£.180.00 Differential upgrade.

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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
Posts: 6436

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

£.180.00 Differential upgrade.

Post by Southernboy »

Anyone interested in doing the dual ear diff upgrade...for Z3's fitted with the Type 188 Diff (LSD included).
Parts:-
New dual ear diff cover ex BMW - Part # B 33 11 1 213 046 (£. 80.00)
New 10mm Spacer ex myself. (£. 85.00) Incl postage.
Full instructions on "How to DIY" including drawing of new brackets required. These can be made by yourself or locally by a metal work shop and don't involve more than some basic cutting and a hole drilled for the bolt to pass through. (£. 5.00)
You will need to do some welding, or get a mate that can weld to fit the new brackets to the cross member.
New diff oil (£. 10.00)
Total:- £.180.00.

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Z3 Upgrades and Additions
Alan W
Joined: Thu 20 Jun, 2013 10:56
Posts: 670

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Bexley, Kent UK

Re: £.180.00 Differential upgrade.

Post by Alan W »

That is a bloody good price
1999 facelit Z3 Roadster 2.8 Auto in Cosmos Black aka 'Gloria'
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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
Posts: 6436

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

Re: £.180.00 Differential upgrade.

Post by Southernboy »

It is for the result...also, I'm basing the price on a brand new diff cover from BMW...If you find one off eBay for less, well that will reduce the overall cost somewhat. The dual ear diff was standard on the e36 320 / 325 / 328's with the Type 188 diffs.
The actual upgrade can be done in an hour once you have all the bits, and it's dead easy.
"Normal is overrated"
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Z3 Upgrades and Additions
deni2s
Joined: Mon 25 Mar, 2013 22:02
Posts: 761

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: £.180.00 Differential upgrade.

Post by deni2s »

Can you please explain benefits of doing this?
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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
Posts: 6436

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

Re: £.180.00 Differential upgrade.

Post by Southernboy »

Reasons for doing such a conversion...
A fairly common complaint amongst Z3 and other model BMW drivers is the issue of firstly spot-welds in the boot to subframe popping due to the one sided torque of the diff to subframe. This is a result of the OEM diff having a single mounting point. An extension of the boot welds degrading, is the subframe cracking, since it will have lost the support of the welds, and ultimately the frame will yield. The complaint appears to be most common on M version and 6 cylinder cars and is well documented in the Z3 posts...(unfortunately I'm not familiar with creating links to other posts on the subject). If you visit the Z3 Knowledgebase here, and scroll down to the item on "torn diff bracket" and also the next item there, you will see the pics and write-ups posted on the experiences of other members here.
Fitting a diff cover which has a mount point left and right of the torque delivered by the propshaft is absorbed by the subframe equally and provides greater stability and integrity to the structure as well as improving the forward thrust of the power delivery to the wheels.
"Normal is overrated"
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Z3 Upgrades and Additions
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