Driveshaft separation

[Colinoscopy]

Hey guys,


Working on replacing my center support bearing right now. Got the guibo and everything disconnected but now I'm stuck at the separation point between the front and rear driveshaft. It doesn't look like anything posted online for the e36 m3. I've attached pics below. Any idea of how to get these two apart? The old CSB is still wrapped around this as well, regardless there should still be a way to pull it apart. Thanks

PS this is a 6 bolt CV driveshaft if that helps at all.
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[Twistytee]

There's an 18mm bolt that connects the joint flange to the forward shaft just to the rear of the CSB. The lighting in the photo is bad but you can see it in your second photo to the right inside the u joint flange. Remove this bolt (I think you need a 12 point box wrench) and you should be able to separate the two. You might need a gear puller to pop it out of the old CSB.

[JDStrickland]

STOP!

Before you proceed, mark the sections before and after the slip joint with paint.

The u-joints fit into yokes. One side of the yoke is fixed to the shaft, the other side has splines that slide into the section that the center support holds up. Remove the bolts that hold the driveshaft to the diff and the trans, and drop the center support bracket. The u-joint next to the center support can be separated from forward section of the drive shaft so you can get the center support bearing off. YOU MUST MARK BOTH HALVES OF THE DRIVE SHAFT BEFORE YOU SEPARATE THE SLIP JOINT SO THAT YOU CAN REASSEMBLE THE SLIP JOINT SO THE SHAFT REMAINS BALANCED AND THE YOKES REMAIN IN PHASE. You should also mark the orientation of the shaft to the differential and the transmission so you reassemble the parts in the same orientation.

[Colinoscopy]

There's an 18mm bolt that connects the joint flange to the forward shaft just to the rear of the CSB. The lighting in the photo is bad but you can see it in your second photo to the right inside the u joint flange. Remove this bolt (I think you need a 12 point box wrench) and you should be able to separate the two. You might need a gear puller to pop it out of the old CSB.

Got everything off and replaced after working on that 18mm. Thanks!

JD don't worry I marked everything. It's backed together running smoothly. Thanks also.