New way to space front drive shaft?

[driftxsequence]

So this weekend I pulled my transfer case to do the shift bushings, and came across this piece. It appears a previous owner has already shimmed the front driveshaft without requiring a new quibo. The driveshaft has a long threaded "set screw" and a standard nut at the other end near the differential flange. This method may be cheaper, or easier for future use? Maybe its worse and I just dont know it? You tell me



picture of the threaded set screw

[The Dark Side of Will]

Are the set screws welded into the fingers of the driveshaft flange?

[driftxsequence]

nope, i use the allen head to thread them in while holding the nut in place otherwise when the stud is fully seated there would be no room to slide the nut on. a bit more tedious, but it works.

[flyboyx]

So.....someone threaded the holes in the driveshaft flange to accomodate the set screws? I wonder if they welded the holes and redrilled them to a smaller diameter? Or perhaps installed hellicoils? Its an interesting idea. What is the grey stuff on the ends of the studs? Epoxy?

[driftxsequence]

The grey stuff is antiseize. I can pull one back out yo measure the diameter but it appeared to be the same size as everything else. The shaf lt did not appear to be welded.

[The Dark Side of Will]

The set screw has to be the same diameter as the original guibo bolt or it wouldn't go through the guibo... so yeah, something fancy was done to make those screws thread through the holes in the driveshaft flange, because those are clearance holes as delivered by BMW.

[nando]

Seems like a lot of work when a thicker flex disc will also be tougher than the original one, and you need one anyway.

[driftxsequence]

Holy cow the front flex disk is pricey compared to the rear...wow.

[flyboyx]

I would use the thicker guibo instead of the custom spacer, but the allen studs are a great idea in that you dont need to clearance the oil pan.

Rather than anti seize, i would use locktite.

[nando]

it's not the oil pan really - just a dust cover. Will has some pretty cool pics of his machined down.

[The Dark Side of Will]

Holy cow the front flex disk is pricey compared to the rear...wow.

That's one of the incentives for swapping to the thicker one.

[nando]

I kind of wish I had a good standard length shaft now instead of the extended ones. They work great but it's such a pain to remove because you have to pull the entire T-case.

Does the dust cover on the transfer-case end of the front shaft still snap into place?

[Kershaw]

What's the shim made out of? Milled aluminum?

[driftxsequence]

I kind of wish I had a good standard length shaft now instead of the extended ones. They work great but it's such a pain to remove because you have to pull the entire T-case.

Does the dust cover on the transfer-case end of the front shaft still snap into place?

Yes it does!

What's the shim made out of? Milled aluminum?

Yes it appears to be milled aluminum.

Again, I've owned the car for about a week so I'm learning and can get more info next time I roll under the car....which will be a week or two once the rear guibo gets replaced. the front doesnt look THAT bad...compared to the rear!

[mw044]

I've used this method in my ix. I made the spacer from another driveshaft flange. Just machined the centering grooves on the other side. Later I installed "jute91" longer splines in the rear of the shaft. Never had one single problem with the front driveshaft.