Front crossmember remove and install

# Front cross member, remove and install.

Remove front wheels |
Remove front control arm mounts from frame rails by removing the two 17mm bolts. |
Remove links from sway bar. |
Remove the four 13mm bolts securing strut housings to control brackets. Separate the bracket from the bottom of the strut housing with a small pry bar. |
Remove main brackets for sway bar and remove bar. |
Remove two locating bolts for steering rack. |
Remove engine, or support with an engine support stand readily available at tool rental companies. |
Remove nuts from bottom of engine mounts and loosen top nut on right mount. |
Remove bolts from either end of cross member, and remove, complete with control arms attached.
If cross member is being replaced, remove nuts from inner ball joints on control arms and remove arms from cross member.

NOTE: Never hit the threaded rod of a ball joint to remove it. Hitting the side of the ball joint, or the component it goes through, while applying pressure against the control arm, is enough to knock it loose. Hitting the threaded rod will both damage the threads, and risk spreading the rod to the point that it will no longer fit through the hole it needs to come through. It is also much less effective than hitting the mount.

### Installation:

Ensure locking tabs of engine mounts are correctly located in bores |
Install steering rack mounting bolts to rear pair of holes in cross member |
Check front end alignment after installation. |

### Torques:

Always replace locking nuts after removal

Cross member to body | : | 10mm 9.8 grade bolts, 47 Nm (34 ft lbs.) 10mm 8.8 bolts, 42 Nm (30 ft lbs.)
Ball joint to cross member | : | 85 Nm (61 ft lbs.)
Control arm mount to frame | : | 42 Nm (30 ft lbs.)
Tie rod end | : | 36.5 ± 3.5 Nm ( 26 ± 3 ft lbs.)
Sway bar mount to cross member | : | 22 Nm (16 ft lbs.)
Sway bar link | : | 59 Nm (42 ft lbs.)

E30 M3 Repair Manual V2.7. Copyright ©1999-2001 Koala Motorsport & Brett Anderson