e32/e34 front driveshaft

[Mr. Burns]

I'm at a standstill in parts collecting as I've been searching for a 87 ETA front DS for a long time now.

my local PnP has a couple of e32 and e34's with M30b35's in them.

could I fit my rear M20b25 DS with the front part of the e32 or e34 DS (bigger flange) and get it rebalanced? or would it be too long/short?

I'm not about to go and sink 6 bills into a custom DS...

[frankie591]

What trans are you running? I ended up getting a g260 and just swapped the small flange from my e30 transmission onto the m30 trans. Worked great and my stock e30 manual driveshaft fit perfectly. I suppose it may depend slightly on where the engine mounts position you front to back in the car though.

[frankie591]

IIRC you'd need an e28 manual front driveshaft to combine with your e30 rear. I haven't heard of using an e32 or e34 front driveshaft to pull off the swap in an e30.

If you pull an e34 driveshaft you could always take it to a driveshaft shop and have them cut the flange off your e30 driveshaft and weld on the big flange from the e34 and that would probably only cost you a few hundred bucks with a balance.

[Mr. Burns]

Thanks frankie.
Trouble is I no longer have any m20b25 anything. No tranny, otherwise I would just swap the flange over.

I'm running a 260 tranny from a e32 5spd m30.
I'll keep looking for a 87 ETA or e28 ds front half.
I'm just looking to pop it on and pay a shop to rebalance...maybe new csb

[uturn]

Maybe a new flange? Or a used one, they can't be that hard to come by.

[the imitator]

I'm using an e28 back end and an e30 auto front end fitting fairly snug not a lot of travel left inward, but I can lengthen it for the majority of the spline length.
I'm running
M30b35, g265, garagistic mounts custom drilled for position 3.5

[Mr. Burns]

My engine is going in tomorrow...it'll determine exactly what position I'll be in.

I think my best bet is to grab a halfshaft from a pnp car and get a shop to re and re the flange of my existing ds.

My only option at this point with the parts at my disposal

[lukeADE335i]

I'm using an e28 back end and an e30 auto front end fitting fairly snug not a lot of travel left inward, but I can lengthen it for the majority of the spline length.

How do you go for mounting the CSB with that setup? The e28 back part would in theory shift the CSB forward by at least an inch. Does the CSB still bolt up to the mount or did you shift the mount forward?

[the imitator]

I apologize for not being specific, usually I'm better with that.
Pictures would do more justice, and I really should document it atleast so people know its an option.

I used grade 8, M8 T anchors

1. I measured out the holes to the desired length, I then triple checked my measurements and did a small pilot hole on both sides.

2. After that I Drilled the holes using a drill bit that was closest to the same width of that T anchor; The pilot hole was to insure accuracy.

3. Take a pencil file and lengthen those holes only long enough to fit the the T anchors in the hole. Make sure you Lengthen the the holes "North to South" or "Canada to Mexican" or "diff to trans direction."

4. Insert anchor and turn the Anchor "east to west" Doing vertical slits means no side to side play.

5. The CSB will secure the T anchors once tightened.

I was able to keep the mounting position on the angle surface as well.

How do you go for mounting the CSB with that setup? The e28 back part would in theory shift the CSB forward by at least an inch. Does the CSB still bolt up to the mount or did you shift the mount forward?

[lukeADE335i]

Cool - I did something similar with my setup - I'm using a normal M20 (323i - 325i) driveshaft with my G240 box. To make the shaft fit, I lengthened it on the splines, but had to redrill new holes in the angled surface for the CSB so I could put some pre-load on it. A manual 320i driveshaft would have been the perfect fit, but they're hard to get without buying a new one.

[the imitator]

Right arm! I imagine when I do the n54 swap I have have to drill again.. The stock ds and Guibo are huge on 335i's.