e36 engine swap, diff and output shaft questions

[Drea//Mer 30]

Hi guys, first post in years lol...

Im half way through doing a 318i -> 325i swap and i was wondering if anyone could tell me if

the small case diff from the 318i runs different output shafts from the medium case diff in the 325i?

Im assuming the 318i runs longer shafts as the diff is smaller.

Also i havent been able to find a good guide on removing the output shafts from the wheel hub, is this easy to

do at home or will i need to go buy some special tools?

Thanks

-Kieran

[BM WORLD 1283]

correct 318i shafts are longer .

sometimes its easy to knock the shafts out sometimes not , also its a bit of a knack to do them.

you could just swap the complete rear trailing arms or subframe etc

[Drea//Mer 30]

ok thanks for that, also im guessing leaving the stock 318i diff behind the m50tub25 is a bad idea?

[antil33t 90]

I doubt you'd break it unless you like to do skids every day,... it would probably be a crap ratio especially if the car is automatic standard and you are changing to manual.

[Drea//Mer 30]

Its going to be a 325 automatic, and the mrs daily driver so it wont be a skid machine... The ratio of the 318i diff in at the moment is 4.44 if im reading the tags correctly and the 325i diff is a 3.73.

I've read elsewhere that the gear sets are interchangable on most e36/e30 diffs, is this an option? or will the larger case gear set be too big for the small diff?

[BM WORLD 1283]

Its going to be a 325 automatic, and the mrs daily driver so it wont be a skid machine... The ratio of the 318i diff in at the moment is 4.44 if im reading the tags correctly and the 325i diff is a 3.73.

I've read elsewhere that the gear sets are interchangable on most e36/e30 diffs, is this an option? or will the larger case gear set be too big for the small diff?

just put the whole rear end in from the 325i or just the axles and diff.

318i are small case and 325i are medium case

[Drea//Mer 30]

just put the whole rear end in from the 325i or just the axles and diff.

318i are small case and 325i are medium case

Ok brent i think ill trust your experience here... going to start trying to remove axles and diff now, Im sure this is the easiest option as I dont want to disconnect the brake lines in the back, and just from a visual inspection the rear brake setups on both cars seem to be identical. They only have different swaybar diff and axles.

Edited January 14, 2013 by Bema_Chaos

[BM WORLD 1283]

Ok brent i think ill trust your experience here... going to start trying to remove axles and diff now, Im sure this is the easiest option as I dont want to disconnect the brake lines in the back, and just from a visual inspection the rear brake setups on both cars seem to be identical. They only have different swaybar diff and axles.

you can unbolt the brake line brackets from the trailing arms etc , and just hang the lines with calipers still attached .

will just have to undo the hadbrake cable , easier from the hand brake lever if your 325i ones are still attached etc.

just be carefull knocking the axles out not to damage the bearings/hubs or ends of teh axles etc.

one method here

most times i can just knock the axle out with a large hammer ,hitting it with another one resting against the axle end.

sharp blows.

but sometimes that doesn't work and requires more tools etc

Edited January 14, 2013 by Brent HARTGE535i

[Drea//Mer 30]

oh wow that seems like a bit of a process! i just had a look and it will probably be easier to do the entire rear end it looks like theres only 8 big bolts holding the entire thing in. Im guessing the other rubber hose going into the centre of each hub is the hand brake line?

That was my only issue with unbolting the whole back end, good to know it unplugs up by the hand brake.

[Drea//Mer 30]

update: i got the hand brake lines free from the hand brake, very simple thanks for all the help brent. Those little 9mm nuts gave me problems as i dont have the right spanner so i think ill be replacing those with 12mm when i reconnect the cables.

[tcbaurpower 5]

Edit... just read that it is an e36, similar to an e30?

Be careful when removing the handbrake cable, you can ruin the flexible line. As the flexible line connects to a steel tube which can be stuck due to age, rust etc. You may need some grips to twist the connection between the flexible line and steel tube to loosen it up before pulling it out. The flexible line has a steel joint which sits inside the steel tube, do not twist the flexible line itself.

Removing Axle: You should not need a hammer to remove the axles... I pulled one out of an e30 the other day, just pulled on it. You just need a 30mm socket and a long long bar or section of steel tube for undoing the nut. Getting the locking washer out was interesting, I used a sharpened steel rod, punch through the washer and pry it out.

Edited January 14, 2013 by tcbaurpower

[Drea//Mer 30]

Edit... just read that it is an e36, similar to an e30?

Be careful when removing the handbrake cable, you can ruin the flexible line. As the flexible line connects to a steel tube which can be stuck due to age, rust etc. You may need some grips to twist the connection between the flexible line and steel tube to loosen it up before pulling it out. The flexible line has a steel joint which sits inside the steel tube, do not twist the flexible line itself.

Removing Axle: You should not need a hammer to remove the axles... I pulled one out of an e30 the other day, just pulled on it. You just need a 30mm socket and a long long bar or section of steel tube for undoing the nut. Getting the locking washer out was interesting, I used a sharpened steel rod, punch through the washer and pry it out.

the lines werent too difficult to pull out after the nuts had been unscrewed from under the hand brake lever, i dont think theres any significant damage or warping. The e30 handbrake system does look very similar (i have an e30 parts car also)