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Thread: Drive shaft joint

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Appleton, WI
    Posts
    168

    Default Drive shaft joint

    How do you know when the rubber drive shaft joint on these cars is bad? A vehicle safety inspector told me mine is bad and needs to be replaced. I put the car up on a hoist and as far as I can tell, it looks fine. They're not all that expensive, and it doesn't look like they're a big deal to replace, but it just doesn't look like it needs to be replaced.

    88 E30 325i Convert
    61,000 miles
    Cirrusblau

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Oldham, England
    Posts
    3,078

    Default

    You mean the one behind the gearbox? aka guibo or flexdisc? The bolt holes get elongated and you can sometimes see the fibres sticking out. If its that one just bear in mind you tighten the nuts not the bolt heads or you will be doing it again
    Oct '00 E46 330i. Feb '92 525i (departed)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Appleton, WI
    Posts
    168

    Default

    OK. Well, maybe that's what the inspector saw. Yes, the part you described is the one I was talking about.

    Good advice on the fasteners. I'll remember that one.

    88 E30 325i Convert
    61,000 miles
    Cirrusblau

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Dallas texas
    Posts
    90

    Default

    I knew mine was bad, when I'd accelerate, I could hear it banging on the drivedshaft tunnel. Not to hard to replace.
    89 535I
    89 volvo 240
    78 Pontiac Trans Am, 6.6

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Gold Coast, Australia
    Posts
    178

    Default

    Most likely the inspector saw the guibo, they become out of round and can cause vibrations depending how out of round it is.

    The centre bearing on the drive shaft is covered by the exhaust and heat shield so its not in plain sight. When this goes, you'll hear like someone is knocking on the floor of your car.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Appleton, WI
    Posts
    168

    Default

    Not hearing anything like that. The piece I'm talking about is the round rubber piece that the driveshaft connects to at the transmission tailshaft. My best guess is that the inspector saw some threads on it.

    88 E30 325i Convert
    61,000 miles
    Cirrusblau

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    4,150

    Default

    Since the disc is composed of rubber and fibre layers you can see threads quite frequently... Usually you look for cracks in the rubber between the bolts and the disc itself coming apart. The inspector couldn't have seen the driveshaft center bearing assy since its behind the metal heat shield covering most of the driveshaft


  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Appleton, WI
    Posts
    168

    Default

    The one he saw and that I need to replace is the rubber "guibo" joint that attaches the driveshaft to the trans. In the Euro spec cars at least, it is plainly visible from underneath.
    Last edited by 6670charger; 07-18-2011 at 01:29 AM.

    88 E30 325i Convert
    61,000 miles
    Cirrusblau

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
    Posts
    4

    Default

    I have an issue with my driveshaft, My Guibo looks fine nut I am getting the thunder at slow acceleration and then it goes away when you pick up speed. You can baby it so it doesn't make any noise which is what I am doing in the mean time when I have to move it. Upon inspection the noise is coming from the middle of the shaft where the carrier bearing is. This started after I opened it up on the freeway to an undisclosed high speed. This 94 540i has 160,000 miles on it and is in pretty good condition. I couldn't see anything out of whack except a rubber exhaust mount that was severed and that I need a new oil pan gasket. I have replaced guibos but never any other part of the drive shaft. Is this a difficult job? Release the exhaust, heat shield, loosen the shaft and..?

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