Rear drive shaft removal issues

[HurtCobain]

I’m replacing my rear drive shaft currently in my car, I am aware that the car has to be jacked up on all 4 tires and e brake needs to be pulled up and the gear needs to be shifted to natural or drive however my rear wheels still spin and I can’t loosen up the nuts because of this because the tires still spin my thinking was that my ebrake is shoot.


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[richardodn]

Sounds like it. Here's a trick. Use a second wrench over another nut to hold the shaft from spinning.

[superj]

yup. or a longer screw driver between two nuts

[HurtCobain]

Sounds like it. Here's a trick. Use a second wrench over another nut to hold the shaft from spinning.

Thanks I’ll try that out tomorrow I’ll update when I get the multiple nuts undone


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[HurtCobain]

yup. or a longer screw driver between two nuts

Also an option I’ll have to check out thanks


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[ELVA164]

Just grab the shaft and hold it in place like a man

[HurtCobain]

Just an update I got the drive shaft to stop spinning I had to pull the e brake and have the car in PARK oddly enough this is for a IX model. Still can’t bust the nuts off with the wrench however letting some lithium grease sit on it till Saturday in hope to be able to use a rubber mallet in assistance to wack them off.


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[superj]

or a cheater bar over the wrench

[kingsalmon]

Use your legs. Literally put your foot on the wrench and push with your legs. Always been the easiest way for me.

[bmwman91]

Lithium grease is not likely to help. You want to get some penetrating oil, like PB Blaster (works but shells awful and splashes) or the penetrating stuff made by WD40.

One problem is that the staked nuts embedded in the driveshaft flange can strip and spin with the nut. I think that some driveshafts have these welded in place, but on ones that do not, it can happen. This is a huge pain in the ass. In my case, it made reinstalling the ovalled nuts a big pain, but I was able to get vise grips onto the head and make it work.

Go get yourself a dead-blow hammer. It is a plastic/rubber mallet with sand inside. These will often break troublesome fasteners loose without placing an unreasonable shock load on things.

[Ceekers]

so that's opposite to hitting it with his purse? lol

[HurtCobain]

Lithium grease is not likely to help. You want to get some penetrating oil, like PB Blaster (works but shells awful and splashes) or the penetrating stuff made by WD40.

One problem is that the staked nuts embedded in the driveshaft flange can strip and spin with the nut. I think that some driveshafts have these welded in place, but on ones that do not, it can happen. This is a huge pain in the ass. In my case, it made reinstalling the ovalled nuts a big pain, but I was able to get vise grips onto the head and make it work.

Go get yourself a dead-blow hammer. It is a plastic/rubber mallet with sand inside. These will often break troublesome fasteners loose without placing an unreasonable shock load on things.

Thanks dude I’m trying that now hopefully I have some success


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[HurtCobain]

So I finally got all the hardware off the rear driveshaft how do I remove it now? These weird little bolts are the only things that remains do they slide out if I wack them on the opposing side to remove them?


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[superj]

no, leave those. did you pull the center support bearing bolts so the driveshaft is not hung up from the middle? DO NOT LET THE DRIVE SHAFT SPLIT IN TWO!!!! if you do, you might as well buy another because it sucks so much trying to get it back to balanced. or you can hope there is a good place around your town that can balance a drive shaft.

anyways, if you don't drop the center support bearing, you won't get enough slack in the driveshaft to get those bolts to slide out of their holes.

- - - Updated - - -

also, you got the other two bolts, also, on that flange? there are four bolts on each side of the drive shaft that you have to remove those large nuts from

[HurtCobain]

no, leave those. did you pull the center support bearing bolts so the driveshaft is not hung up from the middle? DO NOT LET THE DRIVE SHAFT SPLIT IN TWO!!!! if you do, you might as well buy another because it sucks so much trying to get it back to balanced. or you can hope there is a good place around your town that can balance a drive shaft.

anyways, if you don't drop the center support bearing, you won't get enough slack in the driveshaft to get those bolts to slide out of their holes.

- - - Updated - - -

also, you got the other two bolts, also, on that flange? there are four bolts on each side of the drive shaft that you have to remove those large nuts from

Thanks for the fair warning it looks like the center support bearing is missing the previous owner must have removed it, I uploaded a video under the car of the general area of the REAR DRIVESHAFT. https://youtu.be/EdIhV0MsPMI


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[superj]

I cannot watch those videos here at work, and I hardly ever get on after work, so someone else will have to check it out.

how did they mount the driveshaft with no center support bearing? the driveshaft would flop around and drag on the ground. you bought this car and it was not drivable and you are bringing her back?

anyways, hopefully its smooth sailing from here on out. keep asking questions and I will try and answer, as well as the others answering

[HurtCobain]

I cannot watch those videos here at work, and I hardly ever get on after work, so someone else will have to check it out.

how did they mount the driveshaft with no center support bearing? the driveshaft would flop around and drag on the ground. you bought this car and it was not drivable and you are bringing her back?

anyways, hopefully its smooth sailing from here on out. keep asking questions and I will try and answer, as well as the others answering

It’s all good man I still appreciate your help the car was completely drivable when I got it, I’m puzzled how it’s missing I already took out the front driveshaft already it seems like the center support bearing is located at the front driveshaft and not the rear. IX’s are weird honestly.


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[superj]

ohh, I forgot its an ix

[95BMWIC]

ItÂ’s all good man I still appreciate your help the car was completely drivable when I got it, IÂ’m puzzled how itÂ’s missing I already took out the front driveshaft already it seems like the center support bearing is located at the front driveshaft and not the rear. IXÂ’s are weird honestly.

The IX does not have a Central Support Bearing (front or rear driveshaft).

You can knock out those 4 half-head bolts (knurled bolts) to remove driveshaft. I recommend ordering 4 new ones to replace (but its up to you and budget)
https://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin...on=26111206718


A couple of things - Do you have a workshop manual (Bentley)? Also use this site to view diagrams of the parts you are removing http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/select to help you orient yourself. I recommend buying a Bentley - I hear there are some free pdf's available on the googler machine if you look hard enough.

Also - Put the car that you are working on in either the first post - what year, model, sedan /coupe, transmission - Im guessing 1988-90 325IX coupe with Auto transmission? It helps us help you.

Why are you "replacing" your rear driveshaft? Seems like a lot of work for something you state later was completely "drivable".

[HurtCobain]

The IX does not have a Central Support Bearing (front or rear driveshaft).

You can knock out those 4 half-head bolts (knurled bolts) to remove driveshaft. I recommend ordering 4 new ones to replace (but its up to you and budget)
https://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin...on=26111206718


A couple of things - Do you have a workshop manual (Bentley)? Also use this site to view diagrams of the parts you are removing http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/select to help you orient yourself. I recommend buying a Bentley - I hear there are some free pdf's available on the googler machine if you look hard enough.

Also - Put the car that you are working on in either the first post - what year, model, sedan /coupe, transmission - Im guessing 1988-90 325IX coupe with Auto transmission? It helps us help you.

Why are you "replacing" your rear driveshaft? Seems like a lot of work for something you state later was completely "drivable".

Thanks for all your help I was puzzled about the center support bearing, I been meaning to buy a Bentley just haven’t got to it. And I have just be replacing a lot of parts lately ever since my heater core decided to stop running on me causing the car to overheat so I’ve been diligent and have been replacing a lot of parts with brand new ones. It’s kinda overkill what I’m doing but I’d rather service things I know that will fail eventually while everything is easy to reach since a lot of the car is taken apart at the current moment. The main reason for the driveshaft being services is because the car would vibrate a little so I figured the flex disk needs to be replaced.


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