Differential Rebuild Help

[JPStrniste]

Okay, I am an idiot. I should have searched before posting a stupid comment.

please ignore previous post.

[JPStrniste]

How'd you make out? Did you do the seals and gasket yet?

I was debating on doing the same thing.


Does anyone have any experience with a solid rear end? I'm not trying to sound like an idiot, I'm just curious if it's been done. I previously owned 4x4 jeeps before and used to weld spider gears together or have a selectable locker in the diff, LSDs, ect ect. Just wondering if anyone has had a fully locked rear end BMW and how does it drive on the street?

[Aceofsnett]

my idea of a diff rebuild... new seals, cover gasket, and paint it bling bling black!

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I'm not positive this is a 325is differential, but I'm going to bite the bullet and order a seal kit from B.A.S A.S.A.P.

[PiercedE30]

I think for a fully rebuilt one from Diffsonline.com is like 1500 for just the base. Then it starts to add up when they polish the gears, add clutches, etc etc. I think for everything to be done with a variable ramp and like 40% lockup is somewhere in the 2200 area.

[Van Westervelt]

any good shops that rebuild?

or is it not worth it?

any is SoCal?

IMHO, not worth it. Unless you are running a racecar or some specific event. For just average normal use and the occasional track day, it makes more sense to just get a used one, and if you happen to burn it up, just get another used one. Rebuilding will cost you 3x plus what a used one will run.

[JPL]

any good shops that rebuild?

or is it not worth it?

any is SoCal?

[PiercedE30]

it's not hard to pull a BMW diff apart. I've got one pulled apart at the moment and I have the gear off of the limited slip unit. But I would not suggest someone pull it apart if they don't have diagrams/torque ratings/experience rebuilding one.

[silversleeper]

my idea of a diff rebuild... new seals, cover gasket, and paint it bling bling black!

[Teaguer]

Rebuilding a BMW diff is not really a DIY kind of thing .
Without the proper tools the torque required to put pinion nut back on will cruch the bearings .

About the only thing you can do is swap the output seals and the cover gasket .

But with that being said the BMW diffs are pretty robust and should last quite some time before really needing a rebuild .

[Aceofsnett]

I have a '91 318is with an open diff - the diff has recently begun to whine, not to mention leak. I purchased a 'medium' LSD from a 325is off of craigslist. Now : I'd like to rebuild this diff, with new bearings and seals, etc. I have extensive mechanical experience, but I've never rebuilt a diff before. Things like "gear lash" have no meaning to me. Could someone direct me to some kind of guide, or perhaps steer me away entirely from attempting this?