2. Cars
  3. 1980 E21 323i

E21 Rear Suspension Overhaul

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  • E21 Gas Tanks I was able to drop both gas tanks down using my floor jack.

    E21 Gas Tanks I was able to drop both gas tanks down using my floor jack.

  • E21 Diff Mounts I didn’t have a socket big enough to meet the diameter of this bushing. It’s 52mm and the outside would need to be around 58mm. So I resorted to drilling and cutting out the rubber, then cutting and cracking the leftover sleeve. It took less than an hour. This drywall saw worked better than any other tool, including a razor blade. I drilled small holes around the bushing first.

    E21 Diff Mounts I didn’t have a socket big enough to meet the diameter of this bushing. It’s 52mm and the outside would need to be around 58mm. So I resorted to drilling and cutting out the rubber, then cutting and cracking the leftover sleeve. It took less than an hour. This drywall saw worked better than any other tool, including a razor blade. I drilled small holes around the bushing first.

  • E21 Diff Mounts I didn’t have a socket big enough to meet the diameter of this bushing. It’s 52mm and the outside would need to be around 58mm. So I resorted to drilling and cutting out the rubber, then cutting and cracking the leftover sleeve. It took less than an hour.

    E21 Diff Mounts I didn’t have a socket big enough to meet the diameter of this bushing. It’s 52mm and the outside would need to be around 58mm. So I resorted to drilling and cutting out the rubber, then cutting and cracking the leftover sleeve. It took less than an hour.

  • E21 Diff Mounts I didn’t have a socket big enough to meet the diameter of this bushing. It’s 52mm and the outside would need to be around 58mm. So I resorted to drilling and cutting out the rubber, then cutting and cracking the leftover sleeve. It took less than an hour. The sleeve fell out with a few taps with a hammer and punch.

    E21 Diff Mounts I didn’t have a socket big enough to meet the diameter of this bushing. It’s 52mm and the outside would need to be around 58mm. So I resorted to drilling and cutting out the rubber, then cutting and cracking the leftover sleeve. It took less than an hour. The sleeve fell out with a few taps with a hammer and punch.

  • E21 Rear Suspension Finally, after many small steps, drilling out four screws, lots of twisting and yanking, and breaking all of the brake lines, the subframe dropped out with the diff and trailing arms. I had pre-separated the subframe mounts so it dropped easier. The exhaust was stuck on top of, and through, the axles because they didn’t use flanges. I was able to fish it out through the axles later. The driveshaft would only come loose from the transmission.

    E21 Rear Suspension Finally, after many small steps, drilling out four screws, lots of twisting and yanking, and breaking all of the brake lines, the subframe dropped out with the diff and trailing arms. I had pre-separated the subframe mounts so it dropped easier. The exhaust was stuck on top of, and through, the axles because they didn’t use flanges. I was able to fish it out through the axles later. The driveshaft would only come loose from the transmission.

  • E21 Trailing Arms Dried out and cracked rubber trailing arm bushings. These might be original too.

    E21 Trailing Arms Dried out and cracked rubber trailing arm bushings. These might be original too.

  • E21 Trailing Arms Pressing out the bushings. The magic number is 27 - 27mm is the I.D. of the arm. First I was using a socket that was too large. Once I had the right size the bushings slid right out. This is step 1 of my bushing tool. After this I finished up with the AKG tool and the stack of seal drivers.

    E21 Trailing Arms Pressing out the bushings. The magic number is 27 - 27mm is the I.D. of the arm. First I was using a socket that was too large. Once I had the right size the bushings slid right out. This is step 1 of my bushing tool. After this I finished up with the AKG tool and the stack of seal drivers.

  • E21 Brake Lines Rear inner brake lines are cracked and there appears to be a date code of 1/80. The car was built 3/1980 so these could be original! This actually made me mad that no one changed the lines in 42 years!

    E21 Brake Lines Rear inner brake lines are cracked and there appears to be a date code of 1/80. The car was built 3/1980 so these could be original! This actually made me mad that no one changed the lines in 42 years!

  • Completed rear E21 subframe overhaul. Powerflex eccentric bushings. EuroMetric subframe mounts, new brake hoses and lines. E30 rear calipers. Fresh KBS black paint.

    Completed rear E21 subframe overhaul. Powerflex eccentric bushings. EuroMetric subframe mounts, new brake hoses and lines. E30 rear calipers. Fresh KBS black paint.

  • Completed rear E21 subframe overhaul. Powerflex eccentric bushings. EuroMetric subframe mounts, new brake hoses and lines. E30 rear calipers. Fresh KBS black paint.

    Completed rear E21 subframe overhaul. Powerflex eccentric bushings. EuroMetric subframe mounts, new brake hoses and lines. E30 rear calipers. Fresh KBS black paint.

  • Scrubbed, treated, and painted floor. When I started the project I wasn't committed to painting the floors. But once I started it was looking good so I went all the way. This is the KBS Grey paint color.

    Scrubbed, treated, and painted floor. When I started the project I wasn't committed to painting the floors. But once I started it was looking good so I went all the way. This is the KBS Grey paint color.

