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    rear axles... whats out there thats strong.

    do you guys know if there are any companies out there besides driveshaft shop that make some sturdy axles for e30s. i have a ls swap in my car and love drag racing it, but lately ive gotten the the car dialed in and its not liking the 1-2 shift on good track prep. i will add that its been the advance auto axles that are breaking, i have been running one oem and one advance auto since the first one broke. its never the oem one that breaks. just seing if there was anything out there besides the $1,750.00 dss ones that will take the 420hp im trying to put to the ground.

    #2
    Originally posted by eurosport22 View Post
    its never the oem one that breaks.
    You answered your own question. Buy up two or three sets of used OE ones and rebuild them yourself.

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      #3
      Do e34 m5/535 or e32 750i rear axle swap :D

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        #4
        I agree with toaster! I have been rebuilding e30 axles for years and years at the shop and the box-store axles are JUNK. The inner cages are about 3mm thinner, bearings are smaller and the metals softer.

        When I first opened the shop 12yr ago, suggested a friend go to a box store and buy the Chinese axles, 1991 318iC, and they both snapped at an auto-x (bone stock m42/4.27 final drive). Since then I will only use GKN (~$290ea) axles when purchasing new, or just reman the stockers.

        Just an FYI, my buddy Good & Tight runs 9's in his turbo m30 e30 (~1.3 60's, 500+whp 600+wtq) and he only has the z3m stock used axles and a welded diff, been holding for what, at least 9yr(?) as he had that car/setup before moving to the larger shop in Feb '11.

        john@m20guru.com
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          #5
          John, GKN Lobro axles are only about $156/ea from FCPEuro (lifetime warranty). I don't think they are exactly the same as the originial BMW ones that came on the car though (they don't have that raised bump in the center of the axle), so I'm not sure how good those actually are. I was thinking about buying those rather than going through the effort of rebuilding mine.

          RISING EDGE

          Let's drive fast and have fun.

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            #6
            Originally posted by Digitalwave View Post
            John, GKN Lobro axles are only about $156/ea from FCPEuro (lifetime warranty). I don't think they are exactly the same as the originial BMW ones that came on the car though (they don't have that raised bump in the center of the axle), so I'm not sure how good those actually are. I was thinking about buying those rather than going through the effort of rebuilding mine.
            Wow, haven't priced them in a a bit, but the GKN axles are OEM+ quality. They don't have the "bamboo" bump in the middle because they just made the whole shaft that thick. They are substantially heavier than the aftermarket axles, and had a side by side pic of the last set I bought, but broke the phone before being able to upload them anywhere (aftermarket vs GKN) and just the difference in the shafts was obvious.

            EDIT: $264, I was darned close from memory :P



            https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...RoCJPIQAvD_BwE

            EDIT2: One set I replaced was because an endurance racing customer had ONE 14hr race on his axles and there was significant axial play in the cages. This is now year 4 (on 5-7 races/yr) and the GKN still have no play. I also used them in the 500whp m20 we built a few years ago, and those same axles now ride behind an 700hp 2j. That's proof enough for me. ;)
            john@m20guru.com
            Links:
            Transaction feedback: Here, here and here. Thanks :D

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              #7
              Doh, I had the wrong part number. That explains the price discrepancy.

              RISING EDGE

              Let's drive fast and have fun.

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                #8
                I have GKN ones On my 318Ti, the boots are squished together when the old Genuine ones were not, Before those the FEQ ones got terrible axle play in 1 year.. Stock M44. Unreal. . Waiting for the GKN to wear their boots out and sling. SO I can go throw them out the window, find a 20 year old Genuine axle and reboot it...

                I have Z3M Axles on my E30, they are stout. Never hooked up or launched on a strip and half the power. So Just a visual hearsay.


                Seems like E30 stock drive line is good for 400WHP anything more is Z3M, Then Big case diff if you make it that far. (Torque killers on the Strip)

                I was up above it, Now I'm down in it ~ Entropy - A Build thread.
                @Zakspeed_US

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by moatilliatta View Post
                  I have GKN ones On my 318Ti, the boots are squished together when the old Genuine ones were not, Before those the FEQ ones got terrible axle play in 1 year.. Stock M44. Unreal. . Waiting for the GKN to wear their boots out and sling. SO I can go throw them out the window, find a 20 year old Genuine axle and reboot it...

