2. Remove the retaining bar that holds the actuator flange nut. Pry up the edge of the locking bar with a lever, pull it out with a pair of needle-nosed pliers.
3. Lower the vehicle to the ground and loosen the drive flange nut, but do not remove it yet. You will need a long crowbar.
Do not attempt to loosen this nut when the vehicle is on axle stands. The force required to loosen this nut could knock the vehicle off its jack stands.
4. Loosen the rear wheel mounting bolts, jack up the rear of the car again, place it securely on the axle supports and remove the wheel.
5. Remove the brake caliper and brake disc (see chapter Brake system). Hang the caliper on a piece of wire so that it does not interfere with work.
6. Give a nut of a flange of a drive. Using a suitable puller, remove the drive flange.
7. Use a mallet to tap the stub axle out of the bearing. If the bearing inner race is removed together with the stub axle (this often happens), use a puller to remove the clip from the trunnion. If it cannot be removed even with a puller, take the trunnion to the workshop and press it out of the holder.
8. Remove the large circlip holding the bearing to its housing,...
...then use a large replacement head or a suitable piece of pipe to pull the bearing out of the housing.
9. Installation basically repeats the removal procedure in reverse order, but remember the following:
- Install a new bearing using a large wear head or a suitable piece of pipe with an outside diameter that matches the diameter of the bearing outer race. Do not press on the inner clip. Make sure the bearing is fully seated in place. Install the retaining ring and make sure it is seated correctly in the groove
- BMW dealers use special tools (Nos. 23 1 1300, 33 4 080 and 33 4 020) for installing the stub axle in the bearing, because a smooth section of the stub axle between the flange and its splined section is usually pressed in and knocks out the inner race of the bearing when the trunnion is installed. You can, however, install the trunnion without these tools, using only the old inner race and a piece of pipe 13 mm long with an internal diameter of 38 mm.
- First, insert the stub axle into the new bearing so that the threaded section protrudes from the inner race. Fit the nut and tighten it until the splined section of the trunnion rests against the nut. You will have to hold the trunnion flange with a lever or a large screwdriver while tightening the nut.
- Loosen the nut, install your piece of pipe centered on the inner race, put the nut on and tighten it again until it hits the splines.
- Remove the nut, install the old inner race, fit the nut and re-tighten it all the way into the splines. Give the nut, remove the old clip, install a piece of pipe, install the old clip again, fit the nut and tighten it until it stops in the slots. Remove the nut, old clip and pipe. Install the drive flange, fit the nut and tighten it securely, but do not attempt to fully tighten it until the vehicle is lowered to the ground.
- Install the wheel and lower the vehicle to the ground before tightening the stub axle nut to the required torque.
10. The rest of the installation is in the reverse order of removal.