Replacing front cross member HELP PLS!

[sKilled]

OK I have finally got the time and the money to fix the bimmer. What's the best way to go about replacing the front cross member? Does it just unbolt and drop out, or do I (shudder) have to disassemble the entire front end?
Thanks in advance lads and ladies!

[yaofeng]

I did last year for a 86 325es before selling it. Looking at the 5 series again, I think it is an order of magnitude more complicated. No. I've never done it and hope I never have to. Is rust the reason? You need to support the engine. The rest is unbolt and bolt. But it is easier said than done.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b274/yaofengchen/BMW_95_525i/DSC_1568-1.jpg

[sKilled]

Damaged the front cross member, so it has to be replaced. The damage is too severe to bend it back, but no damage transferred onto the other parts. Has anyone done this on an e34?

[winfred]

you can ether support the engine on a jack and wood from the bottom or you can hang it from the top by it's front lifting eye with a engine hoist or by running a wood beam (4"X4" outta do nicely, couple small wood blocks under it if it needs to be higher) across from just inside each fender, jack the engine up a few inches and chain it to the beam, that way theres nothing in the way under the car supporting the engine, this would be the ideal time to do a oil pan gasket while the crossmember is off

[saluki540i]

Granted, I've got the 4.0 v-8, but I Carefully removed both crossmembers in the front by using a floor jack and a 2x4 to spread out the load on the oilpan until I was able to put jackstands under the motor mount arms. Installation, including replacement of the motor mounts, was the reverse, with little problem.

[saluki540i]

One other thing to mention, mine was a Chicago car - driven daily, year round. I ended up replacing several of the main body to crossmember bolts due to heavy corrosion. They aren't that much money, for the size bolt. Second, if this is the case with yours, I highly recommend pre-soaking the bolts as thoroughly as possible before breaking them loose. The installation torque spec. is not as much as you might think, but you wouldn't know it from how they come out sometimes. Last, consider coating the grip and shank of the bolts in a heavy grease to help keep the elements out of the sleeves they sit in. I used LPS 3 which is an anti-corrosion lube in an aerosol can. We use it on aircraft, and its guaranteed for at least a year of protection. Just spitballing here...

[bjl4776]

The damn parallelogram steering makes it so much harder. I swapped the front crossmember on my e36 in 30 minutes. All you have to do is support the engine, unbolt the motor mounts, lower control arms, and steering rack, unbolt the 4 crossmember bolts, and assemble reverse of installation.

[sKilled]

Sweet. Thanks for the help. Doesn't seem so bad except for the fact that I have to tie up the bloody radiator.