Changing the CSB...

[Digitalwave]

How exactly do you sepperate the drive shaft? I see a cup-looking big bolt/nut, and it looks like the front section of the drive shaft threads into it. I can get vise grips about the nut, but I don't know how to hold the drive shaft to twist it. And where do I make the mark on the shafts to make sure I install it the same way?

[Brian 89 325i]

DONT YOU HAVE A BENTLY????
It says to loosen the collarnut and you will be able to seperate the DS. Mark as close as you can to where it comes apart. HTH

Brian

P.S. Dont forget to preload the center support bearing.

[Jon325i]

Re: Changing the CSB...

How exactly do you sepperate the drive shaft? I see a cup-looking big bolt/nut, and it looks like the front section of the drive shaft threads into it. I can get vise grips about the nut, but I don't know how to hold the drive shaft to twist it. And where do I make the mark on the shafts to make sure I install it the same way?

When I had to pull the driveshaft from my car I used a long standard blade screwdriver and wedged it in so when I turned the shaft, the handle of the screwdriver rested against the floorpan of the car. This gave me all the leverage I needed to loosen the hardware.

As for the hardware itself, just get creative with the sockets and extensions....and use a driver with a long handle. Make leverage your friend.

HTH

Jon

[NewmanJ87]

I just did this like 2 days ago so maybe I can help. Do you have a plumbers wrench? They work great for this. Here's what you do. Set the parking brake. Get under the car, provided its still in the car. Turn the cup-looking nut counter cllockwise(as if you didnt know that loosens stuff :P ) corresponding to the front of the car. When you have loosened that the DS should pull apart fairly easily. Dont pull it all the way apart tho! Move the nut to the front half, grab some white out or something and mark the splines. I used white out but it wipes off when u pull the CSB(luckily there was enuf to see were i marked it to remark it) The CSB is PITA to get off, try taking a rubber mallet to it, my rubber boot came right off of the bearing and that was fun to remove! Suprisingly this process only took like 30-45 minutes, and takes me forever to do anything. Well hope this helps, good luck man!

[Digitalwave]

The drive shaft is off the car, none of those suggestion would work.

Thanks though.

[Jon325i]

The drive shaft is off the car, none of those suggestion would work.

Thanks though.

Ooohh.....I misunderstood what you said. My bad TJ.

So you're trying to separate the driveshaft into 2 pieces? The only time when I removed the DS from the car, upon picking up the DS at one end, the other simply slipped off (and nearly nailed my foot in the process). I wasn't aware of some kind of hardware holding the two together. I do know that the toothed spline slides in a couple of inches to lock with the other half of the shaft.

As for marking it for proper re-assembly, just lay the shaft on a level surface and with a straight edge put a mark on each side with chalk or scribe in a visible mark with the blade of a screwdriver (this is what I did).

Jon

[Digitalwave]

Well, there seems to be a very large nut holding the 2 together. I can get Vise grips on the nut, but I can't hold the drive shaft well enough to break them loose.

[Jon325i]

If you can't get these separated, you may be at the mercy of a shop somewhere nearby that can do this for you. It shouldn't cost too much since you've got the DS pulled from the car. I don't know what else to tell ya :(

Don't spend too much time on it.

Jon

[chrisd]

big nut

That big nut is squeezing a rubber collar that is gripping the splines of the other half of the DS. You might be able to pound the two halves apart by hitting the back of the u-joint (differential end) with a mallet. Some other options are to use a bench vise (doesn't help if you dont have one!) or drill a couple holes in a 2x4 and bolt one end of the driveshaft to that, then twist. Your problem is a lack of leverage. I ended up using some 16" channel-locks to twist the nut on mine, but the DS was still in the car.

[NewmanJ87]

Well is this so imperative that you need to do it now? Why not wait to get the DS back on the car. Just connected to the diff of course. Its much easier this way if the car is proped up aplenty, and it costs less. :) But its all up to you, this is just a suggestion.

[Digitalwave]

I got it off today, thanks guys.

[Erick]

I got it off today, thanks guys.

A 15 minute celebration followed.

[kylebes1]

can the DS be rebalnced if I have to use a different front section? The rear sections is the proper 33 inches, but the front has to be 26.25 inches to fit behind the m50.

[e30Matt]

can the DS be rebalnced if I have to use a different front section? The rear sections is the proper 33 inches, but the front has to be 26.25 inches to fit behind the m50.

Yes.

[kylebes1]

Any one know if any BMW driveshaft has the deminsions:

with the guibo on the shaft 26.24 inches to the Center support bearing mounting hole.
33 inches fromthe flane othe diff to the center bearinng mounting hole