BMW E46 325xi Driveshaft Center Bearing Replacement

[@e46rush]

this was EXACTLY the video i was looking for. love you energy and work ethic that went into this video! earned a sub for sure, thanks for the great tips man!

[@Garageaholic]

Thank you Shane. More great content coming soon!

[@weswest8666]

Same here, replaced the carrier, exh gaskets and guibo today thanks to this video. It’s the same on 330xi

[@jpwilliams5264]

The only video ive seen that mentions preloading the bearing!

[@confettier]

Congratulations fellow tinkerers you have found the best KZbin video for this replacement

[@kingakim11]

indeed

[@Nico_335i_DCT]

Great fix Frank. Glad you mentioned the spline orientation and preloading the centre bearing. Dutch regards, Nico.

[@fredelin2580]

Very useful video ! Note that I had watched your presentation more or less three weeks ago, that is before my car be fixed. Here is now my story. I drive an E46, 325xi 2004-5. Since the repair, I feel a vibration under my feet with each (at relatively high-speed) acceleration, as if the front traction is more stressed. The 'Driveshaft Center Bearing' has been replaced exactly a week ago, and it is not an identical vibration. Maybe this vibration has always been there and I didn’t realize it anymore?!?! I have a doubt... The mechanic has worked exclusively on BMWs for over 30 years. His knowledge is impressive. He did say that everything came off easily... and that he did not have to remove the exhaust parts like you did in your video. At least, that is my understanding. Yet, the two parts of the driveshaft still have to be 'separated'. I had mentioned, in passing, that each section of the driveshaft must be marked before they are separated. Alas, I was not there when that was worked on. I have never driven another 325xi, therefore I cannot compare. Assuming that you still have the car ... how does yours 'behave' ? Do you feel that vibration at the front, under your feet, like I do, when accelerating (at any speed)?

[@xTRVLNMANx]

Was nervous about the preload part but simple! Great vid!

[@mikep4916]

This video has put my mind at ease a little. I’m about to lay on my back in my drive way to do this job on my 01’ 330xi. Cheers!

[@garybrennan9880]

Great video. I have the same problem. Will fix now. Nice explanations, tips and good angles.

[@blackopshunter20]

What’s the push rod torque specs for the rear support bar can’t find anything on the website. I own a 2003 330xi

[@fredthe52]

Very good explanation and good mark alignment on the drive shaft to see thanks you my friend.👍👍💪💪

[@thorbenverbraak5389]

Could this also be the cause of shaking when driving off from a stop?

[@ceondecember4995]

Bout to do my 330i mine started thumping guibo looked good but I’m do it anyway too

[@markhammer9975]

Thank you so much for making this video

[@michaelburns3386]

Random question but what transmission is on that car in the video ? Just swapped a ZF trans on my ‘00 325 and now I don’t know what driveshaft to get

[@2Jupiter]

Perfect Explained and Perfect Done! 👍

[@Garageaholic]

Glad it helped!

[@vincentsmethurst9183]

Frank, mate awesome video, helped me heaps. I'd buy you a beer if I could. Cheers mate. Vince

[@Vazzr]

My friend just bought a 330xd e46 and he have the same problem, but when we got to the driveshaft, the center bearing was looking very nice, but the yoke just behind it was locked solid one one axis, do you think that this can cause the same problem ? Problem is under heavy acceleration like yours

[@Garageaholic]

Absolutely. A bad u joint can definitely cause vib under acceleration!

[@Vazzr]

Yeah ! I hope that this will fix his car ! Thank you ! :)

[@nikitakononov690]

What are the torque specs on those 2 subframe bolts?

[@vasteve911]

Frank, great video. Why didn't you swap the guibo too? I have the same issue, but mine is an auto transmission, glad someone did a video on a xi!

[@ian.M440]

Nice job Frank 👍

[@zigo1965]

I just did mine, put it all back together, and has a bad vibration in it. i lined up the shaft with the white painted marks on the shaft. I'm totally puzzled what i could of done wrong. THX.

