E36 Camber Bolt Removal

WARNING: YOU WILL NEED AN ALIGNMENT AFTER THIS - Changing my destroyed camber bolts. Have bushings ready or a source of getting them quickly if you need because although mine were good, yours may not be and you may get the center of the bolts stuck in the bushing if it's too corroded. This isn't the most difficult job you'll face at all, but it isn't for beginners. If you aren't used to working with pulling bushings and taking out stubborn bolts, you will not have fun with this.

Heres what I did to remove the stubborn bolt (the first one that I didn't film)

1. I removed the nut/washer which thankfully, came off without snapping the bolt. Save yourself time and pain by using a breaker bar for this task.

2. Smashed the hell out of it with a sledge hammer very hard probably about 50 times before it started to come loose.

3. Used a breaker bar to turn it and loosen it.

4. Took off the rotor for more working room.

5. Used vise grips to wiggle it free and pull it out using my entire weight and leg power against the sub frame to pull on it.

---- the reason you want to remove the rotor (especially if you are keeping the bushing you have) is because you will need room to work if the bolt is stubborn on coming out and it will make installing the new one a lot easier. It doesn't have to be done this way, but I would recommend it. ----

This is a list of tools I used from what I remember:

-1/2 inch drive breaker bar
-6mm allen (hex) head for the rotor retaining bolt
-15mm open end and/or socket for the caliper bracket (remove the bracket with the caliper attached - anything else would be a waste of time and effort)
-18mm open end and/or socket - two of each of what you choose to use for each side of the bolt
-17mm socket for the wheels (as always, impact wrenches are helpful here)
-sledge hammer, regular hammer, mallet - all of these present while you were is good
-I didn't use a torch, but it would be helpful depending on how bad they are stuck (careful though, you can heat/melt the bushing with this method)


and please as one last note... clean the corrosion inside the center of the bushing if you're keeping it. It takes two minutes and will prevent this kind of thing from happening. I didn't make this DIY for you to half-ass your project.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• BMW
• E36
• Camber
• Alignment
• Bolt
• Adjustment
• DIY
• suspension