Which other stronger drive shafts fit a e30?

[e30_Turbo]

Hello all,

Got me a interesting question....

Having read about a few other boosted e30's breaking drive shafts, I wondered which other models shafts are interchangable??

I'm aware the e36 compact and z3 variants have the same basic setup as the e30 but which are STRONGER and worth fitting?

You all know why I'm asking as the POD is looming and I'm planning on running a few more psi's than most, so while I'm buying the other drivetrain parts (clutch & diff) I might aswell shop about for some of these too.

Thanks for your input!

Mark.

[Widge]

I would have thought the Z3M shafts are the ones to go if you want to avoid having beefy ones made up. They wre 300+ BHP from new and the later ones had the E46 M3 engine so they can't be that weak!
I suppose if you are going to do it often thoug the answer would be to take a set of E30 ones to a drive shaft specialist and have some big ones made up, but that will be $$$
Good luck with it mate

[Andy335Touring]

I'd guess you should be ok if you use road tyres ?

Slicks/track day tyres might cause you some probs ?

I'd say the first drive line part to suffer would be the standard clutch but you've got that covered ?

[Widge]

What about that prop guilbo surely that's going to present a weak link?

[fuzzy]

drive shafts are one of the few components not to cause me any problems yet but id be interested in what your doing as id best upgrade mine soon as well.if your planning to get a couple custom made give me a shout as ill get a pair as well.it might help get the price down a bit if theres a few being made

[e21Jason]

Hi

If you fancy some custom ones i will pass on my friends detials who works for a company which makes a lot of wrc ones, and whom GKN subcontract all there small orders to.

Jason

[e30_Turbo]

Clutch is sorted...kinda....just got to pay for it, spec 3, 4 puck, 490lbft rated for about $400+ shipping & taxs but I may wait till the stock one burns out before I upgrade, it will happen but not quite yet and to be fair I've not had a ny issues with mine so far.

What about that prop guilbo surely that's going to present a weak link?

Hmmmm, not heard of one breaking on my travels around the net....maybe worth further investigation.

Andy, its the lure of slicks that has started this really, BMSOB (e30tech) has just run a 11.78 1/4 on slicks and the next run he sheared of one of the driveshafts, which is why I'm gonna hold of on slicks for the time being.

Custom driveshafts do sound expensive but if Jason could forward me the details it won't hurt to enquire.

I'll also be speaking to FAB, QUARRY etc etc see how much those ZM3 ones are going for.

Fuzzy, If I do go that route I may aswell go for a group buy on them, I'll let you know either way mate.

Thanks all, Mark.

[Andy335Touring]

BTW Mark, i love the new sig pic mate

[jaistanley]

I think a swap to ZM driveshafts is gonna require new trailing arms, hub brakes etc aswell, plus the use of E28 driveshaft flanges in your diff...

You get beefier driveshafts, strengthened trailing arms and much bigger brakes (312 * 20mm vented).

The bearings are larger as are the inner and outer flanges so you cant swap these to the E30 hubs as far as I know, you have to change the whole trailing arm assembly. Perhaps you could dismantle the driveshafts and CV joint and just use the beefier centre bit (ie have your driveshafts re-built with the centres of the ZM's)

I have a spare battered ZM trailing arm you can pick up to see if its possible...(I'm swapping to these trailing arma, brakes, driveshafts and diff when I do engine conversion)

All the driveshaft failures I've heard of are from the bolts looesning and shearing but I dont know anyone with turbo nutter power...

JAI

[Widge]

Sounds like an up grade to the whole suspension is gonn be the sensible way to do it. Unless you just take a pair of drive shafte to a company like Dunning & Fairbanks in leeds. They'd make you up a stronger set with the same cv's but bigger centre sectios. But then are you going to have trouble with bearings and the Diff etc...???

[jaistanley]

Forgot to say:

FAB sold me Z3M driveshafts for £100 each side and wanted £200 a side for the trailing arms with nothing on them.

Ended up paying £500 for both arms, VAT, delivery, driveshafts and everything else that comes bolted to them when a lazy breakers yard labourer can't be bothered to strip them down.. I still have the battered ones from the rear end damaged Z3 I bought.

Was gutted when I had to replace them, 500 notes man! For trailing arms! Guess the MCoupé/Roadster is a rare-ish car and even harder to find rear arms for (they tend to spin out into kerbs, writing off rear arms, can't think why like!)

Jai

[martybee58]

Hey Mark, Me again!!! I only just starting to explore this forum so you can expect to hear a lot from me!! My prop coupling s*it itself a little while back so i bought a E34 M5 one which is about 5mm thicker than a stock M3 one. If you want to look at mine to see if it fits it is all out of the car. I was told by a nut case in sweden that stock driveshaft are more than capable of supporting 450BHP any more is a bit risky. As for tyres effecting driveline strain consider this.......

If you are on a high speed run at peak torque in 5th gear there wont be any wheelspin but you will still be transmitting that touque to the wheels. Also a driveshaft failure at that speed will be worse than one in a low gear (low speed). Food for thought?

Martin

[ajey_e30]

I was told by a nut case in sweden that stock driveshaft are more than capable of supporting 450BHP any more is a bit risky

it is true but the problem is in rubber joints you must pout on M3 ruber joints but then your axsels will broke!

