260-1
General
This repair group covers the repair and
replacement of driveshafts and
driveshaft components. Drive axles are
covered in
311 Front Axle Final Drive
and
331 Rear Axle Final Drive
.
Special tools
BMW suggests the use of a special
tool in the release of the clamping
sleeve which acts as a grease seal for
the splined shaft to the rear of the
driveshaft center bearing.
Clamping sleeve adjustment tool BMW
26 1 040
Front and rear driveshafts
The rear driveshaft is a two-piece unit
joined in the center by a sliding splined
coupling. This coupling compensates
for fore and aft movement of the drive
line. The driveshaft is connected to the
transmission by a rubber flex-disc and
to the rear final drive by a universal
joint. It is supported in the middle by a
center support bearing. The bearing is
mounted in rubber to isolate vibration.
All wheel drive models incorporate two
driveshafts. The rear driveshaft is a
two-piece unit with splined center
coupling much like that of a rear wheel
drive model, but it is shorter and
connects the transfer case to the rear
differential. A short, one-piece
Driveshafts
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Summary of Contents for 1999-2005 M3
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