E30 Driveshaft installation problem

Hi, i heard this was the place to talk e30s so here i am!

I ran across a problem installing my drive shaft. Ive got it in, bolted to the differential but there is at least a 3/4 inch gap between the flex disk and transmission flange. There is no way the bolts will span that gap. The driveline is identical in length to the one i pulled out, a piece of the puzzle may be that i left the car suspended overnight on jackstands but also with the jack putting some pressure on the differential, possibly setting the diff back an inch. the center support bearing has slotted bolt holes but is maxed out all the way in one direction eluding to the rear end being out of place. when the driveline is bolted to the transmission side, the center support bearing sits perfectly in the middle of the bolt, so adjustment could be made in either direction equally, telling me its not the front end, but the rear end. what can or should i do? has this happened before?

thank you for any advice or help

Hmm, have any pictures?

Is it a different driveshaft that was in the car originally or something you took out and are putting back in? There were several different length driveshafts for E30s...

ross2004 wrote: Is it a different driveshaft that was in the car originally or something you took out and are putting back in? There were several different length driveshafts for E30s...

I am putting a remanufactured driveshaft in and i am aware there are several variations in length but side by side with the stock one that came out, they are exactly equal in length.

Tom Suddard wrote: Hmm, have any pictures?

First to last is tranny, CSB, Diff

on the first picture with the tranny, the line shows the length of the gap.

the second shows how far the CSB is biased towards the rear when its bolted to the rear. i think its a clear indication that whatever happened, happened to the rear. maybe i bent the diff upwards and or backwards while lifting the car from it?

At the diff the solid line is where the bolts are now, and the dotted one is where i feel like it was before. i could be wrong but i feel like i remember my standard wrench having to lean over the edge of the subframe just slightly to reach them, not have clear and straight access.

again, thanks for taking a look and or any advice

There is a slip joint in the driveshaft near the CCB that will allow about 1.5" of travel. It is to compensate for movement because the engine/trans and diff all float. It has a nut that crushes it to the splines.

With the motor sitting on the mounts and the trans mount bolted up you should have a smaller gap that you can then fill by slipping that joint.

It is possible it was pushed all the way in to remove it and is all crufty with filth and won't slide. BE CAREFUL you don't yank it all the way out w/o marking the shaft first or you will need to re-balance.

This assumes it's the right shaft and all of the components are where they should be.

In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker:

omg! this was exactly the problem! ive got it all back together now and it drives so well now. Rolling around feels firmer, theres no 2-3k vibration, hard driving feels right, the car feels incredible and so different.

thank you

In reply to mousesfriend:

two things:

1. the Snorklewacker knows E30s.

2. thanks for letting us know the solution. this will be helpful when i finally get an E30. ;-)