[Morat]

Hey Mark, Me again!!! I only just starting to explore this forum so you can expect to hear a lot from me!! My prop coupling s*it itself a little while back so i bought a E34 M5 one which is about 5mm thicker than a stock M3 one. If you want to look at mine to see if it fits it is all out of the car. I was told by a nut case in sweden that stock driveshaft are more than capable of supporting 450BHP any more is a bit risky. As for tyres effecting driveline strain consider this.......

If you are on a high speed run at peak torque in 5th gear there wont be any wheelspin but you will still be transmitting that touque to the wheels. Also a driveshaft failure at that speed will be worse than one in a low gear (low speed). Food for thought?

Martin

Just wondering about this... if you had an LSD would that make a driveshaft failure worse if you were going a drag run? Or would the car still go straight enough for you to be OK?

[martybee58]

Personally I'd be more worried about the driveshaft spinning around and messing up the underside of the car!! It could even smash into the petrol tank!!

[Widge]

Yeah it could write the car off if shaft sheared and flailed around a bit.
But contrary to popular belief fuel tanks don't explode...........
Just imagine having a drive shaft fail in a Caterham, it would chop your leg off, or a motorbike chain, they do serious damage when they go, so it's all comparative really

[martybee58]

Ok, I'm not sure we are singing from the same hymn sheet here.....

Here in the UK......

Propshaft = shaft from gearbox to diff
Driveshaft = shaft from diff to wheel

In the USA.........

Driveshaft = shaft from gearbox to diff
Halfshaft = shaft from diff to wheel

I'm refering to the Driveshafts (UK) being the weak point.

I've never heard of a Propshaft snapping on a BMW.

[Widge]

Yeah and?????

[martybee58]

You said........... "Just imagine having a drive shaft fail in a Caterham, it would chop your leg off"

So i started getting confused as to what shaft you were refering to.

I take it in the quote above you were refering to the propshaft?

[Widge]

Yes, I was referring to the propshaft, although a drive shaft failure in an IRS caterham would probably rip your spine out.
Quite where you american dictionary defintions came from though I don't know. I knew what I ment and you knew what I was talking about so it was a bit of an unessicary comment.
Hence my post,

"And????"

I apologies I must amend my Avatar so it says Leeds UK NOT USA as I have obviously mislead you.

[martybee58]

Are you having a bad day or something? or have you just got an attitude problem? I post a lot on S14.net where most people on there are american. If I knew what you meant I would nt say I was confused would I?

I've only been posting on here for two days and I'm already getting this attitude. WTF is that about?

What kind of a reply is "And????" anyway? I hear it from my 8 year old nephew but come on..........

Mark, I'm really sorry for polluting your thread. This will be my last post on the subject. You have my email if you want to borrow my M5 Propshaft coupling or want any more info.

[RowdyBurns]

Yeah and?????

And..... next time you have to order a "driveshaft" from your local motor parts people, you are going to get a driveshaft rather than the propshaft you are really after, because you are a tit who doesn't know the correct technical names of car parts!

I think that is the point we are trying to make here.

[Widge]

J~*%$ Ch#~*

Ok so I used the wrong term, I'm sorry, then I said because we all knew what I meant that his American point was abit.... well..... point less. Anyway, I'n not a tit who doesn't know any technical names and I resent that remark, but I'll let it slide.

TBH for once the Americans have got it right any way, I don't see any propellors on the end of my prop shaft. And a driveshaft sould be called a half shaft, that's what they are called on cars with live axles aren't they. Anyway that's not going to change.

At least it's sunny love you all

Off to play in the convertable.....................
.................. oh sorry I should have said cabriolet



Anyway I think other stuff is going to fail in the transmission system first. I would have thought the clutch and guilbo are more likley to go first as they have a bit of give to start with, although it looks like you have them covered.

PS I've never heard of a production car breaking a propshaft, although I will stand corrected, but in the caterham, well more kit car scene it has happened a few times on badily built cars, which would cause a bit of before bedtime

[martybee58]

Taken from the dictionary....


propel
verb [T] -ll-
1 to push or move something somewhere, often with a lot of force:
a rocket propelled through space
The Kon-Tiki sailed across the Pacific Ocean propelled by wind power.

Well today the student actually learned something!!!!

No hard feelings Wedge

[Widge]

YEah that's why a propellor is called a PROPELlor.

Anyway that's not helping Fozzymonster with his driveshafts.

[RowdyBurns]

PS I've never heard of a production car breaking a propshaft, although I will stand corrected, but in the caterham, well more kit car scene it has happened a few times on badily built cars, which would cause a bit of before bedtime

You are preaching to the converted. Hence why i have a 3" prop with new heavy duty joints on my seven style kit car! I like my legs.

[Widge]

The racers put roll bar style and thickness hoops over the transmission tunnel.

[jaistanley]

In a Caterham I'd be more worried about a lightened cast iron flywheel letting go at high rpm...

Goodbye anything below the knee! At 7k odd rpm they have quite a lot of energy!

Glad you ladies have sorted your little handbag fight out.

Jai

[Widge]

I'd be more worried about trucks

[e21Jason]

Hi

The guys who make custom drive shafts are


Jason

http://asp.drivelink.com/index_content.cfm

[WillG]

Hi this wont help much in quest for stronger driveshafts but BMWSOB did mention they broke at the CV joint and they were 20 years old and worn out anyway and hes goes up the strip like every other week i think. Might be worth trying some new joints out before spending lots on custom ones? Or maybe ZM3 joints are stronger and will fit your shafts?