The repair manuals describing the procedure to use in installing new rear axle boots on a 1602/2002 are complete except that they do not tell you how you are supposed to draw the small end of the rubber boot over the bearing pin. The solution to the one-inch rubber hole over the two-inch bearing trick is to gently heat the rubber, thereby promoting additional stretching. I used hot water (be sure to dry completely) so as to have even heating without any chance of melting or distorting the rubber. A hair dryer might work as well without the disadvantage of having to dry the boot. A dull stainless steel knife can be used to do the actual stretching, replacing the BMW spoon tool No. 6045.

Author: Karl Odgers
75 Calle Primorosa, Tucson, AZ 85715.