Rear swing arm bolt ARRRRGHHH

[biggeek]

Hello Guys & Gals

Hope you can help me. I have been struggling for weeks with my rear suspension. I have completed the passengers side but I am stuck on removing one of the swing arm bolts.

Number 16 on the diagram below

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showpar ... Id=33_1029

i have got the bolt of the locking nut but it was a real struggle 1/16 or 1/8 turns at most. This was with  a breaker because my 2 cordless impact guns didn't budge it

I have continued with the breaker bar for another 3 hours and manage to move the bolt about 3mm :'( my forearms are killing me.

I have tried jacking up the swing arm and under the front subframe bush but the bolt still seems like it is load.

I am going to try jack the whole car up slightly to see if that helps but I am running put of ideas.

Any suggestions???

[Horizon]

Do you not need to unload the air suspension? You may have to support the body and deflate/ unpressurise the air suspension . Just an idea, I've never done the job myself.

[biggeek]

I've done that. I have actually removed the air spring altogether.

i may try prying the swing arm down or unbolt the droplinks and shock and see if that helps. I unbolted everything at first but reattached everything(finger tight) which allowed me to get the screw out of the locking collar but maybe now i just need to relieve some stress to get the bolt back through the hole.

[Mpower]

Penetrating fluid and some heat will help.

[biggeek]

ok struggled with it a bit more only 2mm more :'(

I am a bit nervous about using heat as it is near one of the fuel tanks and I have nevered used the big red hammer before....I brought a blowtorch to assist with subframbush removal(yet to do)

I think I will try and cut it out with my fein...wish me luck  :-[

if that doesn't work I will have to build up the courage. I got a brazing mat in my Amazon basket waiting for me to pull the trigger(and a face shield and gloves) The matt should keep the heat off

Thanks for the advice report back soon

[Mpower]

If all fails I would cut the bolt clean off with angle grinder and fit a new nut and bolt this will save you the time & pain.

[biggeek]

Just wanted to pop back and says I got it the swing arm off, Thanks for the assistance.

I tried using my dremel with a heavy metal blade..the bolt laughed and broke 2 teeth off with in a minute :'(

broke out the angle grinder but decided to check access to the bolts especially the rear end of the bolt...no joy without hitting the subframe  :'( :'(

broke out the blow torch...and soldering matt...started heating the subframe and bush.. :'(very nervously... this wasn't going well because desmond (that cu*t) was blowing my flame out or enough to not get a good flame  :'( :'( :'(

heated a bit more and started back at the nut with a breaker bar then I had the bright idea to wedge a spanner under the head of the bolt to lever out the bolt a bit....bolt started to move a bit easier...struggled ;like this for 2 :'( but then bolt was free from the rear end but still through the front of the subframe and swing arm   so I removed the bolt from the other bush and wrestled with the swing arm back and forth....still no joy.

But then I remembered I had enough access to front section of bushing with the angle grinder and cut it off..................YEAHHHHHH  F you swing arm 


I reckon that took me about 12-15 hours( don't laugh ) to get that motherfu*ker off.  So new bolt has got a nice bit of copper grease and I will undue the passenger side and put some copper grease on it...worth the price off a new self locking nut.

This is by far the hardest part of my rear suspension refresh(not done any of this before)....rust welded ball joint wasn't no fun but the right tool can sort that out.

I have yet to do the subframe busehes so let see what that brings...got the tool for that so I think it will be the exhaust hangers that give me jip.

Anyway long winded but thanks for the advice once again.

[Mpower]

Glad you got it sorted what a marathon !

[storminmike]

[quote="Mpower"]
Glad you got it sorted what a marathon !
[/quote]

Well done.....mine cost me a whole new swing arm >:(

[Raj]

Well done for perservering with it. I had to remove mine a couple of times but didn't have the issues you seem to.

I've done the subframe bushes too. You just need some heat on the exhaust hangers to enable them to be bent out the way and then with the tool they are straight forward. I replaced mine with poweflex versions which were nice a simple to install.