Anyone changed a drive shaft center bearing..... Tips..

[FL_72_2002]

About to tackle this, is there a thread or a prayer one must take, how difficult is it...

Any tricks?

Thanks

[SteveK535]

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,364648/highlight,/

Just did it recently, you'll need to remove the drive shaft, obviously, then take the drive shaft halves apart via the big 24 mm nut inside the clevis, see pasted post above. Once its apart use a wheel puller to pull off the bearing (I cut the rubber boot close to the bearing first to make it easier to grab. Installation is the reverse, only you can tap it on with a big socket or piece of pipe. Do a search on "center bearing" and the "drive shaft nut" removal and you'll find some good tips with pictures in some cases. Two biggest things to remember is to take your time and mark the halves of the shaft before you separate them, otherwise it may be out of balance when you reassemble it.

[c.d.iesel]

...... for your reassembly :

[SteveJ]

Many people have had to grind off a little bit from their 24mm box end wrench to get in in the tight space. That is not a given, because my Craftsman 24mm combo wrench fit in there just fine.

A chain vise-grip prier is a nice item to use to hold the driveshaft from rotating while you undo the bolts from the diff and guibo.

You are replacing the guibo, while you are in there? Also, think about all the bolts and mounts for the shifter platform. Now is the time.

Not a difficult job. Only a pain if you have to lay on your back. Get it out of there and treat yourself to the rest of the job on an elevated workbench.

[tim385]

+1 above, do all the other crap under there at the same time , cheap peace of mind for later.

[eurotrash]

Try dropping the shaft on a chunk of wood on the floor to slide the bearing off, worked for me. One hit. It's not on there that tight. Thanks to Todd21 for that tip.

I suspect that the recommended "preload" that you must put on the center bearing when bolting it to the car is simply tension to keep the thing in place.

[flyingjolly]

and remember, that there's loctite on the 24mm nut, so you might need quite a long lever for it.

[thehackmechanic]

Yeah, I had to put the driveshaft in a big freaking table vice, squeeze down on it so tight I thought I was going to deform it, and put a big pipe on the end of my wrench. The nut never "cracked" (gave a loud CRACK and then let go); instead it was an eighth a turn at a time of back-wrenching leverage.

[eurotrash]

A vice works for me. I just to put the squeeze on the cast portion that holds the U joint. Not tight enough to compress, just hold.. And the big 24mm nut busts loose rather easily then.. with a long pipe over the wrench.

[BillWilliams]

Another way:

[SteveK535]

That's the way I did it too. I actually used those photos to figure out how to do it with misc items I had at my disposal to hold it in place. Instead of kneeling on the bolted on bar, I wedged it under the tire of my boat trailer so I could get the leverage.