diff swap question

[Philly]

Me again!

Got a lead on a 3.25 LSD for my 2.8 swap...
its a medium-case diff... so my question issssss, will it work?
Ive done a little searching but couldn't find anything solid.

Im going to be replacing the halfshafts, am i looking at anything else? or should the flanges that are already on the diff work with E30 halfshafts?

Thanks again everyone who's helped me, and listened to my million questions!

-Ryan

[Philly]

anyone?

[1996 328ti]

I think you will need to shim the ABS sensors.

[campaiar]

^ +1. Not tough at all. You'll also need to create some clearance for the diff cover. An angle grinder will be needed to slightly alter the support that goes under the hatch.

You'll understand when you get under there. If not, I can take a pic of mine.

[Philly]

so just for clarification.... i can use a medium case 3.25 with E30 halfshafts?

As well as a little grinding and shimming.... other than that, it bolts right up eh?

The guy who is selling the diff had a different perspective, but i think he may be under the impression that the 318ti uses the same style rear-end as a normal E36.

And a pic would help wonders if at all possible Campaiar! Would very much appreciate it.

[Mallard]

theres a link to the swap on the "notepad" section on the front page

the write up is also in the how to section ;)

[Philly]

im not yet 100% sure if its in fact an E30 diff though... im still waiting to hear back what model it is out of...but does it really matter? since ive noticed most other diffs will fit E30, according to egay

[thesk8nmidget]

here ya go
its not actually originally out of an e30 if it is in fact a 5 or 6 or 7 series
http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/3142/6cylinderdifferentialch1.jpg

[Philly]

yeah i saw that chart here before... i better save it while i can, lol

anyone know if i will have any problems OTHER than whats Camp and 1996328ti said?

So if i buy this differential, E30 halfshafts, shim the sensor as needed, and grind the support as needed... thats it right? :confused:

I just wanna be 100% sure, so i don't buy a useless differential

[thesk8nmidget]

just make sure it has 4 mounting holes on the top of it and that weird bushing mounting point sticking off of it like it the picture above and it will work.

[L84THSKY]

This is my setup, no grinding needed. I did use a washer on each ABS sensor. E28 3.46LSD, E30 halfshafts and flanges.

http://www.318ti.org/gallery/data/500/medium/sway_bar1.jpg

yeah i saw that chart here before... i better save it while i can, lol

anyone know if i will have any problems OTHER than whats Camp and 1996328ti said?

So if i buy this differential, E30 halfshafts, shim the sensor as needed, and grind the support as needed... thats it right? :confused:

I just wanna be 100% sure, so i don't buy a useless differential

[zboot]

i've got a med/large case diff that I put on. . no grinding needed. Since I destroyed the 318ti abs sensors, I spliced in the ones from the e30 donor car. The e30 halfshafts fit with no problems.

[Philly]

thats great info! thanks L8 and Zboot... did you also replace the flanges on your swap like L8 or was it not needed?
the guy selling has yet to get back to me about the 3.25 differential, so im going to start looking else where.

Ive located a 3.15 Z3 differential...can I use my current halfshafts with no issues? or would e30/z3 still be the way to go?

[thesk8nmidget]

the e30 flanges bolt pattern are different from the ti's so if you use the e30 shafts then you need the e30 flanges (most diffs will have this on there already) (if not i have an extra set)

depending on the z3 you would be able to bolt it right up using your ti half shafts.

if its a 1.9 your good. but i do believe the bigger motor z3 uses a bigger diff

[Philly]

Im pretty sure the 3.15 was for the 2.8 z3's and the 1.9's used the same as ours... but not 100% on that...

[Mallard]

a 323 dif is 3.03 iirc?

[zboot]

thats great info! thanks L8 and Zboot... did you also replace the flanges on your swap like L8 or was it not needed?
the guy selling has yet to get back to me about the 3.25 differential, so im going to start looking else where.

Ive located a 3.15 Z3 differential...can I use my current halfshafts with no issues? or would e30/z3 still be the way to go?

Hi, I did not have to replace the flanges on my swap. The half shaft flanges looked different, but they fit and bolted up perfectly.

