Driveshaft question

[hatchman088]

Well I took my 1990 325ix (its an auto unfortunatley) to get its first real BMW inspection in a while today and among the countless problems found, the one im most concerned is the replacement of the rear driveshaft. Im looking for a used shaft and after searching online for a while I've found a few replacment shafts to be from $300-$600.

I would like to know if it would be at all possible to use any other driveshaft from a 3 series of its time like from a 325i or other?

Or if by any rare chance you yourself know of a website or know someone with a used driveshaft?

Thank you for your time

 

[mjbst111]

i've seen lots of driveshafts at junk yards, they sell them pretty cheap.

If you go to a drive shaft shop, you can purchase a reconditioned one for around 300.

I went to buy a 90 driveshaft at a junk yard for my 91 and they were significantly different. Different bolt pattern width. I think there are only 2 differernt sizes/kinds. They had to take my vin number to make sure they were getting me the correct shaft.

not sure if any of this helps....

 

[hatchman088]

You say there are only 2 size/kinds, does this mean that a drive shaft from a non ix BMW of the same year would work with it?

Im going to go scope out prices and availabilty of driveshafts from stores and a junkyard this weekend so i hope something turns up

 

[epj3]

You say there are only 2 size/kinds, does this mean that a drive shaft from a non ix BMW of the same year would work with it?

Im going to go scope out prices and availabilty of driveshafts from stores and a junkyard this weekend so i hope something turns up

There are going to be at least 2 different styles/sizes for each car. Like a 318i automatic will have a different driveshaft than a 318i manual. The 325i RWD models have a different driveshaft between the automatics and manuals, and I believe the 325i models are different than the 318's. So I would assume the 325ix's would have totally different driveshafts than the RWD models, and the manual and automatic versions will be different too. www.realoem.com/bmw/ look your car up there, and you can get the part number you need.

Are you sure the driveshaft is bad? Unless the U joints are bad, I can't believe that the driveshaft itself would need replaced. It might need a new center support bearing (which is in the middle of the driveshaft) but thats' easy to do.

 

[hatchman088]

ah alright I figured what they ment by two was man/auto for each model but I just had to make sure that this wasnt simpler than it seemed

 

[mjbst111]

ah alright I figured what they ment by two was man/auto for each model but I just had to make sure that this wasnt simpler than it seemed

yeah sorry about the misunderstanding.

as Eric said, the only reason to replace is a bad ujoint. move them back and forth and check for any kind of resistance. (even the smallest resistance can make the shaft shake)

But more commonly it is a guibo (flex disk) or the center support bearing (bad unit or improperly mounted unit)