Driveshaft parts for 750il?

[Whit]

Driveshaft parts for 750il? Vibration from 55-80 kph. I am living in the Philippines for a year and I don't want to order parts from the dealer. Two weeks (plus) to get here and expensive. I suppose I can order it online from a parts dealer, but time and shipping will kill me there, too. I need the rear driveshaft CV joint that connects the driveshaft to the rear diff. Any other cars that it could be pulled from? BMW or anything else? It seems like a regular CV joint. Heck, if you tell me a CV joint from an old '61 Ford, an '85 Jeep or '93 Honda will fit, I will try it.
Just in case, other sources for center bearing, centering guide, tranny and engine mounts would be good, too.The 750il is rare here. Heck, can the whole driveshaft be used from another BMW model?
What about new or used parts from Japan or Australia? Maybe the shipping would be better. I looked into a control arm kit on Ebay--it was $150 US to ship it from California! Help!

[shogun]

They cost 2-3 times of the list price in Germany and/or USA.
As they are driveshaft parts, I would only buy new parts. Parts from USA are presently cheaper than from Europe because of the currency exchange EURO/$.
Parts in Japan on Ebay at the moment for E32:
click here and ask a japanese friend to translate. Anyway, the pics will do. (http://search.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/search?sb=desc&desc=BMW+E32&auccat=0&acc=jp&f=0x12&alocale=0jp&mode=2)

Check careful with the seller what method of shipment to be used. From Europe/Germany I usually use Postpaket International = international parcel post, which for example costs only 35 EURO for up to 5 kg to Japan, whereas FedEx or others costs >200 EURO.
Here a good calculator. For example 10 kg from Germany cost by Postpaket International EURO 52 and it tales 10-14 days, DHL makes it in 4-6 days and it costs 362,20!
Look here. (http://www.posttip.de/besttarif.asp?content=paket&Gewicht=10&zone=Philippinen&laenge=35&Breite=25&Hoehe=15&format=diagramm&go2.x=7&go2.y=12)
Used parts from Germany, Hendrik speaks Englisch. (http://www.gebrauchtee32teile.de/)
Select parts based on your VIN (http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do?PHPSESSID=2f576ced29477680ec938848d4d39e a1)
Ebay E32 parts international on offer. (http://search.ebay.com/BMW-E32_W0QQfkrZ1QQfromZR8)
Online vendor list. (http://home.earthlink.net/~hainesinutah/bmwvendors/)
Source from Australia (http://www.bmspares.com.au/)

I have my doubts that the parts from Australia are cheaper, mainly because of import duty and other taxes there. USA seems to be the best place.

Used parts from USA you can get from vinesauto.com whioch is above vendor list and
this company (http://www.theeurodepot.com/newBMWparts.html)

Check on the internet for cheapest shipping methods from USA. There must be such page like posttip in Germany where one can compare tariffs.
As you can see, in shipping you can save more than 300 $ for 10 kg already, but it only takes a few days more.

[shogun]

One more from USA, seems to be very competitive in prices. But you have to check it out on various companies. Sometimes there are big differences in parts prices. And even sometimes one has good prices for some parts, others are again more expensive.
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/

[Whit]

Thanks Shogun! My mechanic insists that if has 2 used driveshafts, he can make one good one! The front u-joint is shot, so the front of the driveshaft needs to be replaced. Will any other BMW driveshaft fit my 1988-94 750il? If I can find something local, I will save a lot of money.

[shogun]

The guy in Germany (Hendrik) has a cpl. used shaft for 69,- EURO, part number for the L-version for the 750iL is 26 11 12 27 202.
Use this p/n and try other cars on the online spare parts catalog. Select for example a E32 with automatic trans and then at one point you can search by p/n as mentioned before. Here this might help from the online ETK, click on the picks and you have some dimensions. A new one costs a hell of money.
But before he takes it out, he should mark it exactly how it was mounted, otherwise you have unbalance. That makes it even worse.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partgrp.do?model=GC81&mospid=47355&prod=19881100&hg=26&fg=10

[Whit]

Actually, that's the problem. They removed the driveshaft to check it and lubricate it and they DID NOT mark it! Now that it is back in, I have the vibration. How do they get it in correctly? Do I have to go to an engine shop to have it balanced and then installed properly? I think that they are just guessing on the universal joint (they call it a "cross joint" here). They say it looks "iffy." From what I have read, the center bearing driveshaft CV joint are the usual culprits for vibration. I am hoping if they could get it installed properly, the vibration will stop. Anyone have any ideas on how to put an "umarked" driveshaft back in so that it is not vibrating?


The guy in Germany (Hendrik) has a cpl. used shaft for 69,- EURO, part number for the L-version for the 750iL is 26 11 12 27 202.
Use this p/n and try other cars on the online spare parts catalog. Select for example a E32 with automatic trans and then at one point you can search by p/n as mentioned before. Here this might help from the online ETK, click on the picks and you have some dimensions. A new one costs a hell of money.
But before he takes it out, he should mark it exactly how it was mounted, otherwise you have unbalance. That makes it even worse.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partgrp.do?model=GC81&mospid=47355&prod=19881100&hg=26&fg=10

[Whit]

This is one of those "don't fix it if it isn't broken" problems. I read here that the driveshaft could be a problem, so when I took it to the shop, I had him check it. I did not realize that he would remove the driveshaft. It was only after this that I got the vibration. Maybe they did not support it properly when they removed it and tweaked the u-joint/cross-joint. Maybe it is just unbalanced because they did not mark it. I would love to avoid buying an entire driveshaft. Ideas?

[shogun]

That must not be absolutely a shop for cars. There must be many shops with balancing equipment for example in the ship repair services, turning lathes and industrial machinery.
One of the big and famous makers for balancing machines is Schenk. There are for sure machines from Schenck in the Philippines.
Here the address of S. USA, maybe they can help you with local contact addresses. (http://www.schenck-usa.com/auto_prod_driveshaft.html)
Just found out that Japan is in charge for the Pihils. Contact this address for Phil's
Japan (Indonesia, Cambodia, Korea, Laos, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam)
Nagahama Seisakusho Ltd.
24-3, Miyatacho 1 - chome
Takatsuki/Osaka

Telephone: +81 726 / 963301
Telefax: +81 726 / 935152

E-mail:
salesnso@mb.infoweb.ne.jp

Further information:
www.nagahama.co.jp

network in Asia (http://www.balancing.net/contacts/locations/asia.html#dummy)
Just ask for an address in Manila which has their machine and makes balancing for drive shafts. As the Jeepney is produced in the Pihil's, they can do.
You will also find a lot of info for drive shaft balancing in the inernet serach machine.

[Whit]

Great info, thanks!

[JeremyT]

Well, I just finished up replacing the driveshaft in my 93 750iL tonight. I have had many BMWs and replaced every driveshaft with a remanufactured unit from DriveLine Service of Portland, Oregon. www.driveshafts.com
These guys really know what they are doing when it comes to drive shafts. Check it out. it way be waaay to expensive to ship, but then maybe not.
-jeremy