Bracket dropped off but from where?

[Harri590]

Pretty sure the bracket below has dropped from my 320D, any ideas where it has came from? Looking to get it on a ramp tonight.

[greenohawk69]

I can't see the picture.

[Codes2]

I'm pretty sure that's your entire rear differential and axle. Time for a new car.
Oh, wait, yes, the picture... I'm with greenohawk69

[Harri590]

Haha, I’ll try again.... DCADF932-365E-4A85-B5EB-C80C28A48F58.jpg

[Harri590]

Haha, I’ll try again.... DCADF932-365E-4A85-B5EB-C80C28A48F58.jpg

Any ideas folks?

[greenohawk69]

No. Did you get it on a ramp and check under the car?

[Codes2]

Yup. Gotta start looking.
You can go to realoem.com, put your vin in and start looking at the shape of parts in areas you feel suspect.

[White94RX]

Looks like bellhousing bolts to me.

[Harri590]

Looks like bellhousing bolts to me.

So the answer is that the bracket is a retaining bracket from the rear drive shaft to the diff. There’s 3 of them with 2 bolts each. I had the rear drive shafts changed out a while back for the common ABS fault with the corroding reluctor rings tearing the wheel speed sensors and looks like the muppet used the old bolts and didn’t torque them.

Very lucky to have found the bracket and investigated, could have been a disaster.

Here is an article of the same issue.... https://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=951205

[Codes2]

Crazy. Glad you sorted it out.

[White94RX]

Yep. Looking at it again you are correct. Glad you got it fixed. That could have ended badly if the driveshaft had come loose from the diff.