1 - coil spring
2 — anti-roll bar
3 - differential
4 — beam
5 — shock absorber
6 — support
7 — longitudinal lever
8 - lower wishbone
9 - Upper wishbone
10 — brake disc
The BMW 3 Series has independent suspension for each rear wheel with a central lever. Each rear wheel is guided by three levers: two transverse and one longitudinal. The transverse levers are connected to the longitudinal lever and the axle beam. The longitudinal lever is bolted through a rubber support at the front to the bottom of the body. The differential is fixed to the beam. All elements of the rear suspension have elastic and maintenance-free rubber supports, which reduces the transmission of vibrations caused by the impact of the road and the power unit to the passenger compartment.
The car is sprung by means of coil springs and shock absorbers. The car's stability on turns is ensured by the anti-roll bar.
Torque from the engine and manual transmission is transmitted to the rear wheels via the propeller shaft, differential and drive shafts.
Welding and straightening work on the rear suspension elements is not allowed. Self-locking nuts, as well as rusty bolts/nuts, must be replaced with new ones during repairs.