Do it yourself
Frequently asked questions about cars and motorcycles

Removing the Rear Suspension

Model: BMW Serie 3 E46 - Years 1998-2006
Part: Suspension system

First, loosen the wheel nuts. Position the jack under the vehicle to raise it to the optimal height for work, then place jack stands under the chassis. Next, remove the wheel. Unscrew the wheel hub after securing it with a lock. Now, have someone inside the vehicle press the brake pedal for you while you use a E14 Torx socket wrench to loosen the bolts on the driveshaft. Rotate the driveshaft to reach the other bolts to unscrew, which can also be done without removing the exhaust bracket. Use a 10mm wrench for easy access to the caliper bolts, where you will notice two plastic dust shields that you will need to remove. Now unscrew the caliper bolts, detaching it while removing the side clips. Set the brake pads aside. Also, unscrew the caliper support bracket around the rotor. Loosen the driveshaft bolts again. Tap the rotor to seat it, and using a 6mm wrench, unscrew the 5 bolts and remove it. Remove the rotation sensor using a 5mm hex wrench and everything connected to the longitudinal arm: the wiring for the rotation sensor, the brake line, and the parking brake cable. The suspension arm is held by 18 bolts. Remove the lower control arm with an 18mm socket wrench and then the upper one with the same wrench. If necessary, gently tap the respective bolts to facilitate the disconnection of the components. At this point, unscrew the bolt connecting the lower arm to the shock absorber shaft. You can pull the driveshaft outward to extract it. Unscrew the remaining bolts of the lower arm, which will now be free.

Updated on 3 February 2026 by ScegliAuto

This video is currently unavailable

Related tutorials

BMW Serie 3 (1998-2006 / E46) Removing the wheel well liner is very straightforward, but to facilitate the removal, it is recommended to lift the vehicle on a suitable car jack an…
BMW Serie 3 (2005-2013 / E91, E90, E92) In order to replace the rear brake pads of the BMW 3 Series, first you will need to lift the car to ensure that the corresponding wheel is removed fr…
BMW Serie 3 (1998-2006 / E46) To remove the windshield pillar trim, first remove the molding located at the center and below, where the mounting screws are found. This molding is …

Other guides you may be interested in

How to Connect the Cables to the Battery of the Citroen Xsara Picasso?

In this tutorial, you will see how to connect the cables to the battery of the Citroen Xsara Picasso, useful if you need to recharge it or perform an emergency start. First, ensure the key is not inserted, then open the bonnet and move to the front of the left headlamp. Next, locate the bolt just behind the filter box and connect the positive terminal clamp to it. Now you can connect the negative terminal to any point on the chassis, such as the indicated point. Once the operation is complete, ensure you disconnect the negative first and then the positive.

Watch the video!


by ScegliAuto

More videos