                  I have Z3M Axles on my E30, they are stout. Never hooked up or launched on a strip and half the power. So Just a visual hearsay.


                  Seems like E30 stock drive line is good for 400WHP anything more is Z3M, Then Big case diff if you make it that far. (Torque killers on the Strip)
                  Might be waiting a while for those GKN to wear the boots. The other thing I noticed about the GKN axles vs aftermarket (or even the replacement boots) was the boots were extremely thick yet pliable. Not sure why yours seemed more squished on the ti - did you use the e30 replacements or smaller x3/ti axles?

                  I haven't had a 188mm diff fail due to power - however FLG seemed to be twisting his output shafts drifting his ~600hp e30. The e36 also uses the same gear set/carrier as e30 and there's plenty of high power turbo 24v running around in them.
                  john@m20guru.com
                  Links:
                  Transaction feedback: Here, here and here. Thanks :D

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                    #10
                    Can also add that a GKN experienced premature boot failure on my E30. Swapped the passenger axle with a GKN as the OE boot was gone, and the GKN lasted less than two years and maybe 10K miles. The OE boot lasted about 7 years, a lot of miles and lots of abuse. Sample size of 1, so YMMV.

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                      #11
                      ^^^but when you purchase boots/axles from BMW themselves they are actually GKN/Lobro (OE supplier), so that is odd.

                      I just went back to my box of used OEM axle parts, and thought I saw "Lobro" on them - well they all have "Lobro West Germany" engraved on them. Right next to the BMW part number. I have 10 or 11 OEM axles and one from a box store in various stages of disassembly, they all have the logo (except the aftermarket, it's completely blank)...


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                      john@m20guru.com
                      Links:
                      Transaction feedback: Here, here and here. Thanks :D

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                        #12
                        Originally posted by ForcedFirebird View Post
                        ^^^but when you purchase boots/axles from BMW themselves they are actually GKN/Lobro (OE supplier), so that is odd.
                        Probably one of those cases of a supplier running out of a component and substituting something else, but it is a real shame. Either way, that just reminded me to order a set of GKN boots.

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                          #13
                          Current GKN are not old BMW Genuine, They are not the same.

                          I have a typ 188 diff in the 318Ti after chewing up plenty of pinion bearings on the 168s..

                          Anyone look at a New Genuine Axle?

                          I was up above it, Now I'm down in it ~ Entropy - A Build thread.
                          @Zakspeed_US

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                            #14
                            Originally posted by moatilliatta View Post
                            Current GKN are not old BMW Genuine, They are not the same.

                            I have a typ 188 diff in the 318Ti after chewing up plenty of pinion bearings on the 168s..

                            Anyone look at a New Genuine Axle?
                            Those pics I posted are from OEM axles - just had to clean the paint off to see it. Not sure how it's "not" BMW? Just like a genuine BMW timing belt clearly says "Contitech" right on it. Just like any other MFGR, BMW designs the part, then hires a third party to make them. Febi/Bilstein, Cortico, Contitech, Bosch etc are all "genuine BMW" parts but also make parts for many makers. No different than AC Delco parts on a GM, Motorcraft parts on a Ford etc.

                            ZF is not mfgr'd at BMW, but is genuine BMW - but - the same R&P in BMW's are in MB's/Dodges, and even now the new GM RWD platforms.

                            I would be wiling to bet if you go to BMW and get a "genuine BMW axle", take it home and clean the paint off, it's going to be the same exact axle with the same engraving. They just take them out of the box and put them in a bag with a BMW part number on them.

                            Now you have me curious. I have a couple e36 m3 and z3 axles, if I have time will go see if they are also are Lobro.
                            john@m20guru.com
                            Links:
                            Transaction feedback: Here, here and here. Thanks :D

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                              #15
                              There's ~15 cars here ranging from an '82 e24 to '02 e39.

                              318ti
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                              e39 528 sport wagon
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                              e39 540i
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                              As many cars as I could rub enough grime off the CV to read them, all have Lobro on them. Weather or not the boots are different from BMW to GKN/Lobro is beyond me, but all the axles are definitely made by Lobro.
                              Last edited by ForcedFirebird; 01-09-2020, 04:27 PM.
                              john@m20guru.com
                              Links:
                              Transaction feedback: Here, here and here. Thanks :D

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