Can’t get backlash tight enough

[lorenzo233]

Hi I’m trying to install a mfactory helical diff in my 2002 e46 325ci I bought the mfactory shim kit but I can’t seem to get my backlash tight enough even when using all the shims the backlash is wayyy to large. Also when I use all the shims it leaves no room for the cclip anyways. iv been tryna rebuild this diff for a whole two months I can’t figure out what’s wrong. This is my first project car so I’m not that knowledgeable

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Thinking about buying another diff case to see if that helps

[bmwdirtracer]

Rebuilding a diff isn't a DIY kind of thing; swapping to an LSD internals is also more complex on some BMWs. On an E36 that I swapped from open to LSD, the thinner ring gear mounting required a ~1/2" thick custom machined spacer to mount the posi unit correctly.

Oranges and apples don't mate easily. You might be better off just purchasing a used medium LSD diff, intact, or ordering a diff from Diffsonline.

[lorenzo233]

Rebuilding a diff isn't a DIY kind of thing; swapping to an LSD internals is also more complex on some BMWs. On an E36 that I swapped from open to LSD, the thinner ring gear mounting required a ~1/2" thick custom machined spacer to mount the posi unit correctly.

Oranges and apples don't mate easily. You might be better off just purchasing a used medium LSD diff, intact, or ordering a diff from Diffsonline.

Yeah that was my back up plan if this doesn’t work but I already bought this lsd so I might as well try

[ross1]

Not sure if this will be helpful or not but perhaps if you are using a different gear ratio now a different carrier will be required. This happens a lot with the old domestic differentials where a carrier is specific to a range of ratios. A ring gear spacer as dirtracer mentions was often employed when the carrier and gear set were mismatched.

[lorenzo233]

Yeah that’s what happen it was for a 3.07 diff not a 3.49 so I just bought a 3.07 used diff and swapped it over works like a dream now