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      09-14-2020, 04:38 PM   #1
Pussiwillow
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So I didn't even realize used lsds from f80/82 are so cheap, from what I saw it's a direct swap, pop axles out, slip diff in, pop them in, hook it up and roll, is this correct?
Obviously following procedures lol
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      09-14-2020, 05:07 PM   #2
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Did you look at the part numbers? It will only list m3 and m4. There's is also electronically locking to some degree. There's nothing indicating it would fit an F3x.
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      09-14-2020, 05:13 PM   #3
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I didn't cross reference anything yet since I'm at work with limited service, I'll look a little later, so people doing lsd swaps, are they not using m3/m4 diffs?
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      09-14-2020, 05:15 PM   #4
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Damn so from what I see the m diffs aren't the way to go
Interesting
Hmmm :/
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      09-14-2020, 05:59 PM   #5
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Yeah there is an F30 M performance LSD. The auto variant is all sold out from BMW. They went 80% off Q2 last year ( sold for 4-600 USD). If you can even find one now it will be used, and double that price. Manual variant is still dealer price. Not sure if BMW will run a firesale on those too.

Your only other option is an LSD insert. That's Quaife, Wavetrac, and (MFactory and OBX?). This path will still cost about 2200 USD all in. You need to open the oe casing, which is welded, just to put the new one in. The F30 axles are also an issue as a special tool is needed to pop them out and in. Albeit a well experienced bmw shop could probably finagle the swap without it.


Good luck and do some research. Both paths above are well documented here. The upgrade will definitely change your car
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      09-14-2020, 06:07 PM   #6
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Mannnnn lol
Why can't it be simple like the older chassis
I'll keep my eyes out for something
I really want to lsd swap this car
All my other bmws (older chassis) were lsd swapped
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      09-14-2020, 08:17 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Pussiwillow View Post
Mannnnn lol
Why can't it be simple like the older chassis
I'll keep my eyes out for something
I really want to lsd swap this car
All my other bmws (older chassis) were lsd swapped
https://diffsonline.com/custom-perfo...differentials/
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      09-14-2020, 08:23 PM   #8
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Oh you're awesome thanks
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      09-19-2020, 01:33 AM   #9
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Oh you're awesome thanks
i'll sell you my oem diff if you want to keep your stock one and retrofit another stock one. I replaced mine with the MP LSD
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      09-19-2020, 03:37 PM   #10
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From what i've found, you can buy the M-Sport LSD for the F32. Not sure if its the same as the ones from the M cars or not though
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      09-20-2020, 04:26 AM   #11
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From what i've found, you can buy the M-Sport LSD for the F32. Not sure if its the same as the ones from the M cars or not though
Only the manual version is still for sale, the auto they had a 75% off sale which I missed sadly and discontinued the product
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      09-20-2020, 07:14 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Logicoeur View Post
Yeah there is an F30 M performance LSD. The auto variant is all sold out from BMW. They went 80% off Q2 last year ( sold for 4-600 USD). If you can even find one now it will be used, and double that price. Manual variant is still dealer price. Not sure if BMW will run a firesale on those too.

Your only other option is an LSD insert. That's Quaife, Wavetrac, and (MFactory and OBX?). This path will still cost about 2200 USD all in. You need to open the oe casing, which is welded, just to put the new one in. The F30 axles are also an issue as a special tool is needed to pop them out and in. Albeit a well experienced bmw shop could probably finagle the swap without it.


Good luck and do some research. Both paths above are well documented here. The upgrade will definitely change your car
"The F30 axles are also an issue as a special tool is needed to pop them out and in. Albeit a well experienced bmw shop could probably finagle the swap without it."

In my experience I wouldn't use any shop that didn't have the special tools and the experience with the F3x differential.

I was lucky enough to get an MP LSD during BMW's firesale. Amazing difference it makes.

