Bitch! NEVER USE THRED LOCK!

[BMW Punk]

My shifter finaly got so sloppy that it was time to replace the shift tower. Since I dont have accese to a lift I droped it off to a mechanic. Hears the deal when he removed the 30mm nut that secures the flex plated to the drive shaft he striped the threads on the shaft comming out of my tranny. Apperently some weekend wanna be mechanic had put thread lock on the 30mm nut that tourqes to 250fpt, what an ass! now we are trying to locate a die to rethred the trany shaft. Does any body know the proper size for the die we need? Is it a 20mm by 1.5?
Take auto shop, buy a manual and redit before pretending to be a mechanic boys! [bmwdance]

 

[epj3]

Um I'm pretty sure you almost have to use thread lock there, or else if you do a hard reverse start that bolt can come loose.

 

[PhatBimmer]

I have no idea but good luck with finding that die. If you do some reaseach (maybe Bentley manual?) or manufacturer manual they might show you if such a thing is needed. Good luck

 

[epj3]

Your mechanic shouldn't have a problem with it. It's a nut, not a bolt if I remember correctly.

It's a bad picture but you get the idea?

 

[BMW Punk]

Yeah thats it
You see the nut in the center of the drive shaft mount? On the shaft comming out of the tranny? Thats it.

 

[epj3]

Yeah thats it
You see the nut in the center of the drive shaft mount? On the shaft comming out of the tranny? Thats it.

I don't see how he could've stripped it. Stripping a nut/bolt usually where the threads get messed up to the point they aren't useable. That usually happens while OVER tightening, but not loosening. I am willing to bet you mean he rounded off the nut itself? It's an odd socket and a lot of times if someone doesn't have a thin wall deep socket, they'll try to use something that doesn't fit the entire way on -- and you can imagine something with 2 and a half times the torque you are supposed to use on a wheel stud....it would round off easily.

 

[tool fan]

epj3, I must say I find your posts most educational. I know nothing about the inner workings of cars, but reading your posts is helping me get a grasp on some of the basics. Thanks bro'

 

[underDAWG]

Yeap, I agree with EPJ.

A thin wall deep socket is hard to find. I gave up long ago to find one. I just grounded down a cheap deep socket from Harbor Feight. It only took less the 5 minutes.

Having the right tools is the name of the game in working your baby.

Me: Honey, I need more tools.
Wife: Didn't you just get a bunch last week
Me: Yeah... that was for my car. Now I need it for yours.
Wife: OK............

It work every tiime. [fake]

Later,

 

[jrt67ss350]

I am willing to bet you mean he rounded off the nut itself? It's an odd socket and a lot of times if someone doesn't have a thin wall deep socket, they'll try to use something that doesn't fit the entire way on -- and you can imagine something with 2 and a half times the torque you are supposed to use on a wheel stud....it would round off easily.

I'd be willing to bet my BMW that that is what happened.

YOUR MECHANIC didn't use the right tool for the job. I did this job myself a couple of months ago. If you use the RIGHT tool, there is no way that this thing would get stripped/rounded off. It's very easy if you have the correct BMW thin-walled socket. By the way, according to BMW, you are SUPPOSED to use the type of Locktite that requires heating to 250 degrees F on that big nut as well as on the output shaft flange - if you do not use the appropriate locktite, transmission fluid will leak out around the nut.

By the way, if you were having the shift linkage replaced, then why was your mechanic removing this nut?

 

[mjbst111]

Maybe he's working on the forks?? Or just replacing the output shaft seal while the tranny is out??

I went to a dealer and they let me borrow the socket for the weekend when i worked on mine. That socket is hard to find... snap-on has them but they are a pretty penny.

 

[jrt67ss350]

Not hard to find - bavauto has them in stock - ordered mine with the output shaft and selector shaft seals.

 

[mjbst111]

ya, just so expencive for one time use though!

 

[jrt67ss350]

ya, just so expencive for one time use though!

Yeah, but that's the world of BMW ownership. [bmwdance]

 

[BMW Punk]

Ok Boys, The 325 is back on the road.
My Mech. used the roght socket andI have the nut to prove it, I found the die at Harbor Freight Tools ( this place kicks ass for hard to find tools) The first three threds were striped and he rethredded it. He says that its not uncommon for this to happen when removing the flexplater from the tranny, very few and far between but not uncommon.