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E87 Rear Driveshaft Removal

17K views 29 replies 8 participants last post by  marco_polo 
#1 ·
I have just been quoted over £1500 from a main dealer to replace the rear drive shafts as they don't replace the worn ABS rings.

Does anyone have a good step by step for driveshaft removal, as a straw poll on a 60k car would you replace the ring or replace the shaft £20/65 since that latter would have all new rubbers etc (pattern part)
 
#2 ·
Omg what price?

Most motorfactors do recon shafts now

And at least try rings and sensors 1st again available from factors

You need to find a decent indi garage

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#3 ·
I think Motley is saying a new pattern shaft would be £65? Or is that dear? Sounds about right to me.

Yup, split the shaft (6 bolts - which often need replacing), one hub nut, and it's free. If you're doing both, you might need to move the exhaust out of the way.
 
#4 ·
To get the shafts out to replace the ring, there are quite a few large torx bolts; its recommended to get new bolts as they are fitted very tight (they have to never come undone whilst the drive train transmits all that power to the wheels), and the fiting and removal streches and weakens them. I'm sure there are plenty of folks who refit the old ones, but if the service guide says replace 'em, thats what I did.

I would DEFINATELY only go for the rings (if you're absolutely certain its rings and nothing else). Some useful additional info here:
 
#5 ·
No the £1500 quite was stupidly expensive
Shafts price sounds good

99% of the time new reluctor rings and new sensors fixes the problem / or 2 pattern shafts and 2 sensors and that's still a sensible price.

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#6 ·
Sorry, I wasn't clearer, the £65 is for recon Shafts with new boots etc, my thinking was is it really worth messing around doing the just the rings(with ABS sensors) for the cost difference £20-£65

Doesn't sound like that bigger job(famous last words), I just didn't want to start only to find out I then needed Press's/pullers etc to do the work.
 
#8 ·
I have fitted 100s of rings and shafts and the only issues I ever have is the drive shaft siezed in the wheel bearing, and only happened twice but each time I tried everything bit could not get them out without destroying everything

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#9 ·
Thanks for the swift reply, is there any mileage in cleaning up the rings and some have suggested online, placing a very thin washer under the sensor to compensate for the corrosion?
 
#10 ·
The ring is basically damaged by corrosion build up undernesth it making it oval

A washer is a short term fix and can work but your increasing the air gap on the ring and that itself can cause issues

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#12 ·
rob180bhp said:
Yes that is a good cheap option and maybe fit new rings on your old shafts and sell them on, or just sell them on anyway

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Are the £65 shafts ok Rob? I've heard a lot of people on mini torque say that cheaper drive shafts are generally ****e and you get what you pay for :rollseyes: but if you've fitted hundreds and have had no issues then that's good enough for me :wink:

Any one got any links as I'm pretty sure both my rings are fecked :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:
 
#14 ·
All worked out fine, time invested liberally soaking every nut with Plusgas the night before was time well spent,
 
#16 ·
Don't spend an arm and a leg on a set, remember to systematically loosen them to avoid them shearing off, they should ideally be replaced with new bolts (which I did put a drop of thread lock on)
 
#18 ·
Cheers again. Ordered a set from screwfix which came yesterday and picked them up today (yesterday I was desk bound). However, before that I was able to tap the shafts back so I know they aren't stuck in the hubs. I also soaked the bolts with WD40 as that's all I had to hand. If I can't free them easy today, I'll get some plus gas and soak them again. I'm in no massive hurry as have another car to use and am enjoying not paying the garage for this. :)
 
#19 ·
Motley2012 said:
Don't spend an arm and a leg on a set, remember to systematically loosen them to avoid them shearing off, they should ideally be replaced with new bolts (which I did put a drop of thread lock on)
I am planning to do this but where is a good place to get the bolts and reluctor rings from? I'm going away tomorrow and wouldn't mind ordering them so they'll be here when I get home. Cheers.
 
#20 ·
Ok so one shaft is off easily enough the other I'm soaking a little longer (might be next week now) and as this is the first time I'd have replaced the rings I'd like if possible an educated opinion on the condition before I do so.

This is how it came out, I can see on the photo looking down the shaft that its ovalised a wee bit.

You can see just how much metal flaked off with a gentle tap.


and this is what it looks like at the moment. Do we think this is saveable and a new ring press on ok?


Thanks in advance.
 
#22 ·
#24 ·
All done! Bought rings and sensor kit from UKPartsdirect.com as per the recommendation. They were good enough to check out an image of the shaft to confirm it was good to go. New rings fitted, new sensors on yesterday and the lights went out before I got off the drive. The car has never driven so smooth. Very pleased I did this myself. Thanks for the help and confidence from this post.
 
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