How hard is it to change the diff?

Sat Dec 23, 2006 6:10 pm

Hi,
I just bought a 325i but it doesn't come witha LSD; my old 325i, which I plan to sell, does have one, and I was thinking on switching the diffs on both cars. How hard is it to do, and is it worth it?
Thanks[/b]

Sat Dec 23, 2006 6:13 pm

expect all day to do
its awkward work

done a few now

Sat Dec 23, 2006 6:18 pm

As Richy says, awkward, time consuming work.

Much easier with a lift/ramp than on stands.

Sat Dec 23, 2006 6:31 pm

the practice ive had i can have one off in 45 mins

then another 2 hours getting it back on

Sat Dec 23, 2006 7:07 pm

The only incentive is that the LSD is worth about Ã‚£200, and the open diff is worth half of F**k all.

Sat Dec 23, 2006 7:15 pm

IMO it would be well worth the time to swap the diff's.

I have watched someone remove a standard open diff, and it took about 25-30 minutes (and lots of swearing)
not a difficult job if you have the right tools.

Sat Dec 23, 2006 8:12 pm

smithy318i wrote:IMO it would be well worth the time to swap the diff's.

I have watched someone remove a standard open diff, and it took about 25-30 minutes (and lots of swearing)

Removing the diff is the easy bit. Refitting one can be a PITA.

not a difficult job if you have the right tools.

And the right tools include a foot long scaff bar to go over the 19mm spanner to undo the top diff bolts. Any longer that one foot and it wont fit in the available space.

Sat Dec 23, 2006 8:16 pm

or you could interlink two spanners.

Sat Dec 23, 2006 8:24 pm

smithy318i wrote:or you could interlink two spanners.

Tried that. My diff bolts were stupidly tight (the prop to diff bolts broke my fingers

) and I found using the scaff bar gave me a better grip and being a round edge I could pull with more effort - no fear of the one spanner slipping off the other.

Its one 'tool' that cost me nothing and I wont be getting rid of.

Sat Dec 23, 2006 9:23 pm

the first time i did mine it took most of the day because the bolts were on solid.the second time i did it in a couple of hours .awkward job to do lying on your back with it up on axle stands but straight forward.most hassle was trying to line up the 4 bolts on top of the diff when refitting

Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:39 am

how come you dont just drop both axels off to swap em instead of fooking round with the diffs?

Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:48 am

because thats even more work

changing a diff is a bloody nightmare. And when u have done it more than once it's even worse because u know whats coming. I hate it, it's always before hand summoning the strength of the gods because your gonna be under the car on axle stands grovelling with no space for some leverage. They weigh a ton and u get crap in your eyes and covered in Sh!te and it's all very wrong and horrible and not something u should do over christmas is my point!

Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:50 am

lol thats that then! aint done one on these yet so i dont know, merry christmas whislt your up simon!

Mon Dec 25, 2006 9:11 am

It took me roughly 24 ours to do the M5 diff on my own.

18 hours to pshyc myself up and 6 hours to actually do it.

E30 one is not so bad in my opinion but Simon is so right.....leverage is rubbish and you have to use brute strength to move anything. Some type of eye protection is highly recommended especially if you wear contacts.

Having two hydraulic jacks makes life alot easier when putting the diff back in.

Sal