I watched my extremely experienced factory trained tech (now at an independent shop) install it. At first he didn't have the special tools since F3x is relatively new to be removing rear differentials and previous generation didn't need them. So he looked at potential creative ways to do it but he said that he didn't want to risk damage. So he borrowed the correct tools from a buddy at another shop.

A friend of mine who lives a couple of hours away wasn't so lucky. He used a shop that tried to rig the installation without the tools and ruined his LSD.

The previous generation BMW had a flange with bolts to connect the rear halfshafts to the differential. It was easy to remove/install. But the F3x halfshafts do not have a flange. The spindle at the end of the halfshaft has a groove machined in it that a special circlip rides in. When the spindle is inserted into the side of the differential they click together. That joint is so tight that the only sure way of popping that connection loose is the special tool that actually wraps around it to have the leverage to separate them. See photo

The center driveshaft has its own issue. It has a giant nut on it. The special tool is a huge open ended wrench head with about a three foot handle for leverage. See photo

I would caution to anyone with an F3x that is having a rear differential removed/installed. Make sure the shop has the special tools. I'd even ask to see them and to talk to the tech who would do the work to make sure that he is experienced. You don't want to be his first F3x differential.

When the mad rush to buy the firesale LSDs was going on I was checking labor prices. When independent shops learned that special tools were needed and that they lacked experience, the risk caused them to raise their prices. Some dealers did the same. A few dealers were quoting $1,000-$1,200 just in labor.

If I didn't have the Indy that I trusted, I would have taken it to a mod friendly dealer about an hour away who had done many LSDs and was quoting the BMW book rate of 3.5 hours or $560

Hope this information helps someone.
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      09-20-2020, 12:02 PM   #13
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So that BMW special tool has been replaced by a tool that my work manufactures:
https://agatools.com/collections/bmw...31188901560366

BMW also made this their tool, a driveshaft holder that bolts up to the center support:
https://agatools.com/collections/bmw...31188895825966

And if you don’t have the special, odd shaped breaker bar or torque wrench, you can buy our torque wrench adapter that allows you to use any 1/2” drive breaker bar or torque wrench:
https://agatools.com/collections/bmw...31067807481902

Each link has a video on the tool, watch it and you’ll see how and why our tool is much better!
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      10-11-2020, 03:16 PM   #14
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So I good news for all the manual f30 owners out there! Me and my buddy bought the auto m performance lsds when they had that insane sale on them (we picked them up for $550) thinking we can pop them into our manual cars. We were wrong, they are not plug in play as the diffs are different lengths and also the autos have different axle shafts than the manuals. So we bought used auto axles ($160 for the set) and we bought used auto drive shafts ($150). We used the rear part of the drive shaft and extended it. We did this thru a drive shaft shop that did the job and modified the drive shaft to the correct length. After that was done it we just put it all together and Bam! It worked! Total spent on parts $860, the drive shaft shop charged $150 to modify it and our genius buddy that helped make it all happened and put it together charged us for putting it together. I believe the manual m performance lsd is around 2500 so with that being said if you really want to and can still find one for a decent price is well worth it.
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      10-11-2020, 03:44 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ghatiey1990 View Post
So I good news for all the manual f30 owners out there! Me and my buddy bought the auto m performance lsds when they had that insane sale on them (we picked them up for $550) thinking we can pop them into our manual cars. We were wrong, they are not plug in play as the diffs are different lengths and also the autos have different axle shafts than the manuals. So we bought used auto axles ($160 for the set) and we bought used auto drive shafts ($150). We used the rear part of the drive shaft and extended it. We did this thru a drive shaft shop that did the job and modified the drive shaft to the correct length. After that was done it we just put it all together and Bam! It worked! Total spent on parts $860, the drive shaft shop charged $150 to modify it and our genius buddy that helped make it all happened and put it together charged us for putting it together. I believe the manual m performance lsd is around 2500 so with that being said if you really want to and can still find one for a decent price is well worth it.
How is it driving with a different gear ratio? Auto is 3.15 and manual was 3.2x? Or somewhere around there.
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      10-11-2020, 03:57 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by Logicoeur View Post
How is it driving with a different gear ratio? Auto is 3.15 and manual was 3.2x? Or somewhere around there.

