E30+M50+ZF+E30 driveshaft= HELP!

[WADE30]

So my Getrag 260 crapped out on me after the first week of driving the car around. I decided that I shouldn't cheap out anymore and go for the ZF transmission from a 98 M3.

Everything bolted up great to the motor, the stock brace and mounts work great. My shifter finally sits center!! Woo:D

Anyway, I searched and searched to see if the stock e30 driveshaft would work and couldn't find anything on the issue. So I talked to a local here in AZ and was told that in his E30/S50 swap that the stock E30 driveshaft bolted up fine.

Well, it doesn't. The length is fine, but the holes on the guibo don't match up with the output shaft flange holes. The output shaft holes are further out, the triangle is bigger.

So my question is, will just getting an E36 M3 guibo work or whole new driveshaft? I am thinking though, that if I get an E36 M3 guibo it will only bolt to the transmission and NOT the driveshaft and be stuck in the same situation. And also it looks like the bolts connecting the guibo to the driveshaft would rub on the output shaft flange even if I were to find a guibo that would make this monstocity work.

Anyone go through this problem as well? Please help, I am noobish in my ways.

Thanks guys!!

Wade

[e30s52]

E36 m3 or 328i driveshaft. Must be a 5 speed with the 3 bolt hole rear end or flange piece if you will. Quibo you use the e36 and the center support bearing you use the e30 one for your car.

[WADE30]

Do you use the whole driveshaft? Or just the first half where it meets the ring pinion? Would that even work just using half? The E30 guibo will work with the ZF and M3 driveshaft? Maybe I am misunderstanding you.

I used the e30 shifter in the M3 shifter carrier and there is no rubbing or fitment issues whatsoever and it is a slighter shorter throw somehow.

[e30s52]

O sorry the guibo is from the e36 sorry ( edit last post). The center support bearing comes from your E30. And you use the whole driveshaft from a ethier a m3 or 328i MUST BE 3 BOLT!!!!

[rThor432]

You can use the stock 325e/es driveshaft from 9/85-9/86 production as well (iirc, those are the correct years). The output flange on the transmission has a larger spread to accept the beefier guibo that was used in the S14 and M30 cars from those years.

The E30 M3 shaft works as well.

If you want to get out for low $$$ you might be able to swap the output flange on the transmission for the smaller one that is on your 260 currently. Not 100% sure if that will work, but it is an idea that seems worth mentioning

[WADE30]

Thanks guys! I really appreciate the information. Thor, I wonder how difficult that would be? Anyway, I guess I better start looking for one of those drive shafts. E30 M3, E30 325e/es, E36 328i, E36 M3. And use the E30 center support bearing, got it. There isn't any special way to install the different driveshaft right or when swapping the center bearing support right? Just hook it all up, bolt it up, bam you're good?

[rThor432]

Make sure to pre-load the center support bearing toward the front of the car. Also, make sure that the arrows on the guibo point to the output flange and driveshaft flange. If you flip it around backwards, it will physically bolt up with the arrows pointing away from the flanges. That will greatly reduce the life of the guibo.

[WADE30]

OK I got it Thor thanks. One more thing...isn't there a difference in E36 M3 driveshafts? Isn't the 1995 M3 the wrong bolt pattern?

[e30e]

OK I got it Thor thanks. One more thing...isn't there a difference in E36 M3 driveshafts? Isn't the 1995 M3 the wrong bolt pattern?

Yes, You want 96+ m3.

[mazur]

You can use the stock 325e/es driveshaft from 9/85-9/86 production as well (iirc, those are the correct years).

I'm looking at azautohaus searching under 1986 325E and get two guibo part numbers.

For cars up to 4/1986 the part number matches that of a 325i. From 5/1986 and onward the guibo is stated to have a 96mm diameter with 12mm bolt holes and part number matches with the E36 328i.

So that would mean you would want a driveshaft from a 325e produced no sooner than 5/1986.



And when it comes to the guibo themselves, the E30/E36 guibo costs $50 and the M3 one costs $95. By looking at the pic you can see that the M3 one consists of more rubber, so it'll be able to handle more torque.

[shiboujin]

And you use the whole driveshaft from a ethier a m3 or 328i MUST BE 3 BOLT!!!!

You mean 4 bolt. Some 328 rear drive shafts have a 6 (or was it 8 ) bolt CV joint style rear end.

I got a 97 M3 drive shaft 4 bolt rear from BF.c for $150. Slapped the CSB on backwards and went to town. I can't confirm that the eta drive shaft would work. If the length is right, im sure you can just use the front half of an eta drive shaft (assuming its the same length) but then you would want to balance it.

[lifeiskaos]

we used an eta driveshaft with a getrag 260 and it worked fine. IIRC the zf tranny's are shorter and i have a hard time believing the same driveshaft would work..

[e30s52]

You mean 4 bolt. Some 328 rear drive shafts have a 6 (or was it 8 ) bolt CV joint style rear end.

I got a 97 M3 drive shaft 4 bolt rear from BF.c for $150. Slapped the CSB on backwards and went to town. I can't confirm that the eta drive shaft would work. If the length is right, im sure you can just use the front half of an eta drive shaft (assuming its the same length) but then you would want to balance it.

3 bolt for the front but yes you are correct the rear is 4 bolt. I got mine for 100 bucks off ebay.

[WADE30]

we used an eta driveshaft with a getrag 260 and it worked fine. IIRC the zf tranny's are shorter and i have a hard time believing the same driveshaft would work..

I measured my Getrag 260 and ZF side by side and the ZF was actually barrely an inch longer. According to driveshaft length, the stock E30 VS E36 M3 is a couple mm difference.

[shiboujin]

3 bolt for the front but yes you are correct the rear is 4 bolt. I got mine for 100 bucks off ebay.

Wasn't aware there was anything BUT 3 bolts for the front. all the part #s I looked up were 3 bolts on the front. Only diff was large guibo or small.

I measured my Getrag 260 and ZF side by side and the ZF was actually barrely an inch longer. According to driveshaft length, the stock E30 VS E36 M3 is a couple mm difference.

an Inch is a lot tho. On realoem they actually tell you drive shaft length. I remember the difference between a 260 and ZF were VERY off when I tried to bolt drive shafts up.