[@zigo1965]

Ran it on the lift. looks like the driveshaft has a wobble in it. Think the drive shaft could be bent?

[@confettier]

@@zigo1965 ever solve? Sounds like that may have been the issue causing the bearing to go bad in the first place

[@zigo1965]

@@confettier yes, I had the bearing bracket upside down, you need to have the top of the bracket pointing up towards the car body. I bought a new driveshaft, on the original one, the u-joint was rusted up and frozen. that’s what caused the bearing to go bad. I have had no problems since I fixed it.

[@CarlosFerreira-0879]

Another silky-smooth video!!🤣🤣

[@Garageaholic]

Carlos!!!!

[@bguper]

Hello, why is so important to preload bearing? What problems will have if not?

[@Garageaholic]

It's not imperative. It's per the OEM practices. I've done preload and then no preload - No discernible difference

[@bguper]

@@Garageaholic i have replaced csb and guibo, and now there is vibrations only on heavy acceleration after that. I make a test with another driveshaft and without good result. I replace the guibo again and vibrations gone. After 20km the vibration come again more and more stronger. I alighn the arrows correct and i was wondering about the preload, becouse i have not do preload. First guibo was Febi, and the second one is gs-p. Maybe they are fake, and both are too soft and bend too much. Now i have ordered a OEM guibo. Can you help me if i'm missing something that couse the vibrations. I appreciate your help.

[@CoolcatTerri]

​@@bguperI know your comment is 3 years old and you've probably fixed the issue or moved on to a different car by now. I'm wondering what the solution was. Depending on what BMW you have, maybe it was a CV axle issue on the drive shaft or a bad u-joint?

[@bguper]

​@@CoolcatTerriHi Terri, it was due to bad balanced drive shaft and bad X joints. Not soo easy work, but it resolve the problem. Good luck dude.

[@operarter]

A very nice instruction! Thank you sir!

[@denismartinez3932]

Thank you I had same problem in my BMW 330 xi.

[@abbasrazabangash2361]

Hey Frank!!! I have the same vibration and howling noise problem. The problem occurs at high speeds above 120 km/h. My car becomes very loud and a weird vib starts coming from the rear end. I have taken it to a few mechanics but no one figured it out (One of the guy said it's an old car it will make this noise :D ). Can you please help me out with this one? Thanks

[@Garageaholic]

Bad driveshaft or needs a wheel/tire balance!

[@abbasrazabangash2361]

@@Garageaholic thanks for the help. I will add a few things to make it even clear. It gets even louder when you lift your foot off the gas and it's louder till almost 100km/h. I balanced the wheels and even changed them (new set of rims and tires) can it be the dif? or it is the driveshaft?

[@Garageaholic]

That whine is definitely coming straight from the diff, but really wouldn’t give you that speed-dependent vibration. Looks like you have a combination of issues. Start with that diff (get new bearings and re shimmed)

[@cameronhardwick1032]

I have the same issue, have you figured out the problem yet?

[@Re_Kitty]

Late reply but i got the same issue, changed diffs and axles and it improved (my diff was shot from abuse :D) but the vibration remains, it also remains after putting the car in neutral. It's 100% the driveshaft, possibly a ujoint because the CSB is new. I'm getting a replacement driveshaft because spare parts are cheap here in Spain.

[@osamaabdelgader9426]

Has the new bearing failed you ?

[@Garageaholic]

Nope it’s still good

[@matthewnicholas6365]

Think I've got this on my m3

[@Jflowboston1]

In my case a 2004 325i automatic transmission, a bad bearing , but the drive shaft u joint are so bad

[@danielokhrimchuk5429]

Right?

[@zylainteriorsolutions3436]

1 repair down, 10 to go... Sounds about right with an old BMW 😂...

[@allardzack]

Also known as a carrier bearing

[@MotorsportsX]

Better change those diff and trans bushings too or it's gonna be broke in 2500 miles again.

[@Garageaholic]

7k miles have accrued. No issues

[@gabo7904]

Great video