Little BMW help here....

My brother is needing some help, he has an 89 e34 525i with a 5spd. He lost a rear wheel bearing which ate the outer flange in the axle also. He ordered a axle and when it arrived it didn't match up. Turns out 89/early 90 5spd cars have a 100mm flange while everything else has a 108mm flange. BMW has the axle for $500, no one else lists it.

Anyone else run into this, any work around? I suggested he swap the diff over from a 535 so that he has an easier interchange in the future but he'd like to be able to out it back together and use the car. He is open to used axles at this point so the car is at least useable....

That oughta be pull-a-part fodder. I can't remember the last time I didn't see an e34 at PaP. Get the whole rear end from whatever so you know it will fit. Get all the brakes to sell to the e28 bros as a bolt on big brake kit to offset your expense. Hell, for that matter buy a running parts car with title issues for $500. You really have limitless options here.

^^ditto. There are e34's a plenty every time I go to the yard.

So, no direct knowledge of this situation? I think the swap with a CL car will be easiest but it appears diff input flanges for auto-manual are different as well. It'll be a hodgepodge.

They're well-built, plentiful, and depreciated-to-scrap value. Like legos: unplug everything from the driveshaft back and bolt in a one out of the yard, if you just need it to go.

Search on realoem to see which other BMW uses the same axle.

Do you know the last 7 digits of the VIN?

Does he need #1 as shown here?

Thats a weird axle.

If so, ECS has it for $132

ECS Tuning link

Are you talking about the diff output flanges? They just pop out of the diff and I would be mighty surprised if 108 mm ones didn't just pop back in their place.

I was going to suggest realoem too. you can choose manual or automatic as well as build date. ought to narrow it down to getting the correct part number. even if there has been one that supersedes the old one.

If he actually needs the axle:

Ebay listing

rcutclif wrote: Are you talking about the diff output flanges? They just pop out of the diff and I would be mighty surprised if 108 mm ones didn't just pop back in their place.

They do pop in, but they are slightly different. They will not work if I recall correctly.

Slippery wrote: Does he need #1 as shown here? Thats a weird axle. If so, ECS has it for $132 ECS Tuning link

That appears to be the one, the realoem axle shows it as m10 but the seperate flange is shown as M8. His is M8.