Differential parts compatibility - DISCUSSION

[vwmikel]

This seemed like a good place to put this. I just swapped a medium case 2.93 LSD into my 5/95 TI.





As I found in another thread the bolt that lands toward the drivers side actually is what interferes with the rear floor of the car. The other person had countersunk both of the top bolts, but with the vent right there it seemed pointless on the one that is toward the passenger side. So, I just countersunk the one bolt and pushed the vent down a bit using the press. I ended up not having to pound on the floor or anything, but the mount itself (the one that hangs down from the car) was still in the way. I did some clearancing in there using a chisel so that I didn't have to pull the diff back out. If/when I have to pull it out again I'll smooth that out with a grinder. Otherwise, I hear no additional noise or vibrations even with the poly mount (street density). On a side note, it might be better to use studs and nuts or at least use studs just to locate the differential as getting the bolts started was a pain.

[PrimeTimeSlime]

Hey guys, been reading a lot about the LSD swap and I just want to verify one thing.

Swapping a 2.8 m52 and zf transmission this week. While I am at it, I am swapping a 3.73lsd from an e30 325is into my ti.

I plan to take the 318ti output flanges and put them in the e30 diff, then use the 318ti half shafts. Sounds simple enough, will it work?

Thanks

[cooljess76]

Originally Posted by PrimeTimeSlime

Hey guys, been reading a lot about the LSD swap and I just want to verify one thing.

Swapping a 2.8 m52 and zf transmission this week. While I am at it, I am swapping a 3.73lsd from an e30 325is into my ti.

I plan to take the 318ti output flanges and put them in the e30 diff, then use the 318ti half shafts. Sounds simple enough, will it work?

Thanks

I wouldn't recommend it. The 318ti halfshafts are longer than the e30 halfshafts since the small case diff is narrower than the medium case diff. I've heard of people swapping flanges and forcing the ti halfshafts into place, but doing so puts more stress on the CV joint. The solution would be to use 6cyl e30 halfshafts, but you'll need to shim your ABS sensors. Whichever route you go with, be sure to use NEW output flange bolts and properly torque them.

[PrimeTimeSlime]

I was afraid you would say that.

This is what is confusing me.
http://www.318ti.org/notebook/diff_c...ion/index.html

This guy says that the e30 half shafts are longer than the 318ti's.

Someone else told me you can make the ti half shafts fit by breaking the abs rings off and just going without abs. I think I could live without abs in the rear.

[cooljess76]

Yeah, I remember reading that a long time ago. I had both halfshafts side by side and I can say from experience that the e30 shafts were shorter. It doesn't make sense that a small case diff would have shorter shafts than a wider medium case diff. ABS is a very important safety feature. I wouldn't even drive a vehicle without ABS. Maybe on a rally car or track car, but definitely not a passenger vehicle on public roads. You'd be putting everyone at risk.

Like I said though, there's been a few people who used the ti halfshafts with medium case diffs. Personally I don't think it's a good idea at all. Doing so will put a lot of excessive stress on the cv joints.

[PrimeTimeSlime]

Got it. For some reason I was worried that the abs shim was a PITA. looks like it is just a washer though. No biggie.

Thanks for the help Jess.

[RCV7]

I just swapped in a Z3 2.8 aluminum block M52 with the matching ZF 5 speed. I also installed the whole rear sub-frame assembly from the Z3 with the larger 3.15 dif. I used the Z3 front shaft along with rear shaft from an E36 325is for the front with no extra modding needed. It was a perfect fit. I got so many usable parts off the Z3 donor. Good luck.

Originally Posted by PrimeTimeSlime

Hey guys, been reading a lot about the LSD swap and I just want to verify one thing.

Swapping a 2.8 m52 and zf transmission this week. While I am at it, I am swapping a 3.73lsd from an e30 325is into my ti.

I plan to take the 318ti output flanges and put them in the e30 diff, then use the 318ti half shafts. Sounds simple enough, will it work?

Thanks

[vwmikel]

Originally Posted by PrimeTimeSlime

Someone else told me you can make the ti half shafts fit by breaking the abs rings off and just going without abs. I think I could live without abs in the rear.

This statement doesn't make any sense. Breaking the tone rings off will not make the axles shorter.

Originally Posted by cooljess76

ABS is a very important safety feature. I wouldn't even drive a vehicle without ABS. Maybe on a rally car or track car, but definitely not a passenger vehicle on public roads. You'd be putting everyone at risk.

