Can we all agree on this?

[L84THSKY]

I've spoke to a few people on this site about the LSD mod, I wanna pursue. I have the diff and I have a plan to modify the 318ti half shafts.
There seems to be confusion on whether a 6 cylinder diff can use the stock halfshafts, and or modify the halfshafts to use the E30 flanges.
I've already spoke to people who have used the stock halfshafts and flanges in the 6 cylinder diff. That seems to be one option.
My idea is to take it one step further. Use the 6 cylinder diff, with the stock halfshafts, but swap inner CV joints and diff flanges to E30 6cylinder type.
Then I can have the proper flanges on my low mileage halfshafts. Cali-ti swears it's a bad idea, but Constant-Yu seems to have done the same thing on his writeup.
VigilanteMotors, another member, says that Constant -Yu swapped the outter flanges in the writeup, not the inner, and that the inners can't be swapped.
Here are exact words of Constant-Yu in his writeup, you tell me if he isn't saying exactly what I want to accomplish:
"OK then, what should be done about the axle flanges? We definitely need the larger bolts and inner CV joints to bolt to the E30 diff. So we're left with two options: either directly swap the E30 axles into your ti, or pillage the E30 inner CV joints to transplant to the ti axles."
Notice he says "INNER" cv joints, not outter. Inner means the ones attaching to the diff flanges. That is exactly what I wanna swap. We already know the shafts is the same diameter.
"Since I'm not ready to give up ABS quite yet, I had to swap the E30 inner CV joints onto the stock axles. Plus, the general condition of the 318ti axles was much nicer"
Again he says "INNER" joints. He does the swap for the same reason I am; my stock shafts are in better shape than any used E30 shafts. Of course I could buy re-manufactured shafts. Then I have to swap the hole shaft, and deal with the ABS sensor issue. Look at the first pic, you can see the outter side shafts on the 318ti side have a red color on the spline of the teeth. Look again at the finished shafts. The red splines are still there. That means he didn't swap the outter CV joints, but the inner, just as I have suggested.
"Pop off the dust covers from the inner CV joint using a screwdriver and hammer Remove the circlip shown under the dust cover in the diagram. You will need to clear off most of the grease in order to see it. A circlip removal tool helps a lot here, or else do like I did and swear and curse until you pry it off with a small screwdriver. After the circlip is off, you should be able to slide the inner CV joint off the splined axle shaft. If it doesn't come off easily, use a little "persuasion" with a hammer to knock it off. Do not hit the CV joint too hard, or you can ruin it!"
Not too hard to swap at all. And I could even just drop the shafts on the diff side, and swap CV joints with the shafts still attached to the wheels. Seems much easier than completely removing them.
Note: A shim or spacer may be needed on the rear ABS wheel speed sensors when installing E30 6-cyl axles."
Not necessary, with my stock shafts.
If anyone can explain why doing the same thing on my car is a bad idea, I'm all ears.
Again, here is my plan
Stage 1. Swap in 3.46 6-cylinder LSD using 318ti flanges and stock shafts.
Stage 2. Swap flanges to E30 and swap inner CV joints to E30, keep stock shafts.
Comments please

[1996 328ti]

I was unable to use my stock half shafts.
I did not do the swap myself.
All I remember that it was on my mechanics lift for a week waiting for halfshafts then different flanges to mate the driveshaft.

[L84THSKY]

I measured the total width of the diff with the 318ti flanges, and the E30 flanges. The difference in width was very minor. If the 318ti flanges can be used with 318ti shafts, then the width issue is not relevant.

I know I can go to stage 1. of my plan and swap diffs and use 318ti flanges. So I can atleast do that and work from there. I just can't see why I can't go to stage 2 of my plan.

Originally Posted by 1996 328ti

I was unable to use my stock half shafts.
I did not do the swap myself.
All I remember that it was on my mechanics lift for a week waiting for halfshafts then different flanges to mate the driveshaft.

[cali-ti]

just to be fully clear, if you check with Constant Yu, after a period of time, he swapped to FULL e30 halfshafts. you're certainly correct though, he swapped the inner e30 CV/flange onto the ti halfshaft. do you have e30 shafts already?

the reason i'm opposed to it (for my own car), is the "cobbled together" effect. ie, you can't swap in a replacement halfshaft from any one source (ti or e30). if for some reason you ran into problems and needed to swap back ...

