To remove the trailing arm, first disconnect the handbrake cables from the lever and plug the fluid outlets from the master cylinder reservoir with pointed wooden sticks. Next, raise and safely support the rear of the car so the suspension hangs free, then remove the road wheel and disconnect the anti-roll bar if fitted. Pull the handbrake cable from the protective tube and disconnect the brake hoses, followed by completely removing the drive shaft and disconnecting the lower end of the suspension strut from the trailing arm. Finally, disconnect the trailing arm from the mountings on the cross member. If the rubber mounting bushes in the trailing arm bores are worn, damaged, or perished, they should be renewed by pressing out the old bushes with a suitable drift and coating the new bushes with poly-glycol before forcing them into position, ensuring the collar end of the bush faces the outer side of the trailing arm. If the trailing arm assembly is suspected to be distorted, it should be taken to a BMW service station for special equipment checks. For refitting, reverse the removal procedure, ensuring that the trailing arm to cross member attachments are not fully tightened during assembly. Reconnect the brake hoses and bleed the braking system, then reconnect and adjust the handbrake cables. Once all other work is complete, tighten the trailing arm to cross member fixings to the specified torque with the car correctly loaded. To remove the thrust stay, raise and safely support the rear of the car on floor stands, then use a jack beneath the differential carrier to support its weight, placing a piece of wood between the carrier and jack to prevent damage. Remove the nut and bolts to detach the thrust stay from beneath the car, with refitting being a reversal of the removal procedure.
