hello,
I have a problem with vibrations at low rpms on 2nd and 3rd gear probably caused by a play in the joints of my propeller shaft what can I do?
The propeller shaft I have now is the original that the car had but shortened because the manual gearbox was changed (along with the engine) to the one of the 535 e 28.
would the propeller shaft of the e24 635 csi that has the same engine and gearbox or any other bmw fit? even if I have to shorten it again.
Does anyone have or know where I can find e9 propeller shafts used or new in an affordable price (preferably europe)?
I would be obliged if you could answer me these questions thank you.
I have a problem with vibrations at low rpms on 2nd and 3rd gear probably caused by a play in the joints of my propeller shaft what can I do?
The propeller shaft I have now is the original that the car had but shortened because the manual gearbox was changed (along with the engine) to the one of the 535 e 28.nick
Long distance problem solving is not my strong suit, but I have a few unconnected thoughts.
It is curious that you experience the vibration in only 2nd and 3rd gear, as an out of balance or worn drive shaft (propeller shaft) would probably exhibit vibration at the same speed in all gears. Vibration could be the result of worn joints or unbalanced drive shaft assembly. It might be helpful to know whether you always experienced the vibration or did it start after some other event, like recent work on another part of the vehicle.
There are several approaches to this problem which mostly depend upon your mechanical aptitude and ingenuity. I would first suggest getting the car on a lift (if possible) or safely getting under the car to examine things. (It goes without saying that if you cannot do this carefully, do not do it!) The first thing I would look at are the parts that tend to wear most often. This includes the rubber drive shaft coupling (Rag disk or Giubo) and to a lesser extent, the center drive shaft support bearing. I would want to make sure they are not distorted, cracked or worn. You should look at the manual, because if you are not aware of it, parts of the drive line can be lubricated and your may need it. This includes grease at the tip of the forward portion of the drive shaft and the inner splines of the drive shaft. While I doubt this is your problem, there must be a reason grease is called for at these places, no?
Next, (with the rear wheels removed) have someone spin the drive shaft to the point where the vibration occurs. At this stage, I would expect that seeing the vibration ought to give you a much better idea of where the problem lies.
Since your drive shaft assembly is not factory, I would want to make sure the drive shaft is aligned properly. If something is crooked, it may relate to the vibration and/or joint wear. Two piece drive shafts are usually balanced as a single unit. If yours was disassembled and reinstalled in a different position than when it was balanced, this might cause a vibration. Similarly, it is possible, although improbable, that the joints are out of phase. Yet that would likely exhibit vibration issues when, or if, the drive shaft is operating at an extreme angle. It is also possible that the drive shaft lost a balance weight or was never balanced properly, in which case you could try a balance method as old as Socrates - two hose clamps where the drive shaft vibrates the most. http://mbz.org/articles/misc/driveshaft/http://www.10w40.com/questions/auto...has-two-driveshafts-there-is-a-bearingbushing
While it is not clear to me why you suspect the joints, you could remove the drive shaft and examine the joints. It should be obvious if they are sloppy as opposed to being smooth in their operation. They do dry out and wear, although striking them with a plastic mallet can often redistribute the grease to make a joint useable. If someone previously rebuilt the drive shaft, it is possible that they reassembled it with replaceable U-Joints, If this is the case, you should be able to replace them yourself or have a neighborhood mechanic do it.
If you still need a drive shaft specialist, I would imagine that in any large metropolitan area in Greece, Athens, for example, there are plenty of industrial shops that keep trucks and bus transmissions and drive lines operating. If they cannot do the work, they might be capable of recommending someone who does. Same applies to dealers and mechanics who specialize in BMWs. Alfas, Fiats and Mercedes have a large presence in your country and I would imagine that when their drive shafts need service, they are not all sent to Italy or Alemana. So, you would be best off asking in your own neighborhood.
thank you very very much for all your helpful advice!!
I have found a shop that can refurbish the shaft for 250 euro.
the car is in a bmw service shop and they don't know what the problem is yet. They supposed that the problem could be the joints of the shaft and they asked 420 euros to replace them.
My former mechanic told me that the joints became tight and hard and that caused the problem.he had put them a second time in oil and ballanced the axle and for sometime the problem was fixed.I know the manuals say that this vibration is caused by hardened front coupler and this is not something you see just by looking at it.Also the front coupler part NO is the one of an e 46!!! could that be ok??
My former mechanic told me that the joints became tight and hard and that caused the problem.he had put them a second time in oil and balanced the axle and for sometime the problem was fixed.I know the manuals say that this vibration is caused by hardened front coupler and this is not something you see just by looking at it.Also the front coupler part NO is the one of an e 46!!! could that be ok??
I am no expert. I could be wrong, and often am. There could be other plausible explanations for the problem.
The fact that your former mechanic's efforts worked for a while suggests you are/were on the right path. Unfortunately, it sounds like the welding of the drive shaft was poor from the beginning, and that possibly too much heat was used to weld the drive shaft, making some of the metal too brittle and unable to handle normal drive shaft stresses.
As a reference point, look at the first illustration. Notice there are three joints: (1) the rubber disk at the far left, (2) the metal universal joint in the middle and (3) the metal universal joint at the far right. To my mind, a hardened front coupler usually refers to (1) the replaceable rubber disk (Giubo) that connects the drive shaft to the transmission. If it gets too hard from age, heat or wear, it can develop cracks or worse - causing noticeable vibration. It is something you might be able to observe, as distinguished from the metal yoke that retains a universal joint. "Putting joints in oil," suggests metal was re-welded or heat treated and then being quenched to prevent it from becoming too brittle and susceptible to fracture and distortion. A spinning part that becomes distorted can become unstable and unbalanced leading to vibration.
In theory, there shouldn't be any problem with using a drive shaft part from another car, including an e46. But when working with metal that is being machined and/or welded, it has to be done properly. If you change the character of the original metal to the point where it looses the strength and rigidity necessary for the job, it may be time to ask someone like Zeus to make it work.
thank you MMercury!!does anyone know how I could find out which front coupler fits on my car?the round one, the older hexagon type it should have or the e46's it has on now could properly fit aswell and thas it is ok.
does anyone know how I could find out which front coupler fits on my car?the round one, the older hexagon type it should have or the e46's it has on now could properly fit aswell and thas it is ok.
In my lay opinion, it shouldn't really matter, as long as everything fits at final assembly.
The fat donut style is older and probably absorbs drive line shock better than the later style pictured. However, the later style, which is reinforced, is probably far more durable.
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