[DustenT]

Wouldn't it be easier to find a LSD from a Club Sport, than go through all this trouble? Everything bolts right up with mine. Is the e30 LSD better than the Club Sport LSD?

[L84THSKY]

That was the idea originally. Then I found the 3.46 E30 LSD. When I bought the supercharger, I knew I needed to beef up the diff.

The diff should bolt right in, as someone has already swapped to a 6 cylinder diff and kept the 318ti flanges and shafts.

Why spend another $500.00 for re-manufactured halfshafts. I can swap the inner flanges, just like Constant-Yu did.

If he did swap to E-30 halfshafts, I sure would like to know why.

Originally Posted by DustenT

Wouldn't it be easier to find a LSD from a Club Sport, than go through all this trouble? Everything bolts right up with mine. Is the e30 LSD better than the Club Sport LSD?

[L84THSKY]

I have 318ti halfshafts. I could pose the reverse argument. Why not do what I'm saying, cost less. Then if I run into problems later, I can always just order E30 re-man shafts and swap them in.

Originally Posted by cali-ti

just to be fully clear, if you check with Constant Yu, after a period of time, he swapped to FULL e30 halfshafts. you're certainly correct though, he swapped the inner e30 CV/flange onto the ti halfshaft. do you have e30 shafts already?

the reason i'm opposed to it (for my own car), is the "cobbled together" effect. ie, you can't swap in a replacement halfshaft from any one source (ti or e30). if for some reason you ran into problems and needed to swap back ...

[Dredder]

Kiley_Sean has done this swapped the last I talk to him on the phone. As he mentioned all he did was swapped out the output flanges. He was using 6cyl differential with 318ti output flanges and 318ti halfshaft. FYI, he was also running a S50 swap, so the added power from a S/C shoudlnt be too much burden on the differential setup..

[cali-ti]

Originally Posted by Dredder

Kiley_Sean has done this swapped the last I talk to him on the phone. As he mentioned all he did was swapped out the output flanges. He was using 6cyl differential with 318ti output flanges and 318ti halfshaft. FYI, he was also running a S50 swap, so the added power from a S/C shoudlnt be too much burden on the differential setup..

how long did he drive it that way? was this the one that he later sold (if memory serves)?

EDIT: if bmw thought the smaller flanges would handle the power of the 6-cyl, why didn't they use them? i would hate to see something very negative (and potentially more expensive) happen to L8 and his car just because he didn't go with the beefier components. that's just the way i look at it. they'll certainly FIT, but that doesn't mean it's the best option. i wish i'd gone with reman'd shafts myself (and will probably do that in the future).

[Dredder]

I did remember him selling it. But I dont think the reason for him selling it was because of the differential issue, it was other issues. I also recall someone in this forum bought it. If we can track down the person then we can confirm to see if the differential was inded swapped out.

[marcus2116]

i had a 373lsd went to put it in becuase somone told me you can use the ti axels just swap output flange. didnt work. you have to run a hybrid axel.

[L84THSKY]

AMEN!!!
Someone is listening

Originally Posted by Dredder

Kiley_Sean has done this swapped the last I talk to him on the phone. As he mentioned all he did was swapped out the output flanges. He was using 6cyl differential with 318ti output flanges and 318ti halfshaft. FYI, he was also running a S50 swap, so the added power from a S/C shoudlnt be too much burden on the differential setup..

[cali-ti]

Originally Posted by Dredder

I did remember him selling it. But I dont think the reason for him selling it was because of the differential issue, it was other issues. I also recall someone in this forum bought it. If we can track down the person then we can confirm to see if the differential was inded swapped out.

my point wasn't that he sold it because of any diff or halfshaft issues, just that he likely got rid of it before any issues may have arisen. the only thing i would be concerned about is longevity. it may or may not fail, it's just a concern i would have if it were my car.

[L84THSKY]

Leaving the 318ti flanges and complete 318ti halfshafts is a potential issue in the future. That is why doing just that is "Stage 1". By swapping to E30 flanges and inner CV joints "Stage 2", I have the proper sized flanges AND bolt pattern. The diameter of the shafts are the same. So you can't say an E30 shaft is any stronger than a 318ti shaft, once the flanges and inner joints are now E30 style.

Originally Posted by cali-ti

my point wasn't that he sold it because of any diff or halfshaft issues, just that he likely got rid of it before any issues may have arisen. the only thing i would be concerned about is longevity. it may or may not fail, it's just a concern i would have if it were my car.

[Dredder]

read my current findinghttp://318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7865