Differential Swap

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iliad

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#1
I've been wanting to swap out my stockdiff for the limited slip diff, although I don't know whether I will be able to or not. Pelican parts' tech article list it as a 4 and I have changed my head gasket on my own, so I guess I should be able to. Anyone done this before and can give me a heads up on the harder parts?
I just got back from my BMW dealership here in new orleans and they were acting like asses that didn't want to be bothered. They quoted me 8 hours of work totaling $700. Sounds a little high huh?
Thanks,
Brian.
 
echothreezero

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The important thing is to make sure the LSD will fit. I'm pretty sure most LSD's and standard diffs on 325e's are medium case diffs so that's not a problem.

The job itself is pretty straight forward, just fiddly.

Unbolt the driveshaft (easier with two people - one to sit in the car and apply/release the handbrake, and one to turn the shaft and undo the bolts.)

Undo the six internal hex-head bolts on the half-shaft on each side and tie the half shaft up to the car so weight isn't on it (to avoid damaging your CV's). Much easier with a rattle gun on low torque setting so you don't need to go through the same handbrake on/off scenario for twelve bolts., ESPECIALLY if you are on your own and have to get out from under the car each time!

Then loosen the four bolts on top of the diff these are really hard to get to - not so bad to undo though), Place a jack under the diff to hold the weight and undo the four bolts and the bolt through the diff hanger.

Slowly lower the diff to remove.

Installation is reverse, except get the four bolts on top of the diff lined up and their threads started before doing the hanger as they are hard to reach and need to be perfectly aligned to go in - very fiddly, but with care you can get them done fairly quickly.

Then just bolt everything back together.

Driveshaft bolts and halfshaft bolts technically should be torqued correctly.

Easy as that.

It would pay to do a fluid change on the LSD before installing.
 
Doughnut

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iliad said:
I've been wanting to swap out my stockdiff for the limited slip diff, although I don't know whether I will be able to or not. Pelican parts' tech article list it as a 4 and I have changed my head gasket on my own, so I guess I should be able to. Anyone done this before and can give me a heads up on the harder parts?
I just got back from my BMW dealership here in new orleans and they were acting like asses that didn't want to be bothered. They quoted me 8 hours of work totaling $700. Sounds a little high huh?
Thanks,
Brian.
Click to expand...

8 hours to do this particular job is crazy, Providing you have the right tools and strength (all the bolts including top diff bolts are bloody tight, and awkward!!)jack the rear of the car up nice and high put safty stands under the chassis rails (let rear suspension sag down) Grab a mate, a few beers and hook in!

Take some photo's of the process and post them up here!
 
I

iliad

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echothreezero said:
The important thing is to make sure the LSD will fit. I'm pretty sure most LSD's and standard diffs on 325e's are medium case diffs so that's not a problem.

The job itself is pretty straight forward, just fiddly.

Unbolt the driveshaft (easier with two people - one to sit in the car and apply/release the handbrake, and one to turn the shaft and undo the bolts.)

Undo the six internal hex-head bolts on the half-shaft on each side and tie the half shaft up to the car so weight isn't on it (to avoid damaging your CV's). Much easier with a rattle gun on low torque setting so you don't need to go through the same handbrake on/off scenario for twelve bolts., ESPECIALLY if you are on your own and have to get out from under the car each time!

Then loosen the four bolts on top of the diff these are really hard to get to - not so bad to undo though), Place a jack under the diff to hold the weight and undo the four bolts and the bolt through the diff hanger.

Slowly lower the diff to remove.

Installation is reverse, except get the four bolts on top of the diff lined up and their threads started before doing the hanger as they are hard to reach and need to be perfectly aligned to go in - very fiddly, but with care you can get them done fairly quickly.

Then just bolt everything back together.

Driveshaft bolts and halfshaft bolts technically should be torqued correctly.

Easy as that.

It would pay to do a fluid change on the LSD before installing.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the help.
I am sure it will fit, I already have the new diff I just gotta put it in.
Yea I don't have an impact wrench (no power tools at all) :(
but I thought that as long as the car was in gear I wouldn't be able to rotate the drive shaft...
Yeah I think I am going to give all the bolts a good soaking with wd40 before I start anything.
I can change the fluid in the new diff before I install it right?
Thanks again,
Brian.
 
I

iliad

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Doughnut said:
8 hours to do this particular job is crazy, Providing you have the right tools and strength (all the bolts including top diff bolts are bloody tight, and awkward!!)jack the rear of the car up nice and high put safty stands under the chassis rails (let rear suspension sag down) Grab a mate, a few beers and hook in!

