Prop centre bearing change ahoy...

[engine_ear]

Replaced the fuel tank at the weekend and noticed the rubber part of the centre bearing is breaking up. Plan for this weekend then is to replace the support/bearing and may as well do the rubber coupling on the gearbox too.

Can you fit the new centre bearing support on to the prop at home? Haynes makes reference to having to press the bearing onto the prop, just want to be sure I can re-assemble it in the garage!

Gearbox coupling looks easy enough, unbolt and swap the bits over I guess. Will pick up new bolts too but am wondering how much to tighten them. I have the torque settings but when refitting the prop after doing the tank I couldn't get access to the bolt head with a torque wrench so just did them up 'kin tight with a long spanner. Same with the joint to the diff. Any trick I'm missing there?

Finally, was flicking through the Haynes section on prop removal/refitting (after I'd done it...) and it recommends marking the ends so the prop flanges bolt to the gearbox & diff in the same position as they came off, to keep them balanced. That didn't occur to me at the time however, never thought they'd balance across multiple parts like that. Surely when replacing diffs/props etc you can't balance anyway? Am I worrying about nothing?

(1990 318i Touring manual btw...)

[anisotropy]

Finally, was flicking through the Haynes section on prop removal/refitting (after I'd done it...) and it recommends marking the ends so the prop flanges bolt to the gearbox & diff in the same position as they came off, to keep them balanced. That didn't occur to me at the time however, never thought they'd balance across multiple parts like that. Surely when replacing diffs/props etc you can't balance anyway? Am I worrying about nothing?

(1990 318i Touring manual btw...)

I didn't understand that either

you can change the bearing at home with careful tapping with a hammer and small punch

[magpie]

so what happens when you change the full prop with a used 1????
you un do center bearing last m8,,,,then it all comes out.

[leeparkes]

you need to pre-load the bearing on refitting