You make it sound like the outcome would be certain death. They were driving cars before ABS came around so I don't think that's going to happen. But, it is simple to keep the ABS working in this case so I would be sure to do that as it is an important feature.

[dave45056]

Originally Posted by vwmikel

You make it sound like the outcome would be certain death. They were driving cars before ABS came around so I don't think that's going to happen. But, it is simple to keep the ABS working in this case so I would be sure to do that as it is an important feature.

My ABS went out on my car a few years back. The back would lock up way before the front which was a little scary. After I fixed it, the breaking is perfect. And I never hear the ABS pump working just the rears end even when braking harder than the times when the rear would lock up without ABS.

So I think it is more dangerous to drive a ti without ABS.

[Zigfried3]

Lol! I notice a distinct improvement in MPG when I drive the car versus my husband, who's a little more aggressive.

[bryan413]

Just put in a LSD this weekend. Some things to note.

#1 - its a bear.

#2 - I don't think the top left bolt interferes as much as the car's bushing hanger. I ending up "modifying" it. I bent it off the diff.

#3 - A small transmission jack would've worked better a jack.

#4 - I didn't have to pound on the car's sheet metal besides the hanger.

[ep1275]

Hope you can help me with this question. I have a 3.73 lsd differential from a e30 325is in a 1995 318ti. It still has the e30 output flanges. I followed the how to article posted by Constant Yu at http://www.emotors.ca/Articles/7.aspx I took the inner cv joint off my own 1988 325is and tried to fit it to the 318ti axle (inner splined section), in order to make a hybrid axle that he describes in the article. The 325is (e30) inner cv joint just spun free on the smaller splines of the 318ti axle shaft. Basically, the inner cv joint from the e30 did not fit on the splines of the 318ti axle. I searched Real OEM, and cross referenced for cars that used the e30 325 axle and I did not find odd parts listings that I may be overlooking.

Also, will the e30 axles fit in the 318ti hubs? Will they just slide in, or am I going to run into spline alignment issues again? My concern is that the splines that go to the rear hubs will not mate up. Again, the the article, which I referenced earlier, stated that he could not swap the e30 axles in directly and needed to make a hybrid axle. Please help.

[cooljess76]

Originally Posted by ep1275

Hope you can help me with this question. I have a 3.73 lsd differential from a e30 325is in a 1995 318ti. It still has the e30 output flanges. I followed the how to article posted by Constant Yu at http://www.emotors.ca/Articles/7.aspx I took the inner cv joint off my own 1988 325is and tried to fit it to the 318ti axle (inner splined section), in order to make a hybrid axle that he describes in the article. The 325is (e30) inner cv joint just spun free on the smaller splines of the 318ti axle shaft. Basically, the inner cv joint from the e30 did not fit on the splines of the 318ti axle. I searched Real OEM, and cross referenced for cars that used the e30 325 axle and I did not find odd parts listings that I may be overlooking.

Also, will the e30 axles fit in the 318ti hubs? Will they just slide in, or am I going to run into spline alignment issues again? My concern is that the splines that go to the rear hubs will not mate up. Again, the the article, which I referenced earlier, stated that he could not swap the e30 axles in directly and needed to make a hybrid axle. Please help.

That guy "Constant Yu" has confused so many people with that writeup. It's full of misinformation. I think he also said that 6cyl e30 axles were longer than the ti axles which is completely false. 6cyl BMW's use medium case diffs while 4cyl BMW's use small case diffs. Medium case diffs are wider than small case diffs which means they require shorter halfshafts(axles). That being said, there's absolutely no reason to swap CV joints between the two halfshafts. If you run a medium case e30 diff, just use e30 halfshafts, period. The splines mate up with the ti hubs perfectly and they are the PROPER length. Ti halfshafts are too long to use with a medium case diff.

[Bloo]

Where there many 318ti`s which came with the LSD diff from the factory?
If it helps, my Compact is 1995.

http://www.ss.lv/msg/lv/transport/sp...es/bbxjln.html

I live in Latvia, and this guy sells this LSD diff. Questions: 1) is this really LSD diff. 2) it is said, that it is small case, and the ratio is 3.45, from e36, so is it a diff which comes from e36 sedan/coupe and not from the compact ? 3) is it possible to take the blocking element from this diff and put it in my?

[tiFreak]

looks like an LSD to me, 3.45 was the ratio for the 318 with a manual transmission and ti's came with small case diffs, it should bolt right in