How To Guide How to remove z3 rear wing

[spurs fan in a coupe]

At the request of a forum member, a quick how to guide from z3 rear wing removal

First wheel off to get the wheel arch liner out. Two 8mm screws and one plastic 10mm nut, plus an 8mm screw from the front end of the rear bumper .

You’ll now be able to get to a very grubby 8mm screw just in front of rear wheel.

Then the hard to reach pair of 8mm screws on the inner mount between the rear wheel and rear lights can be removed, a long ratchet spanner is ideal. You don’t need the rear lights out, I just happened to have them removed already.

The two trims from the door entrance need to come off, brute force required, the tiny T shaped clips will almost certainly break.
This reveals a row of 8mm screws.

Then the boot and boot hinges need to come off (no photos of this either sorry). The boot lid slide off if you remove the lower bolt and then loosen off the top one, it will then slide upwards off the brackets.

The brackets come off will 3 10mm bolts

Then you can access the last row of 8mm

Then the whole thing lifts off.

This is the one mount that the hard to reach ones go through.

The one inside the wheel arch liner at front

Done

 

[DrWong]

Thanks in advance mate, as I'll definitely be following this guide at some point

 

[Jack Ratt]

Thank you Andy, very useful info

 

[spurs fan in a coupe]

@Mario

 

[Mario]

Absolutely fantastic thanks I will try to tackle this job alongside the sills as soon as the weather is good, maybe even today. thanks for the quick reply mate, top man @spurs fan in a coupe

 

[handsomejackuk]

hmmmmm wide body pre face lift 1.9...until I get my 2.8 sorted...!!!

 

[Fender2004]

Was it difficult to remove the wiring from the boot lid?

 

[Ianmc]

Just wondering if the "fat arse" rear wings could be swapped over for the "thin arse" rear wings (or visa versa) on preface lift cars? Sills/rear bumper looks much the same?

 

[spurs fan in a coupe]

Just wondering if the "fat arse" rear wings could be swapped over for the "thin arse" rear wings (or visa versa) on preface lift cars? Sills/rear bumper looks much the same?

Can be swapped yes, but you’d need the sills and bumper too

The boot is exactly the same, so too the rear lights

 

[spurs fan in a coupe]

The facelift ones need the boot and rear lights too

 

[handsomejackuk]

@Mario

Andy,

does the boot need to come right off or can it be just temporarily taken off and rested until the wing is off then put back on..?

I didnt want to take out all the boot wiring as i have only just done the loom of doom and it appears to be all working.

also if i were to convert my narrow body to wide body do you know if the arch liners are different from narrow to wide body ?

thanks Al..

 

[g8jka]

Andy,

does the boot need to come right off or can it be just temporarily taken off and rested until the wing is off then put back on..?

I didnt want to take out all the boot wiring as i have only just done the loom of doom and it appears to be all working.

also if i were to convert my narrow body to wide body do you know if the arch liners are different from narrow to wide body ?

thanks Al..

I've done it without removing the boot, just undo the bolts whilst you take the wing off.

 

[spurs fan in a coupe]

Andy,

does the boot need to come right off or can it be just temporarily taken off and rested until the wing is off then put back on..?

I didnt want to take out all the boot wiring as i have only just done the loom of doom and it appears to be all working.

also if i were to convert my narrow body to wide body do you know if the arch liners are different from narrow to wide body ?

thanks Al..

You can leave the wiring in, just rest boot lid inside the boot

Yes rear arch liners are different between prefacelift narrow and wide body

 

[Boozybob]

Thx, mine needs to come off today as found the bodge job the last owner did. Any available E36 wide body 2001 wings (UK passenger) out there?

 

[Raggie]

Hello all...I'm afraid I've dinged my rear N/S widebody wing. It's not too deep but can't pull it out with suction.
I was wondering if I just removed the plastic wheel lining I would be able to get my hand up there to pop it out or does the whole wing have to come off? I don't need to do a superb job, just one which makes it look a bit better and then some T-cut

 

[t-tony]

That won't "Pop" out due to the crease across the bottom of the dent.

Tony.

 

[Zephyr]

That won't "Pop" out due to the crease across the bottom of the dent.

Tony.

Would the basketball trick work on this?
Insert deflated basketball, inflate basketball, bam, magic.

 

[t-tony]

Not once it is creased. A crease always needs knocking (panel beating) out.

Tony.

 

[Raggie]

Thank you for the replies...Would I be able to get a rubber mallet up and under if I remove the plastic lining-or no space?

 

[spurs fan in a coupe]

Hello all...I'm afraid I've dinged my rear N/S widebody wing. It's not too deep but can't pull it out with suction.
I was wondering if I just removed the plastic wheel lining I would be able to get my hand up there to pop it out or does the whole wing have to come off? I don't need to do a superb job, just one which makes it look a bit better and then some T-cut
View attachment 299513

where you based?