Rear top mount replacement

[Muppetman]

Is replacement of the rear top mounts a straight forward DIY job or one for the pros?

Any advice would be cool.

[wfarrell]

...interior trim removal is a pain in the ***, but otherwise basic nuts n bolts maintenance

[pdwarren]

http://www.ex-parrot.com/~pdw/mcoupe/rsm.html

Paul

[ever88]

dito for trim being awkward but if you look at the oem site you can locate where and how trim is fixed and it's straight forward really

[chippy]

For information, i have just fitted my rogue top mounts this morning. Very straight forward but time consuming with all the trim removal. Took me just over 2 hours from start to finish. You do not need to remove the top trim sections and divider end pieces as they can be moved enough without any bending or damage.
If i wanted to take a damper out now it would only be about a 10 min job!!

[c_w]

For information, i have just fitted my rogue top mounts this morning. Very straight forward but time consuming with all the trim removal. Took me just over 2 hours from start to finish. You do not need to remove the top trim sections and divider end pieces as they can be moved enough without any bending or damage.
If i wanted to take a damper out now it would only be about a 10 min job!!

Yep - I think I've lost count of the amount of times I've removed the rear dampers! ( experiementing with different rear setups) but dropping them from underneath is so much faster. I know what you mean about bending the rear trim to fit the top plates - it is just about doable lifting it up and blindly feeling for the top mount nuts. BMW could have made it easier for us (and themselves in terms of working on the car) but incorportaing an access hole/cap on the trim!

[Muppetman]

Cheers for the relies guys.

Been without access to the forum for a while. Seems like a fairly straight forward job

I've got a noise that i've tried to convince myself is the rear hatch but think it's a topmount.

[pdwarren]

I've got a noise that i've tried to convince myself is the rear hatch but think it's a topmount.

I was in that position when my top mounts went - it turned out to be both...

Paul

[-Keith-]

Nice one for that write up Paul, very useful and saved me a lot of time over the trial-and-error approach.

It's a very thorough walk-though, although one thing you have missed (which was odd seeing as the rest is so descriptive) is the step where you remove the HK sub and CD changer covering panels, which require you to pull-off from the trim clips.

1.5 hours later and I have a mountain of trim removed (and an aching back), ready to go on the top mounts tomorrow;



How does the soundproofing over the arches/top mounts come out? Just prise away? Looks very tight-fitting, so I can imagine that will be the most difficult part to replace.

Thanks again.

Keith

[pdwarren]

It's a very thorough walk-though, although one thing you have missed (which was odd seeing as the rest is so descriptive) is the step where you remove the HK sub and CD changer covering panels, which require you to pull-off from the trim clips.

Is that not covered by step 4?

How does the soundproofing over the arches/top mounts come out? Just prise away? Looks very tight-fitting, so I can imagine that will be the most difficult part to replace.

If I remember right, it just comes away. There are a few places where tabs of the sound proofing are tucked behind bits of metal, and it'd tear if you pull carelessly, but I don't remember either removal or replacement behind particularly tricky.

Paul

[-Keith-]

Is that not covered by step 4?

Yes, you are right - my bad. I had printed the guide off so I didn't keep having to walk inside with snow-covered shoes, and the way it printed missed out that paragraph.

Should have checked.

Thanks for the heads-up on the soundproofing

[W1234]

Just had this done on my car - if your car has never had the top mounts replaced I'd suggest doing it. It's really transformed the rear of the car and sorted my "soggy bottom".....

[andrewturner]

Just had this done on my car - if your car has never had the top mounts replaced I'd suggest doing it. It's really transformed the rear of the car and sorted my "soggy bottom".....

Did you replace them with the Rogue engineering ones?

How is your trim now... any more squeaks?

[W1234]

Did you replace them with the Rogue engineering ones?

How is your trim now... any more squeaks?

Hi Andrew,

In the end I didn't, for the simple reason that I want to keep the car standard.

The trim was fairly squeek free, but I found some evidence of rubbing of the mating surfaces of the sub and CD changer covers, so I have taped that up. Haven't got all the trim back in yet as I broke a couple of the minor plastic fastenings (as often happens) but went for a drive last night and the back end feels much more planted, and yep - no squeeks!