How much shorter should the drive shaft be ?

[Barry.b]

Hi guys
I am hopefully dropping my September 1973 , 4 speed driveshaft off to be shortened and balanced this week in preparation for the getrag 265 5 speed gearbox.
Can I just check how much should it be shortened by .
I think it is 3.75” but I am not 100% sure and I’d rather ask the question first , than ending up with a drive shaft too short .
Thanks.
Also I bought a new Guibo and center bearing from Walloth and Nesch are they acceptable ?
Just wondering as I think I remember someone mentioning one from a M5

 

[reedreed]

We are in the same boat. IMHO 3.75 will work with a standard guibo, but for M5 guibo ,im about to install, it will be 10mm less.
Tried to ask SFDON to make things clear but he's off for a week.
For me it would be better to wait for his explanations. anyway stay tuned.

 

[eriknetherlands]

From a write up by Carl Nelson:

"- Remove the drive shaft. A custom unit must be fabricated, shorten a 4 speed by 3.75 inches or lengthen an automatic .75 inches, replace u-joints as necessary, replace center carrier bearing and renew hardy disc. This is custom work and very few shops can do it"

ref: http://www.bimmerdoc.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/E9-5-speed-conversion-article.pdf

 

[BarneyT]

Measure how much longer the new transmission is than the old transmission that is the distance it needs to be shorten…normally is 3 3/4 inches…

 

[E9madada]

I fitted my 265 5 speed with the 35mm M5 Guibo, so shorted the drive shaft by 85mm.
No issues fits well no vibration.

 

[Honolulu]

Not explicit about what your current trans is (4 speed is implied) but I used my original A/T shaft on the five-speed trans. Per Carl Nelson that's just fine, the additional 3/4 inch isn't madly necessary. YMMV.

 

[Gransin]

There are three different output flanges for your G265, something to consider when deciding on drive shaft length.

 

[Barry.b]

Thanks guys
I dropped it off to the machine shop today and I told them to shorten it by 3.75”
I did take the advice though and I measured both gearbox’s and subtracted one from the other , to confirm what was needed.
Thanks again

 

[bill]

We are in the same boat. IMHO 3.75 will work with a standard guibo, but for M5 guibo ,im about to install, it will be 10mm less.
Tried to ask SFDON to make things clear but he's off for a week.
For me it would be better to wait for his explanations. anyway stay tuned.

Much of the E9 world stops dead when SFDon is out of town…

 

[sfdon]

Dont tell them how much to cut the driveshaft.

Tell them how long you want the front section of the driveshaft to be.

If you wait until Monday - I will post the correct measurements depending on which Guibo you use.

Y’all should be in Texas on the Terry Sather drive along….

 

[rsporsche]

@sfdon ... hope you are having a good drive with Terry ... and enjoying some seat time in 02s.

 

[sfdon]

We use in our shop-

The smallest of the 3 versions of tranny output flanges, just like is on your 4 speed.
The 35mm Guibo for M cars (26112226527)
Front section of driveshaft (C1) is equal to 16.5"

That's it.

You don't need to know how much to cut or to add- C1 just needs to be 16.5"

 

[Arde]

Albert Einstein would say: Make a driveshaft as short as possible, but not any shorter.