they almost always corrode to the shell at that point.Belting the locating dowels upwards and recovering them from the car interior does help,as does a long bar between the beam and shell.

My prefered method is to drop the diff first,then beam/trailing arms as a unit.

Going back,I fit the beam first,then diff,then trailing arms.

Sacrifice the 'overbeam' brake flexi's,slice the little buggers as close to the chassis end as you can,then a deep 14mm socket will fit over the ferrule with a brake pipe spanner on the 'other' side.Going back here,I use a 'crows foot' adapter for the 14mm,turning a nice new female brake pipe fitting into it.

'orrible job,allow a weekend to strip it,and the next to re-build,using the evenings in between for component cleaning,painting and finger healing.

[Idol]

that's great thanks. Do you know if BMW still sell the brake lines for the e30? If so are they pre shaped ready to go?

[milescook]

People regularly get them made up to be honest, the piping costs pennies. Do you have a local friendly garage? http://www.visionracingdevelopments.co.uk/ did one for me pretty reasonabley.

[daimlerman]

that's great thanks. Do you know if BMW still sell the brake lines for the e30? If so are they pre shaped ready to go?

I use kunifer,bought 10m from my local motor factor last week,paid about £10 for it. Unlike BMW's steel pipe,it passes the rust test!