<e28> driveshaft replacement

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I purchased the new driveshaft from Driveline Service of Portland.  They
advertise in the roundel and had the best price for clubmembers.  The
piece comes in a huge cylinder and unpacks with ease.  I called the
techs there prior to installation and asked for any advice they might
have for the DIY.  He said that installation is really simple but that
sometimes people forget that they can unscrew the locking nut in the
middle of the shaft to get the shaft to get longer or shorter.  I
located that and performed the slide prior to installation.

I began by lowering the exhaust system.  I had no extra donuts so I was
careful with the old ones.  There is one bolt on the muffler, remove
it.  Then there are two between the muffler and the cat.  Loosen these
and then work the donuts off.  You must be ready to support the exhaust
system by now.  A bucket under the muffler will do the job and won=92t
cost you another jackstand.

Now remove two nuts/bolts that hold the cat and the rest of the exhaust
up.  These are a pain but well worth it.  It is important to have the
rest of the system support now so there won=92t be as much weight on the
bolts.  Next comes the heat shield.  Beware!  Lots of crap comes off
with this guy.  Sand, small stones and other garbage will drop into your
face if you are not careful.

Now the part I wish I=92d known.  Douse the nuts with your favorite liqui=
d
wrench.  Let them set at least an hour, getting them off was a real
bitch!  Be patient here, they require a good sized breaker bar to break
them loose.

Another helpful hint:  you have already blocked the front tires, right?
I did mine with the rear end up on jackstands and then used the floor
jack to elevate the drivers side of the car and supporting it on a
jackstand to get enough room to work the tools.  Because you can only
access one bolt at a time in the front, you have to put the tranny in
neutral (keep in mind this is for the automatic) to spin the shaft so
that you can access the next bolt.  Some getting up and down with this
but easily accomplished.  For best access you can gently pull the
exhaust system to the passenger=92s side of the car.  I used a couple of
bungee cords to facilitate this.  Be careful not to pull the system too
far.  You car is not a spring chicken anymore!

I removed the rear nuts first but left the bolts in place.  I tackled
the front nuts next and then went back to the rear and tapped the bolts
gently with a hammer.  The shaft can be pulled free from the front bolts
but you have to work it over the exhaust to get it out.  Watch out for
the O2 sensor wire, it can get in the way and you don=92t want to break
that puppy off.

Now that you shaft is out, bang the bolts off and fit them to the new
shaft.  Make sure the locking collar on the new shaft is loose so that
it can be expanded.  Tighten the front and then the rear bolts according
to the bentleys.  The tech said that new nuts and bolts weren=92t
necessary but your intuition may guide you to new nuts at a minimum.
Make sure you tighten the center bearing guide.  Put the rest of the
stuff back on and drive away.  You should have eliminated the shudder at
low speed takeoffs.

The shaft comes pre-greased and doesn=92t need grease for 24,000 miles.
So far, so good, eh.  You will find the folks at driveline pretty
helpful, they even pay for the shipping of your old shaft to cover the
core charge.  All in all, a great experience for the home mechanic.

Best of luck!

Tom Jarlock
88 535ia, 177,000
CCA#127308

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