steel ring around center bearing

[wat_sup2002]

hi all,
umm a problem happened... i was driving along then all of a sudden, bang bang!! the sound was coming from under the car so i pulled over to check it out. it appeared to be as if a steel ring had come off the center bearing and was freely spinning on the tail shaft. turned out to sound worse then it actually was and my mechanic reccomended that i cut it off with an angle grinder. so i did this. the car goes fine now but i'm still wondering what the steel ring does and is it important to replace it ASAP?
thanks everyone
-Richard

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

need replacement soon, they usally start coming apart just before that rubber stuff disintergrates....And then it gets real noisy

[MBXB]

....and don't forget to preload the bearing mount.

[wat_sup2002]

huh?

[wat_sup2002]

still dont answer my question though... what is it for?

[Bellicose Right Winger]

If the steel ring around the center bearing failed and was removed the center bearing would have no support. I doubt you would be able to drive the car. Are you sure this isn't the metal cup shaped vibration damper that bolts between the guibo and the trans output flange?

Paul Shovestul

hi all,
umm a problem happened... i was driving along then all of a sudden, bang bang!! the sound was coming from under the car so i pulled over to check it out. it appeared to be as if a steel ring had come off the center bearing and was freely spinning on the tail shaft. turned out to sound worse then it actually was and my mechanic reccomended that i cut it off with an angle grinder. so i did this. the car goes fine now but i'm still wondering what the steel ring does and is it important to replace it ASAP?
thanks everyone
-Richard

[Anthony (M5 in Calgary)]

huh?

guibo (flex disc) right at the rear of the transmission? I've seen one on my E30 325i but can't tell you what it does. Could be a vibration damper or something to retain the guibo if it fails.

HTH,
Anthony

[632 Regal]

steel ring around the guibo? mine dont have one.

[MBXB]

Here's a thread on the center bearing issue:

http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthr...center+bearing

[Anthony (M5 in Calgary)]

steel ring around the guibo? mine dont have one.

But see part 24 on this link:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...34&hg=26&fg=10

FWIW I don't have one on the M5 either but I did have one on my '88 325iS and they call it a torsional vibration damper (item 3):

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...22&hg=26&fg=10

With that name I'd say it is a required part, probably to stop drivetrain harmonics at certain RPMs.

HTH,
Anthony