[campaiar]

I just did another one of these swaps, this time on my 1998 332ti. Sometime between 1995 and 1998, BMW made the modification to the hatch floor support that I had to make myself with the angle grinder on the 1995.

One of the best surprises ever. Outside of shimming the ABS sensors, it was a direct bolt in.

I used a stock 1999 Z3 3.15 LSD diff with E30 halfshafts.

Again, outside of inserting one washer between the hubs and the ABS sensor, it was bolt in and go.

I recommend the larger flanges and E30 halfshafts for anyone with a swapped ti. They are beefy when compared to the stock ti units.

[jimmyloose]

I'm swapping mine and the driveshaft is too long. What do I do?

[thesk8nmidget]

its not actually to long.

i thought the same thing.

you need to just put the driveshaft bolts in then the highest two bolts. i used a punch to align the holes with the bolts and then the bushing bolt and then the front two. it takes some effort though. not a completely perfect fit but is once you get it pryed, shoved and pushed into the right position.

it is tricky. dont give up

[jimmyloose]

its not actually to long.

i thought the same thing.

you need to just put the driveshaft bolts in then the highest two bolts. i used a punch to align the holes with the bolts and then the bushing bolt and then the front two. it takes some effort though. not a completely perfect fit but is once you get it pryed, shoved and pushed into the right position.

it is tricky. dont give up

Meaning during the install it's difficult but in the installed position it's correct?

I don't want my center support bearing to wear out in 500 miles...

[Bluebimma]

Its just a pain in the arse to get it up there and get all the bolts lined up, especially if youre laying on your back. The new diff fits without a problem and everything aligned properly, just takes effort.

[Philly]

im about to start my diff swap this evening... im wondering about the ABS sensor, i don't want to shim it, just in case i have to revert to stock for whatever reason.

SO you guys simply used washers to back them up just a little bit? any particular washers? i know they are not all created equal, so thats why i ask.

[Bluebimma]

If you you dont use e30 halfshafts, just use the ti output flange and the stock halfshafts, no need to worry about sensors then.

[thesk8nmidget]

If you you dont use e30 halfshafts, just use the ti output flange and the stock halfshafts, no need to worry about sensors then.

also be sure to see if the e30 shafts are abs shafts.. if they are they will have the little teeth if not they will be smooth and it doesnt matter anyways. but yes little washers work fine but a shim isnt permanant either its justa big washer thats fabbed to fit the whole sensor correctly.

easy to make too

[Philly]

i understand what you guys are saying by shimming now... i just wasn't interpreting that right. Still don't totally understand whats needed to be done there, ive never really explored that region of the car, so it'll be a fly by the seat of my pants kinda thing... but i think i can handle it... thanks

[thesk8nmidget]

it makes perfect sense once you take the sensor off.
i was confused as well at first but check it out and you wil be like OHHH ok!

cali-ti has a picture of the shim he made in his gallery

[Philly]

okay, so my diff is dropped and the new one ready to be installed with the new halfshafts... (OMFG WHAT A PITA SOME OF THOSE BOLTS WERE!) They were rust-welded to the friggin car and I had to use almost a whole can of PB before they finally came loose... lol


ANYWAYS, my reason for posting is about the "shimming" of the ABS sensors... anyone know what width the washer/shim should be for it to work correctly?

[thesk8nmidget]

pm replied to.

but it should be self explanatory once you have the axles in.

just make sure you pull the sensors out then put the axles in.
once the axles are in set the sensors in the hole and see how much gap is needed to make them clear properly

[Philly]

Yah thanks for the info.... i appreciate it

I messed with it tonight, took the sensor out and put one of the shafts in and figured alot of it out... realized the sensor is just a magnet, pretty neat how it all works.

So my only real question is how close the sensor should be to the pulse rings? not touching of course, but as close I can get them without touching?...
I know I sound kinda stupid, but I just don't wanna back them up to far and have them not work and have to go messing with them again.

Sorry but I really didn't examine how deep/close it was when the old halfshafts were still there. :oops:

[thesk8nmidget]

if you can see how big the old shafts are compared to the new shafts and that should give you your answer. but i would say pretty close just a 1/16 of an inch would be good.