x3 Drive shaft fix for vibrations

I was experiencing vibrations when low speed turning and accelerating so I took the X3 to the shop. Mech said needed new driveshaft as Ujoints were playing. Wanted $1100 for the fix (750 for parts and the balance for labor). I took it home and promptly ordered rebuilt shaft for $350 plus $60 core charge.

I launched into this at 7pm Thursday night with a 6 pack of beer, and high hopes. I'm not a mechanic but I'm not afraid to turn bolts which is just about all you need to do for this job. I quit at midnight with a test drive...all is well.

Here's the DIY on the fix before I forget. No pics.

1. Put rear on jack stands so wheels can turn.
2. At the muffler remove the 4 10MM nuts holding the muffler to body. Have bucket or something to rest the muffler assembly on.
3. Remove plate that holds exhaust pipes/vibration dampener to bottom of car.
4. Remove other plate that is just aft of this plate. Exhaust pipe should be free up to the manifold. Caution to not let the whole thing flop around.
5. On drivers side remove bracing bar that attatches just under the drivers passenger door by losening the torx nut. Then remove the other two bolts holding the other end to the body.
5. remove bolts holding the heat shield from bottom of car. I think there were 10 of them.
6. Now, this is tricky, slide the front of the heat shield off and then gently work the port end of the shield around the exhaust pipe. you may need to drop the muffler down until it hangs on it's own to get it out. I was slow here to not bend anything or jack up the exhaust stuff.
7. Once the heat shield is out of the way, you can freely access the drive shaft. There are three 18mm bolts up front and four 3/8 torx nuts on back with a center brace that has two nuts holding the bearing assembly.
8. I took the back off first then the front and then the middle to keep anything from falling on my face. At this point I was feeding 20 mosquitos so it's all a little blurry how it came out. I do know you have to navigate the shaft to the passenger side of the car past the exhaust pipe. It will not come out the drivers side.
Note++ if you don't have the wheels in the air you will not be able to get to some of the drive shaft bolts. I had to hand turn the shaft to get access to all of the nuts and such.

He said shaft and nuts

. the car has to be in neutral with the p brake off.
9. removed old drive shaft and at this point I'll need an expert's advice...there is a locking nut in the middle of the shaft assembly. Should that be loose or tight? On this one it was loose but on the rebuilt it was tight. With it being loose the old drive shaft came apart into two pieces. when I reinstalled the new shaft I tightened that bolt down.

10. Stick the new one in the place it goes...i put the rear end of the shaft in first, connected the middle bearing to the body just loosly, then pushed the front end in and bolted it all up.
11. Reversed process to finish the job.

All in, because I was on the floor in my garage at night I'd say the job is harder than it sounds (or felt in the morning with muscle soreness). All in all it mde me happy that I saved a bunch of cash using my $30 tool set.

Hope this helps. add more if needed.

Where did you get the rebuilt drive shaft?

I had a very similar expierience with mine... guess its a common problem. After getting a very steep price from the shop that diagnosed the problem and trying a few different things I decided to replace the whole drive shaft with a remanufactured one and after searching for the best price I could find with out sacraficing quality !!! I ordered mine from www.wholesaleimportparts.com. It was in stock! and it only took a few days to get it in my hands and the shipping was free which always helps. Once I had it I took it in to have it installed and just like that the vibration and shaking I was feeling was completely GONE !!! and I saved alot of money by going with a rebuild.

I have the same problem and I am ordering a driveshaft as I type, but I have one question do I need a flex coupling as well?

Like this one http://www.******************.com/sk...3-1663110.html

Thanks

Love my X3 ! HATE the vibration I was getting when taking off from a stop...I was told I needed to switch out my drive shaft but I was not gonna let the dealer rob me of my money. Found a reman drive shaft for $347.00 and with some info from this forum I switched it out my self. Whole job cost me under $500 and a 12 pack of beer to get me thru the install.

Anybody looking for a drive shaft check these guys out...

www.wholesaleimportparts.com

I just hit 140k on my 2005 X3 and seems like all things are happening at once. First, just had the front wheel bearings replaced on drivers side. Thought that was going to stop the vibration. It did stop the roaring sound but vibration still there and now I have another sound, like some one is hammering under the car when I am in 1st and 2nd gears. I am going to take this forum's advise and change out the drive shaft. I am ordering part as I chat. I have one question...as this totally fixed the problem?