E21 Project Thread - Part 2

[B C]

You saved some cash getting the outer bearings from an industrial supplier, I think you are destined to pay full price from an auto supplier/dealer for the inners though

[Bassboy3313]

I didn't necessarily save cash on the outer bearings as those are common size and can be found anywhere. The inner bearing size is not common on the 323i, that's the trouble. We will see when I get them in from blunt tech

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[Bassboy3313]

Got the secondary diff mount finished, powdercoated by Zach and the poly bushing pressed in. Turned out great!

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[Jeff]

What is the bearing part number and dimensions? And what brand is the number for? I can check with a couple suppliers and see if I can dig 2 of them up

[Bassboy3313]

Doesn't matter what brand it is really. Just has to be a deep groove ball bearing unt that is 30mm x 58mm x 16mm exactly. I found a company in China that has 14 Nachi brand bearings that,are made in japan. I ordered all of them and am reselling some to other e21 owners. Just waiting for them to arrive in mail.

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[Bassboy3313]

Got my rear euro valance (formally kyle's) back from U-Spray all sandblasted and ready for some patchwork and welding to the car.

[Bassboy3313]

Well I recieved one bearing from Blunt Tech so far as the other one was on backorder and BMW didn't tell him that. I should be receiving the other one on Tuesday tho. I also got all the japenese brand Nachi bearings from the company I found in China. They are the correct size as well and look to be great quality. Up there with Timken who we all know make great bearings as well. Finally able to move along with this rear end project.

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[Jdesign]

Hell yeah man! Glad to see you found the right bearings!

[Bassboy3313]

New bearings and seals installed, broken bolts removed from stub axle, trailing arms cleaned and painted. Time to do a mock up of everything bolted together to figure out how much shorter I need the halfshafts to be.

Figure I can cut an inch or 2 out of my bad halfshaft, put a metal pipe between it with some set screws to make an adjustable halfshaft. Then just play around with lengths until there is no binding in the cv joints for the entire trailing arm motion.

Once the length is found I will then take the good half shafts to machine service in pewaukee to have them shortened and balanced.

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[straight6pwr]

is the custom half-shaft length because of the diff or that euro half-shafts are unavailable?

[Bassboy3313]

It is because of the diff. The medium case is wider than the small case, so the half-shafts need shortening. The euro and us models use the same half-shafts otherwise.

[Bassboy3313]

Got everything mocked up and ready to measure up the halfshaft lengths needed.

I went ahead and cut an inch out of the bad halfshaft which should be more than needed. Found that 1" black pipe fits right over the halfshaft like a glove (after grinding a nub or two off the shaft). So I drilled some holes, welded a few nuts and got some thumb screws. Now I have an adjustable length shaft to mock things up with.

[straight6pwr]

thats a clever way to measure!

also, i'm glad someone else uses their living room/furniture as work space.

[Bassboy3313]

Always! Keeps the parts from getting scratched or dinged and its a lot more comfy working inside than outside this time of year. 

[Earl]

I need to take a picture of my living room currently to display that same thing lol

[KaiserRolls]

I know that feel

[m42b32]

KaiserRolls said:

My living room looked 1% like that at one point, that train of thought was shut down rather quickly...you're lucky haha

[straight6pwr]

KaiserRolls said:

I know that feel

LOL best part of this is $$$$ on car parts taking priority over real living room furniture.

[andyhundley]

KaiserRolls said:

I know that feel

Mitch you should probably put that gallon of strawberry milk in the fridge before it goes bad.

[Earl]