Take some photo's of the process and post them up here!
Click to expand...
Yea I figure I'll take about 4 hours or so.
I wish I had a buddy to help me, but I always gotta get it done by myself. [xx(]

Sure I'll take some pics and post them when I'm done.
Thanks,
Brian.
 
echothreezero

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Yes - change the fluid before you put it in - so much easier.

Yes, if the car is in gear, it'll hold it still, in which case undo the CV's before the driveshaft as once its off it won't be holding things still anymore.

The problem still lies in the fact you can't get to more than two of the bolts at a time, so you still have to lock it in gear or with handbrake, undo a couple of bolts, get out from under the car, re lease the handbrake, get under again to rotate it to the right place, get out and lock gearshift or handbrake, then get back under there again to loosen the next couple.

You'll also have more room if you remove the wheels first.

Have fun!
 
I

iliad

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I got done swapping out the LSD yesterday. It took me almost 6 hours to get it done and I needed a friend to help me.
Although I have to say this was the most aggravating and unrewarding (upgrade) I have done.
I installed the 4.10 LSD and now I can't even do 60 mph without revving to 5000 rpms. I redline in 5th doing 85mph.
Now I have to go through all that work again to put the original diff back in.
oh well, at least now I know how to do it now :) [headbang]
 
echothreezero

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Well, if you feel like some more work, you can swap the crown gear between the two diffs and change your LSD to the same ratio as your old diff, so you'll get your LSD and the correct ratio.

There's plenty of info online if you google. It's a fairly easy job with the diff out of the car.

6 hours??? Man, that must have cost you a fortune in beer!
 
Doughnut

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Unfortunantly, pulling apart the two diffs to change over the crown wheel (and pinon?) means down time for your e30 (more down time) and you are sure to run into problems with the bearing preloads etc... Thats my opinion anyway.

echothreezero said:
6 hours??? Man, that must have cost you a fortune in beer!
Click to expand...
Thats what, 3/4 of a case? (case = 24 stubbys) [:0][:0]
 
E30m42cab

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I don't know much about LSD's, but I could see that happening. High revs, low speed. I rev at 4000rpm's at 85mph with my 4.10. Haha, sorry, never even bothered to check this thread.
 
I

iliad

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Doughnut said:
Unfortunantly, pulling apart the two diffs to change over the crown wheel (and pinon?) means down time for your e30 (more down time) and you are sure to run into problems with the bearing preloads etc... Thats my opinion anyway.



Thats what, 3/4 of a case? (case = 24 stubbys) [:0][:0]
Click to expand...

Haha,
yeah, I am happy I didn't bust out the beers, because I would have been really really drunk by the time I would have been done. [^]

So the second time, I got it swapped out in about 3 hours.
I found out that the differential I have in there now is a 2,93 lsd vs the 4,10 i was trying to install.
I am just trying to figure out which one it the best to go with. My black 325e lets me do 60 in second, whereas my red 325es only lets me do 50 in second. [mad]
oh well.
Anyone want to buy a 4,10 LSD? ^_^
 
echothreezero

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Williams Road
Paihia 0200
New Zealand

I'm serious. But you'll have to hurry. With the volatile markets in Asia and US, NZD dropped yesterday and I'm already $50 worse off than when I made the offer.
 
I

iliad

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echothreezero said:
Williams Road
Paihia 0200
New Zealand

I'm serious. But you'll have to hurry. With the volatile markets in Asia and US, NZD dropped yesterday and I'm already $50 worse off than when I made the offer.
Click to expand...
Well, I checked with ups, fedex and the cheapest I found was $700 to ship it.
If you can find someone to ship it cheaper let me know so we can make a deal.
 
Doughnut

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iliad said:
Well, I checked with ups, fedex and the cheapest I found was $700 to ship it.
If you can find someone to ship it cheaper let me know so we can make a deal.
Click to expand...
Woah! that is one hell of a shipping fee.

Graham surely you could find one locally for cheaper than this? Sorry to the seller but the shipping is just going to be too much.
 
echothreezero

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Yeah I can buy one locally for around $NZ700+. That's why I offered US$350 shipped as it would = about NZ$600 plus customs duty of around $60.

But at US$700 shipping its definitely a no go.

The trouble with buying local is actually finding one.

BTW pulled all the shocks off my car last night for their rebuild and revalve. Found lots of other things to do while I was under there.

Yay.
 
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