Flex Disc

[saivior]

So, I just took my new '94 525ia in for a check-up and the shop found that the Driveshaft Flex Disc needs to be repaired ASAP (they showed it to me and it was shredding).

My question is: How hard is it to replace the Flex Disc?

I found the guide on BMWe34.net (http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/Maintenance/Transmission/CenterBearing.htm) for replacing the Flex Disc but I would like some opinions on how hard it is.

Plus, they want $550.00 to do the Flex disc, transmission mounts, and exhaust mounting hangers. While I priced out the parts from BMA to be: $131.16 with free shipping.

[pimpstaty5y]

you really dont need to replace the flex disk if your nice to your car...that is if you dont take it over 2500rpm...my flex disk was nonexistent in my 1995 530i and the only thing different was that it kicked when i put it in gear.well i ended up getting it fixed cause im a teenager and i cant live without my powerband....it cost me 320 bucks

[TouringDan]

you really dont need to replace the flex disk if your nice to your car...that is if you dont take it over 2500rpm...my flex disk was nonexistent in my 1995 530i and the only thing different was that it kicked when i put it in gear.well i ended up getting it fixed cause im a teenager and i cant live without my powerband....it cost me 320 bucks

Err... I can't tell if you're being exceptionally sarcastic, or just not mechanically inclined.

Replace that thing pronto. The Guibo will run you $75 or so from BMA or BavAuto, the mounts are $15 each and you need two. Also - get new nuts for the guibo bolts - I think they're a dollar each. They're self-locking, so that's why you don't want to re-use them. The job itself is supremely simple. I could do it in about 15 minutes.

The guibo is a vital part of your driveline. Treat it as such.

[whiskychaser]

The job itself is supremely simple. I could do it in about 15 minutes.

The guibo is a vital part of your driveline. Treat it as such.

It would take me 15 minutes to jack the car up! Follow the write up and you cant go far wrong. As its says, make sure you put it in the right way round and torque the correct side. Most important - dont get under it unless you are 200% sure its safe. Best to have someone with you - if only to pass you the next socket

[TouringDan]

It would take me 15 minutes to jack the car up!

Hehe.... I'm skinny. Rhino-Ramps rule!

[pimpstaty5y]

when i got mine done it took the guy 2 hours so its not going to take 15 mins...you have to remove your driveshaft and something with the exhaust jus to get to it,and if you dont put the driveshaft on EXACTLY the way you took it off reallly bad things can happen

[TouringDan]

The driveshaft does not have to come out - merely slid backwards. You can probably wedge the shaft backwards enough to remove the old guibo and install the new one without dropping the center bearing. Your mechanic was probably taking a nap under there. Worst-case scenario - you have to remove the front of the exhaust and drop the heatshield in order to drop the center bearing. That's 6 nuts on the collectors, 4 on the cats, and another 8 on the heatshield. I'll give you an hour to do all of that and have a break or two along the way.

It would behoove you to exercise some restraint in calling out 'bullshit' on someone's posting offering advice. Especially when that someone has a slightly higher mechanical ability, and perhaps more experience working on these cars than you.

[85rx12a]

lift the car and set it on stands...DO NOT USE THE BMW JACK!!!!! use a heavy duty floor jack and set the car on the stands.

grab 2 18mm wrenches and break the guibo bolts, you will find that you need to lift one rear tire off the ground to turn the drive shaft. set the floor jack under the lower control arm in the rear that is not chocked at the wheel, and lift the wheel just off the ground so it will spin.you can now shift between N and P to turn the shaft as needed.

remove the Guibo bolts

slid the shaft back so you can remove the old Guibo

replace the Guibo and reassemble your car....its that simple really...

I like to lift the car from the cross member under the motor just behind the oil sump and set the stands at the jacking points on either side. dont forget to chock a wheel and do the job on level ground. be careful....:)

OOPS you will need to loosen the center bearing. the exhaust does not have to come out though just pull the 6 13MM bolts that hold the heat sheild in place and work it out of there. it will come out and go back in its just a biotch.