Experience with replacing driveshaft center support bearing?

[blue7500]

I'm 95% sure my CSB is going out (there's a general whirring sound coming from underneath the car, sometimes even shrieking, and it doesn't sound like it's coming from behind me) but being a poor college student, I'd rather pay $50 for the part and do it myself than pay $300 for someone else to do it.

I know you need to get a 22mm (or is it 24mm?) 12pt wrench and slim it down to undo that nut that's torqued to 150ft-lbs (and rusted on!), but is it really going to be that hard? Any tips or tricks anybody's found?

[gregp553]

send me an email and I'll send you an article I wrote that gives the procedures for the novice like me. gregp553athotmail.com. You can do it.

[Guest Anonymous]

There is only one way for you to determine if center bearing replacement is too difficult for you - try it yourself. Maybe things are much looser than your fears! While you can perform the replacement with the driveshaft partially attached, it is not that much more difficult for you to remove the entire driveshaft from the car. Then you are in a better position to wrestle with nuts.

Having a bench vice is helpful, but hardly necessary. I have seen the nuts removed by all sorts of ingenuity including wedging the shaft between the road and a tire or by having a friend hold on to the shaft with channel locks, rag covered pipe wrench or chain wrench. If none of these things will work, then take the shaft to a machine shop and they ought to be able to inexpensively help you.

It is important to mark each part before you take it apart to retain some semblance of balance.

Removal of the bearing is easy. Brass drift, wood, or even a very carefully placed chisel will work in a pinch. Replacement can be accomplished any number of ways including the use of a short piece of pipe.

One more word of caution. When you have the driveshaft loose or off the vehicle, rotate the universal joints and check for smooth movement. You may be surprised to find the difficult to replace "staked" joints are in need of replacement. At this point, go see a machinist or driveshaft specialist.

Post you successful resolution of this undertaking!!

[JerryC]

It's everything Roberto said. For my cars, a Craftsman 24mm box end wrench has always worked without "slimming down". Also, if you disconnect the front guibo joint you ought to just replace it. If you don't, get a large hose clamp (or 2 - 3 smaller ones connected in series) and put it around the guibo and tighten it until the bolts slide out freely. Reassembly will be much simpler!

[colorobo2002]

don't be ashamed if you can't remove that nut yourself. I struggled with it using evey which method outside of power tools. Then I said screw it, brought it to a driveshaft shop and had them replace the CB on the driveshaft for me, cost me $30, and I was happy. Good luck.

[satsuma]

I split a shaft just the other day. The nut was solid and a spanner plus hammer didn't touch it, in the end I used a blow lamp to heat the nut then a drift punch and hammer to loosen it. I got it off but the nut wasn't reusable, but then they are only $10 from Jaymic here in the UK.

I agree that its best to take the shaft off the car, trying to free the nut while on your back with rust flakes falling into your eyes, ears and nose!! no thanks

Ben

[BillWilliams]

[winstontj]

It's easy. Replace the flex disc, flex disc bolts & nuts and transmission mount while you are in there. It will help if you have two people but if not you can always just use a screwdriver in the rear joint while you loosen the rear nuts.

Take note of doubling up the wrenches - you'll need that leverage to get the rear of the drivehsaft off. First time will take you probably 4 hours to do... once you have done the job a few times it can be done in much less. Don't mess around with the exhaust... take it off and it'll be much easier.

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,57/page,viewtopic/t,284866/highlight,csb+driveshaft/

Mark the halves like the photos as well!!! VERY IMPORTANT!

[PatAllen]

last time i did this i let the driveshaft on the car so i was not in need to put a pipe wrench on it and then risk of damaging the tube. put it in gear, aply hand brake and ask a buddy to hold brakes if it is not enough to "hold" the driveshaft from spining.

TRIPLE MAKE SURE THE TWO HALVES ARE MARKED BEFORE DISASEMBLY AND REASEMBLE THEM THE WAY THEY WERE BEFORE otherwise the fine precious balancing will be lost, vibration will occur and the guibo and joints will not last very long.

[blue7500]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I've already replaced the guibo about 5 months ago, as well as replaced the stock (collapsed) transmission mount with an e21 unit at the same time. The earliest I can undertake this task is in about two weeks, so I'll bookmark this thread and report back when I'm done. And it sounds like if I get a Craftsman 24mm wrench, I won't need to machine it down or anything... That's convenient.