  • New rear brake hard line and T junction. Of course the original was seized and rounded off. The rubber brake hoses were original - with a date stamp of 1/80! This is a new stainless hose on the left and a OEM rubber hose on the right. I had to buy a single rubber hose so I didn't break up a stainless set. The hard metal line is from BMW and simply bends into place. After this photo I coated the T junction with Fluid Film waxy coating.

    New rear brake hard line and T junction. Of course the original was seized and rounded off. The rubber brake hoses were original - with a date stamp of 1/80! This is a new stainless hose on the left and a OEM rubber hose on the right. I had to buy a single rubber hose so I didn't break up a stainless set. The hard metal line is from BMW and simply bends into place. After this photo I coated the T junction with Fluid Film waxy coating.

  • When I removed the original T junction it twisted and snapped at the long metal line on the right. Some people say to buy a new 10ft line and replace it all the way up to the master cylinder. But this was my fix. That's an E46 F-F pipe adapter. I simply cut the old section, added the M10 pipe fitting, and made the proper flare. Then a new short line to the T junction. After this photo I coated the T junction with Fluid Film waxy coating.

    When I removed the original T junction it twisted and snapped at the long metal line on the right. Some people say to buy a new 10ft line and replace it all the way up to the master cylinder. But this was my fix. That's an E46 F-F pipe adapter. I simply cut the old section, added the M10 pipe fitting, and made the proper flare. Then a new short line to the T junction. After this photo I coated the T junction with Fluid Film waxy coating.

  • BimmerWorld Race Shifter install. This is the simplest short shifter on the market. It's bolted to the top of the transmission tunnel from above. You can eliminate ALL of the shift linkage below the tunnel except for the selector rod. People complain all the time about the sloppiness of the original sheetmetal shifter carrier and this eliminates it altogether. The shifts are SHORT. CRAZY SHORT. There is much more time pushing the clutch pedal now than switching gears. It takes some getting used to. But this is a great option to simply the shifter, get rid of the sheetmetal carrier, or for transmission swaps where you don't need to source or fabricate the rest of the linkage. I added the black BUNA-N pad to keep fumes from entering the cabin. I added the pad after tightening the BimmerWorld plate. BimmerWorld hardware > rubber pad > 2nd set of hardware. Update: I didn't like the alignment of the selector rod so I re-did the assembly order of those rear bushings to get the rod to be lined up with the shift knuckle.

    BimmerWorld Race Shifter install. This is the simplest short shifter on the market. It's bolted to the top of the transmission tunnel from above. You can eliminate ALL of the shift linkage below the tunnel except for the selector rod. People complain all the time about the sloppiness of the original sheetmetal shifter carrier and this eliminates it altogether. The shifts are SHORT. CRAZY SHORT. There is much more time pushing the clutch pedal now than switching gears. It takes some getting used to. But this is a great option to simply the shifter, get rid of the sheetmetal carrier, or for transmission swaps where you don't need to source or fabricate the rest of the linkage. I added the black BUNA-N pad to keep fumes from entering the cabin. I added the pad after tightening the BimmerWorld plate. BimmerWorld hardware > rubber pad > 2nd set of hardware. Update: I didn't like the alignment of the selector rod so I re-did the assembly order of those rear bushings to get the rod to be lined up with the shift knuckle.

  • BimmerWorld Race Shifter install. This is the simplest short shifter on the market. It's bolted to the top of the transmission tunnel from above. You can eliminate ALL of the shift linkage below the tunnel except for the selector rod. People complain all the time about the sloppiness of the original sheetmetal shifter carrier and this eliminates it altogether. The shifts are SHORT. CRAZY SHORT. There is much more time pushing the clutch pedal now than switching gears. It takes some getting used to. But this is a great option to simply the shifter, get rid of the sheetmetal carrier, or for transmission swaps where you don't need to source or fabricate the rest of the linkage. I added the black BUNA-N pad to keep fumes from entering the cabin. I added the pad after tightening the BimmerWorld plate. BimmerWorld hardware > rubber pad > 2nd set of hardware. Update: I didn't like the alignment of the selector rod so I re-did the assembly order of those rear bushings to get the rod to be lined up with the shift knuckle.

    BimmerWorld Race Shifter install. This is the simplest short shifter on the market. It's bolted to the top of the transmission tunnel from above. You can eliminate ALL of the shift linkage below the tunnel except for the selector rod. People complain all the time about the sloppiness of the original sheetmetal shifter carrier and this eliminates it altogether. The shifts are SHORT. CRAZY SHORT. There is much more time pushing the clutch pedal now than switching gears. It takes some getting used to. But this is a great option to simply the shifter, get rid of the sheetmetal carrier, or for transmission swaps where you don't need to source or fabricate the rest of the linkage. I added the black BUNA-N pad to keep fumes from entering the cabin. I added the pad after tightening the BimmerWorld plate. BimmerWorld hardware > rubber pad > 2nd set of hardware. Update: I didn't like the alignment of the selector rod so I re-did the assembly order of those rear bushings to get the rod to be lined up with the shift knuckle.

  • BimmerWorld Race Shifter install. This is the simplest short shifter on the market. It's bolted to the top of the transmission tunnel from above. I have a MOMO shift knob but you can use any factory knob too.

    BimmerWorld Race Shifter install. This is the simplest short shifter on the market. It's bolted to the top of the transmission tunnel from above. I have a MOMO shift knob but you can use any factory knob too.

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