When output flange goes bad.

[Naz]

I noticed the rear hub was loose a couple months back and it made me think oh..oh.
 
Today after I finished installing the front brake calipers I though it was time to face the inevitable. Without any force what so ever I was able to remove the rear nut and flange on the rear driver side wheel.
 
I think the images speak for themselves. Notice the broken bearing and beat up output shaft.
 
Now the challenge..According to realoem the rear bearings are the same as the E21. What are the odds that the output shaft is the same but separated only by bolt pattern difference? Has anyone ever had to replace the output shaft? If so, is there an alternative part (e21 or otherwise) that can be modified to avoid the very expensive original part?
 
The last pic was when my wife walked in on me and started laughing her ass off.. what's so funny??



 


 
 
 
 
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[02tom]

It might cost less to just find an exact replacement.  When I had mine off the car, I could swear I checked them for length against some longer stub axles that I have off my tii that weren't a good match IMO for the tii.  They were too long compared to the 2002 stub axles, and I'm pretty sure they were the same length as the NK.  I don't remember what someone said they thought they may be off from, as my attachments only go back to 2006, and I would have posted the question around 2005.  The car had 320i drum brakes on the car when I got it, and these are looking more and more like 320i drive line parts.  They measure out at 230mm from flange surface to the threaded end.

 

Changing out to the symmetric bolt pattern, you would have to replace at least the outer CV joint.  Using the stub axle with more triangular splines I have (on the right in the picture - maybe an e21? / 2002 on the left) would require the matching hub flange, the half shafts, and the sub shafts on the differential to be changed out.

 

Doing a quick search, the output flanges are a match to an e21:

https://www.bavauto.com/catalog/product/view/id/109989/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cse&utm_term=33411123916-320I-1983-17634&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwe_hq8He1QIVSGV-Ch0fXgjjEAQYASABEgJj_vD_BwE

 

Anyway, maybe some of this info will help you in the right direction

Edited August 17, 2017 by 02tom

[Naz]

Tom, I found a used pair outGermany for 99 euro so I grabbed them. Thanks for The Info re: hub


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[02tom]

Related to this, I was able to order and finally receive one of the half rounded 3 hole reinforcements for the half shaft bolts from BMW.  It took 6 months, but I believe they found where they had misplaced them if you should need any.  Part 33 21 1 102 222 - When I originally ordered them, I was told they were showing over 100 in Germany.

[Naz]

That's interesting Tom, I never knew that was even part of the assembly. Those hole reinforcement were never present when I took it apart. My bolts are hex bolts rather than the Alan key style as well. I like the idea of adding the reinforcement now that I see it.





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[02tom]

I wasn't even thinking about the older style axles, I don't think they require these.  My car came with the newer style axles installed on the rear axle - with cv joints on either end, but it had the older style axles as in your picture in the trunk.

[Naz]

Thanks for the info on the output flange btw. In your pic they look the same.


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[Naz]

Got one side done finally. It's been slow going these days but I'm back at it. Looks like the park brake cable is seized up so I'm just going to replace both sides and be done with it.




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