Making the wrong drive shaft work

[rbartongrimley]

So, I ordered a a used driveshaft (1997 m3) to use for my S50/ZF swap, and it turned out to be the wrong one. It is the one with the 6 prongs at the end as opposed to the four (arghhh!).

So long story short, I cannot return it, so is there any way I can maybe swap the joints at the ends for the one on my e30 drive shaft?

I am just looking for a solution to this as opposed to being out 140 bucks!

Thanks

[Jand3rson]

A professional driveline shop MAY be able to swap the ends for you, depends on what type of setup they have for re-balancing it afterward. I'd start calling around, in an area as large as SB, you should be able to find a shop that can tackle a job like that for you.

[nrubenstein]

You can swap the input flange in the diff quite easily. But, uh, why can't you return it? No '97 M3 ever had a CV shaft. That's either from a '95, or it's altogether wrong.

[phreshkid]

I think 97 might have been the last year where some coupes came with the 4 bolt rear ends and the 6 bolt rear ends. The only reason I think this is because my buddy bought an m3 from the auction and it happened to be a 97 with the 6 bolt rear end. Not ideal by any means but he swapped the innards of the m3 diff into his e30 325is diff and made it all work.

[328ijunkie]

You can swap the input flange in the diff quite easily. But, uh, why can't you return it? No '97 M3 ever had a CV shaft. That's either from a '95, or it's altogether wrong.

Swapping the input flanges doesnt take 30 sec like everyone thinks and one 96 and one 97 parts cars of mine have had 6 bolt rears.

[rbartongrimley]

A professional driveline shop MAY be able to swap the ends for you, depends on what type of setup they have for re-balancing it afterward. I'd start calling around, in an area as large as SB, you should be able to find a shop that can tackle a job like that for you.

I feel like it really wouldn't be that bad of a job to swap over. I mean, the removal of the flange is quite easy (assuming you have an impact wrench and a large enough socket), but the tricky part would probably be in the balancing.

You can swap the input flange in the diff quite easily. But, uh, why can't you return it? No '97 M3 ever had a CV shaft. That's either from a '95, or it's altogether wrong.

Hmm, swapping the flanges on the differential seems like a wayyy more labor intensive ordeal for this situation. I can't return it because the sale was as is. Kind of sucks, but what can you do.

I am going to check the part numbers in the morning, and compare it to my 95 M3 shaft that I have lying around and get to the bottom of this.

[328ijunkie]

I feel like it really wouldn't be that bad of a job to swap over. I mean, the removal of the flange is quite easy (assuming you have an impact wrench and a large enough socket), but the tricky part would probably be in the balancing.

The 4 bolt flange is welded to the driveshaft.

[rbartongrimley]

The 4 bolt flange is welded to the driveshaft.

Well that about sums that up. Damn.

[Jand3rson]

Well that about sums that up. Damn.

That was the whole point of my post. A professional driveline service shop should have no problem cutting the end off of the existing driveshaft and replacing it with the one you need, provided they have the proper equipment to be able to re-balance it properly afterward.

[nrubenstein]

Swapping the input flanges doesnt take 30 sec like everyone thinks and one 96 and one 97 parts cars of mine have had 6 bolt rears.

Uh, actually it does. Admittedly, you do take some risk with the diff, but I've done it many times without negative consequences.

Index the nut and the shaft, zip the nut off with an impact gun, swap shafts, carefully zip the nut back where it was. OK, that was probably a couple minutes.

Edit: You need to physically mark them. Sharpie doesn't cut it and will come off.

[ck_taft325is]

Re-sell it and buy the correct driveshaft. What you're looking at trying to accomplish is going to cost you the same as finding the correct drive shaft and just bolting it up. Not to mention the head ache and "unknown" factor with having a shop hack up and modify a drive shaft.

[Jand3rson]

Not to mention the head ache and "unknown" factor with having a shop hack up and modify a drive shaft.

That's why I said "PROFESSIONAL DRIVELINE SERVICE SHOP". Not Billy Bob in his shed out back with a Sawzall and a welder. This isn't something that will cost hundreds upon hundreds of dollars and take 3-6 weeks, a shop competent in driveshaft repair and service could have this done in a few hours for a pretty reasonable price.

If you ask me, paying a shop that specializes in this kind of work is a hell of a lot less of a "headache and unknown factor" than having to deal with some dipshit forum kid who wants to buy the driveshaft, but wants to know if you can hold it for him until 2 weeks from now when he gets his next Subway paycheck. But first he'd like pics, wants to know if you can meet him halfway between here and Bangladesh to save on shipping, and if you'll take $30 less than you're asking. And then a day before you're supposed to get it to him, he PM's you and says that he had an "unexpected emergency" and now he can't buy it.

[dsobering47]

If the dude is intimidated by swapping the flange on the diff, then good luck making a "wrong driveshaft work" . WTF? Just take the nut off and swap the flange! It literally is harder to do an oil change than to swap the diff flange.

[328ijunkie]

^ Youre the reason i have so many diff cores sitting in my shop needing pinion bearings.

[jahnaboi]

I have a solution for you. Most if not all 4 bolt e36 driveshaft rear halfs are of the same length. The difference between them is the front half which makes up for the longer or shorter transmission causing a variance between front half e36 drive shafts. If indeed the whole driveshaft is from an m3 your front half should require a 96mm guibo. If that is correct then just simply get a rear half from the junkyard from any e36 and be sure that there is no binding on the joints. Bring it to a local driveshaft place and have it balanced for 50 bucks. Either that or take a chance at aligning the balance marks although it will almost never work.