Just finished installing Turner Motorsport rear adjustable control arms. The passenger side is very straight forward, the driver side is the challenge. Completed the driver's side in about two hours with sockets, wrenches and a crowbar.
I used two threads to help me with this project:
Subframe DIY http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=521636
And a control arm DIY http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=572194
As the attachments are no longer available in the control arm DIY, I contacted the OP so he could explain his approach further. What he conveyed was even though he loosened the differential, he still couldn't remove the existing upper bolt which is why he cut it or bent it. I could see why......you definitely need a helper with this project otherwise I am sure it will be a struggle to get that last 1/4 inch to get the upper bolt removed.
According to the OP, if you order an upper replacement bolt, you will get a shorter one even though the PN called out on Realoem is 80MM in length. Hex Bolt Part Number is 331 710 908 24 if you plan to bend or cut the existing bolt. Not necessary if you have a crowbar and a helper.
I followed the above DIY up to the point of cutting the upper bolt off. Concise DIY for the drivers side:
1) Jack up car as high as you can.
2) Remove wheel.
3) Mark and remove lower control arm bolt then remove it. (No need to mark it if you are replacing with adjustable control arms)
4) Remove four nuts from rear muffler hanger
5) For convertibles or M3's, remove structural "A" brace
6) Remove driveshaft support bracket (suspension reinforcement brace) in front of the differential. Thank "thefoxkazen" for his pic and subframe bushing DIY
7) Loosen the two bolts for the front differential until they are almost out. Do not completely remove them. Noted as B1 And B2 in this photo, thanks to the "foxkazen" again!:
8) Begin loosening the upper control arm bolt with an 18mm wrench. You will now see why the exhaust needed to be dropped as there isn't alot of room to get at this bolt. I found it easier to loosen the upper bolt by removing the lower control arm from the ball joint. Basically let the lower part of the control arm hang free so it doesn't bind or twist. Relieving the pressure makes getting the upper bolt loosened quite easily.
9) Support the differential with jack and completely remove the rear differential bolt
10) Slowly lower the jack
11) Now is the tricky part. The reason you left the two front differential bolts in is to support the unit. You need to pull the differential to the back of the car in order to get the upper control arm bolt out. If you are doing this on your own, you can follow the OP's advice and cut the bolt or bend it. If you have a helper you don't need to do either as the bolt will come out. Have your buddy uses a crow bar to pry the diff to the back of the car. While he is prying/ pulling the diff backwards, you can remove the upper differential bolt.
Great pictures are here to describe what needs to take place for this DIY, thanks to the foxkazen!:
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=521636
There is no need to remove the driveshaft, swaybar or the axle as described in other threads or Turner's instrcutions......
This is not that hard of a project, just alot of stuff needs to be either removed or loosened to get this bolt out.
Now for an alignment...these Turner Adjustable camber arms surely make the car feel rock solid!
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=TSU9940001
I used two threads to help me with this project:
Subframe DIY http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=521636
And a control arm DIY http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=572194
As the attachments are no longer available in the control arm DIY, I contacted the OP so he could explain his approach further. What he conveyed was even though he loosened the differential, he still couldn't remove the existing upper bolt which is why he cut it or bent it. I could see why......you definitely need a helper with this project otherwise I am sure it will be a struggle to get that last 1/4 inch to get the upper bolt removed.
According to the OP, if you order an upper replacement bolt, you will get a shorter one even though the PN called out on Realoem is 80MM in length. Hex Bolt Part Number is 331 710 908 24 if you plan to bend or cut the existing bolt. Not necessary if you have a crowbar and a helper.
I followed the above DIY up to the point of cutting the upper bolt off. Concise DIY for the drivers side:
1) Jack up car as high as you can.
2) Remove wheel.
3) Mark and remove lower control arm bolt then remove it. (No need to mark it if you are replacing with adjustable control arms)
4) Remove four nuts from rear muffler hanger
5) For convertibles or M3's, remove structural "A" brace
6) Remove driveshaft support bracket (suspension reinforcement brace) in front of the differential. Thank "thefoxkazen" for his pic and subframe bushing DIY
7) Loosen the two bolts for the front differential until they are almost out. Do not completely remove them. Noted as B1 And B2 in this photo, thanks to the "foxkazen" again!:
8) Begin loosening the upper control arm bolt with an 18mm wrench. You will now see why the exhaust needed to be dropped as there isn't alot of room to get at this bolt. I found it easier to loosen the upper bolt by removing the lower control arm from the ball joint. Basically let the lower part of the control arm hang free so it doesn't bind or twist. Relieving the pressure makes getting the upper bolt loosened quite easily.
9) Support the differential with jack and completely remove the rear differential bolt
10) Slowly lower the jack
11) Now is the tricky part. The reason you left the two front differential bolts in is to support the unit. You need to pull the differential to the back of the car in order to get the upper control arm bolt out. If you are doing this on your own, you can follow the OP's advice and cut the bolt or bend it. If you have a helper you don't need to do either as the bolt will come out. Have your buddy uses a crow bar to pry the diff to the back of the car. While he is prying/ pulling the diff backwards, you can remove the upper differential bolt.
Great pictures are here to describe what needs to take place for this DIY, thanks to the foxkazen!:
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=521636
There is no need to remove the driveshaft, swaybar or the axle as described in other threads or Turner's instrcutions......
This is not that hard of a project, just alot of stuff needs to be either removed or loosened to get this bolt out.
Now for an alignment...these Turner Adjustable camber arms surely make the car feel rock solid!
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=TSU9940001