Removal and installation the rear wheel brake disc (BMW 3 Series E46)

Removal

1. Remove the brake guide with the caliper, refer to the relevant section. Do not disconnect the brake hose. Otherwise, you will have to bleed the air from the system after installation.

2. Hang the brake guide/caliper bracket to the suspension with wire. Make sure the hose does not get kinked.



3. Remove the mounting screw (arrow on the illustration) with a 5 mm socket wrench.

4. Release the parking brake completely.

5. Remove the brake disc. If the disc cannot be removed, move the parking brake shoes back, refer to Section Removal and installation parking brake shoes.

Installation

To achieve uniform braking on both sides, both brake discs must have identical surfaces in terms of quality and roughness. Therefore, it is necessary to replace or grind both discs on the same axle.

At the service station, you can check the brake disc for runout; permissible values are given in the Specifications.

6. Measure the thickness of the brake disc, refer to Section Measuring the thickness of the brake disc.

7. Clean new brake discs with nitro thinner to remove the protective film.

8. Install the brake disc on the hub and turn it so that the holes for the mounting screw align. Tighten the screw with a socket wrench to 16 N·m.



9. Install the brake guide with the caliper, refer to the relevant section.

If the brake hose has become disconnected, secure it and bleed the system, refer to Section Bleeding the brake system.

10. Adjust the parking brake, refer to Section Adjusting the parking brake.

11. New brake discs should be carefully broken in in three stages.

First appointment: five brakings from a speed of 50 km/h by pressing hard on the brake pedal on a road where there is no traffic.

Second method: Allow the brakes to cool.

Third technique: Another 5 brakings from a speed of 50 km/h.