Driveshaft for ZF trans

[dadsbmw]

So performed my swap many moons ago but am trying to change up my driveshaft situation because what I'm doing now isn't working as well as I'd hoped. I have an S52 with E36 M3 ZF 5-speed trans and wondering what driveshaft I should be using? My understanding was that any manual 96+ E36 M3 or 328 front driveshaft would work, mated to the e30 CSB and rear driveshaft. I purchased a complete driveshaft from a 98 328is and in comparing them, they're different in a way that prevents them from being used together.

In the pictures below (manual 90 325i shaft on the left vs manual 98 328is shaft on the right) the input and output at the CSB seem to be flipped. On the e30 the FRONT shaft has a universal joint and is male at the CSB. On the e36 the REAR shaft has the universal joint and is is male at the CSB. Any thoughts on how I messed up here?

[Vincenze]

My understanding is that you need only the E30 central support bearing.
You can't mix E30 and E36 drive shaft parts.

[R3VM3UP]

Yeah I don't think you can mix and match those. I did an e36 328i complete driveshaft with the e30 CSB. On the e36 the cab is on the back half as you've noted and the e30 CSB can be installed on the e36 shaft the same way. The e30 CSB has an offset to one side, make sure you keep it oriented to the correct side.

[dadsbmw]

Ok, good to know my reading comprehension is what's wrong here! So IIRC the CSB needs to be flipped with the e36 driveshaft, anyone care to confirm this?

[pazi88]

Ok, good to know my reading comprehension is what's wrong here! So IIRC the CSB needs to be flipped with the e36 driveshaft, anyone care to confirm this?

Noo you can't flip the e30 CSB when fitting e36 driveshaft. It's true that the e30 CSB will be "wrong way" (because the U-joint is on the other side of the CSB) when installed to e36 driveshaft, but that really doesn't matter. What matters that the e30 CSB is offset (depends on the year model of the car) and if you flip the offset CSB, you will ruin the driveshaft alignment and start destroying U-joints (don't ask me how I know...). So always install the e30 CSB same way as it sits with e30 driveshaft.

[Northern]

Like Pasi said, the CSB mounting on the e30 chassis is offset to one side, and the CSB tabs are offset to keep the driveshaft straight.

The Ujoint on the e36 driveshaft is on the opposite side of the CSB from the E30 driveshaft, and somehow people have miscommunicated that into installing the CSB backwards.

Here is how kinked the driveshaft is if the CSB is installed wrong: