HELP!!! Need a center support bearing today in Kalamazoo MI

[b5dover]

I've spent the last 2 weeks getting my car ready for a road trip to Ohio tomorrow morning. All new ball joints, new brakes, and a new wheel bearing. As my luck would have it last night on my way home on the highway the center support bearing decides to seize and destroy the rubber mount. Now it sounds like the driveshaft is trying to come up through the center console. Is there anyone out there in south west michigan with a csb for an i? Even if its used, as long as it'll get me there and back.

[Asbradley21]

Try the stealer? You might pay more than you want, but many dealers do keep CSB's.

[b5dover]

Tried the stealer, of course they don't have one in stock. No one else in town either has one or has any idea what I'm talking about. I have 3 possible options.

1. There's an 89 ix at a local u-pull that I can try (if anything i can get a set of plastic bumpers and some other goodies)
Also, does anyone know if the ix's had the same csb as the i's

2. Make a spare one with a torn out bushing into a solid one. (I know it'll vibrate but at least it would work)

3. Could I press a new bearing only into an e28 mount? Im not sure if the bearings are a different external size, any input?

[TrentW]

I believe the ix's have a single piece driveshaft. According to realoem there isn't a csb listed. I've got an extra used one you could have, but of course that doesn't help you right now.

98.9% of the time csb failure is caused by u-joint freeplay or binding, so after your road trip it would be highly adviseable to look into this.

[b5dover]

Well after putting over 700 miles on it this weekend I've concluded that although slightly uncomfortable, solid csb's are a viable option for a quick fix. I know the welds aren't the prettiest but their strong. All you need are 4 hex nuts 5/8in across and a wire wheel on a grinder. The only issue I encountered is that it has a vibration at 20mph, 50mph, 80mph. This must be the resonance frequencies of the driveshaft. But, if you keep it above or below those speeds it's smooth as silk.