Drive shaft joint

[6670charger]

How do you know when the rubber drive shaft joint on these cars is bad? A vehicle safety inspector told me mine is bad and needs to be replaced. I put the car up on a hoist and as far as I can tell, it looks fine. They're not all that expensive, and it doesn't look like they're a big deal to replace, but it just doesn't look like it needs to be replaced.

[whiskychaser]

You mean the one behind the gearbox? aka guibo or flexdisc? The bolt holes get elongated and you can sometimes see the fibres sticking out. If its that one just bear in mind you tighten the nuts not the bolt heads or you will be doing it again

[6670charger]

OK. Well, maybe that's what the inspector saw. Yes, the part you described is the one I was talking about.

Good advice on the fasteners. I'll remember that one.

[rockin1978TA]

I knew mine was bad, when I'd accelerate, I could hear it banging on the drivedshaft tunnel. Not to hard to replace.

[ArnZ!]

Most likely the inspector saw the guibo, they become out of round and can cause vibrations depending how out of round it is.

The centre bearing on the drive shaft is covered by the exhaust and heat shield so its not in plain sight. When this goes, you'll hear like someone is knocking on the floor of your car.

[6670charger]

Not hearing anything like that. The piece I'm talking about is the round rubber piece that the driveshaft connects to at the transmission tailshaft. My best guess is that the inspector saw some threads on it.

[Bill R.]

Since the disc is composed of rubber and fibre layers you can see threads quite frequently... Usually you look for cracks in the rubber between the bolts and the disc itself coming apart. The inspector couldn't have seen the driveshaft center bearing assy since its behind the metal heat shield covering most of the driveshaft

[6670charger]

The one he saw and that I need to replace is the rubber "guibo" joint that attaches the driveshaft to the trans. In the Euro spec cars at least, it is plainly visible from underneath.

[Grendel415]

I have an issue with my driveshaft, My Guibo looks fine nut I am getting the thunder at slow acceleration and then it goes away when you pick up speed. You can baby it so it doesn't make any noise which is what I am doing in the mean time when I have to move it. Upon inspection the noise is coming from the middle of the shaft where the carrier bearing is. This started after I opened it up on the freeway to an undisclosed high speed. This 94 540i has 160,000 miles on it and is in pretty good condition. I couldn't see anything out of whack except a rubber exhaust mount that was severed and that I need a new oil pan gasket. I have replaced guibos but never any other part of the drive shaft. Is this a difficult job? Release the exhaust, heat shield, loosen the shaft and..?