It's a very little difference... I notice in 6th gear on the highway the rpm around 70mph is 24k instead of 27k
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      10-12-2020, 10:53 PM   #17
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If you have a B58 car you're in luck as BMW still makes full pumpkin LSDs you can buy.
I waited and lost the chance to get a factory LSD unit from BMW for my 435xi N55, and now it's discontinued and out of stock everywhere
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      10-13-2020, 05:49 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by tphss View Post
If you have a B58 car you're in luck as BMW still makes full pumpkin LSDs you can buy.
I waited and lost the chance to get a factory LSD unit from BMW for my 435xi N55, and now it's discontinued and out of stock everywhere
It's okay. I


https://diffsonline.com/custom-perfo...erentials/bmw/
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      10-13-2020, 06:04 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by F32Fleet View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by tphss View Post
If you have a B58 car you're in luck as BMW still makes full pumpkin LSDs you can buy.
I waited and lost the chance to get a factory LSD unit from BMW for my 435xi N55, and now it's discontinued and out of stock everywhere
It's okay. I


https://diffsonline.com/custom-perfo...erentials/bmw/
Big money but I do wonder how a 3.38 would feel
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      10-14-2020, 06:56 PM   #20
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The final drive in the M3/M4 DCT diff is different than the ZF8 final drive (3.15). Diffsonline.com will build you a full pumpkin with the LSD already installed. This eliminates the headache of machining off the welded on ring gear from the OEM diff. There is a $400 core charge if you don't supply them with your OEM diff first. Honestly, I would go with a Wavetrac LSD, it's a helical LSD and doesn't use any wearing parts like clutches and Wavetrac says they are maintenance free, as they only use gears. There also other benefits of the Wavetrac design but I don't fully understand them. Honestly, diffsonline.com with a Wavetrac unit is the best bet.
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      10-14-2020, 08:38 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 435i_Phil View Post
The final drive in the M3/M4 DCT diff is different than the ZF8 final drive (3.15). Diffsonline.com will build you a full pumpkin with the LSD already installed. This eliminates the headache of machining off the welded on ring gear from the OEM diff. There is a $400 core charge if you don't supply them with your OEM diff first. Honestly, I would go with a Wavetrac LSD, it's a helical LSD and doesn't use any wearing parts like clutches and Wavetrac says they are maintenance free, as they only use gears. There also other benefits of the Wavetrac design but I don't fully understand them. Honestly, diffsonline.com with a Wavetrac unit is the best bet.
Ya I quickly realized that a swap was a no go
Doesn't work; diffs online has some nice options
Really eyeing a 3.38, just curious how big of a change it would see over the stock 3.15
I had a 3.38 with upgraded clutches for 40% lock up in my e36, different car, it ripped tho
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      10-15-2020, 05:24 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pussiwillow View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by 435i_Phil View Post
The final drive in the M3/M4 DCT diff is different than the ZF8 final drive (3.15). Diffsonline.com will build you a full pumpkin with the LSD already installed. This eliminates the headache of machining off the welded on ring gear from the OEM diff. There is a $400 core charge if you don't supply them with your OEM diff first. Honestly, I would go with a Wavetrac LSD, it's a helical LSD and doesn't use any wearing parts like clutches and Wavetrac says they are maintenance free, as they only use gears. There also other benefits of the Wavetrac design but I don't fully understand them. Honestly, diffsonline.com with a Wavetrac unit is the best bet.
Ya I quickly realized that a swap was a no go
Doesn't work; diffs online has some nice options
Really eyeing a 3.38, just curious how big of a change it would see over the stock 3.15
I had a 3.38 with upgraded clutches for 40% lock up in my e36, different car, it ripped tho
I'm not really sure of anyone changing their final drive ratio. I've been told the 3.15 stock rear is actually pretty damn good for acceleration.
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