[mjgreen81]

Hi all,

I am new around here, good to meet you all

I was watching a random video earlier today and noticed that there is supposed to be a rubber vibration damper that sits in front of the drain plug on the F30 differential.

I don't appear to have this damper which is a bit of a concern.

I recently had my front and rear differential oil changed by a local BMW specialist independent and they didn't mention anything to me about this..

I have a 2013 xDrive 320i. Is this perhaps an xDrive thing?





Thanks in advance

[1QuikWS6]

If you mean something attached to that bolt boss on rear cover to left of fill plug - then NO, in your case the Vibration Absorber is located on the diff mounting bushing

Your 80Hz Vibration Absorber for diff is present - it's the big rusty item in upper left corner of your pic which is inline with one of your diff mounting bushings

See item #6 in pic @ link:

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=33_2709

I have 435ix AWD and it only has the Vibration Absorber as explained above


There IS a diff version that has a damper attached at that boss point, but it doesn't have the big one on bushing - so you either have one or the other, but not both. See link below for the version you are thinking of (item 11)

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=33_2291

[mjgreen81]

Originally Posted by 1QuikWS6

If you mean something attached to that bolt boss on rear cover to left of fill plug - then NO, in your case the Vibration Absorber is located on the diff mounting bushing

Your 80Hz Vibration Absorber for diff is present - it's the big rusty item in upper left corner of your pic which is inline with one of your diff mounting bushings

See item #6 in pic @ link:

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=33_2709

I have 435ix AWD and it only has the Vibration Absorber as explained above


There IS a diff version that has a damper attached at that boss point, but it doesn't have the big one on bushing - so you either have one or the other, but not both. See link below for the version you are thinking of (item 11)

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=33_2291

Thank you for the detailed explanation, that is extremely helpful and has eased my concerns that I am not missing anything!

The following photo shows what I saw on the video and had me concerned, but it sounds like I have nothing to worry about


web img

Interesting though, it looks like I can still see that square vibration absorber on that photo as well, so it looks like that has both?

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by mjgreen81

Interesting though, it looks like I can still see that square vibration absorber on that photo as well, so it looks like that has both?

I've noted over the years that the vibration dampers fitted to a specific car, can vary, according to transmission, engine size/output, diesel/petrol, suspension, build period.

[mjgreen81]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

I've noted over the years that the vibration dampers fitted to a specific car, can vary, according to transmission, engine size/output, diesel/petrol, suspension, build period.

Interesting, thanks for the information

[Wires]

Comparing your pic to your attached pic, you don't have a bolt location at that point, so I wouldn't worry about it.

[upsidedownfunnel]

I don't have anything attached to that diff cover boss either. Here's a picture of my RWD 2014 335i with a manual and open diff.



Obviously my car appreciates living in a garage in California.

[upsidedownfunnel]

Originally Posted by Wires

Comparing your pic to your attached pic, you don't have a bolt location at that point, so I wouldn't worry about it.

You can clearly see in my picture and the OPs picture there is an unused boss right on the diff cover where they attach something on other cars. There are bosses like that all over our cars since some cars use them and others don't.

[mjgreen81]

Originally Posted by upsidedownfunnel

You can clearly see in my picture and the OPs picture there is an unused boss right on the diff cover where they attach something on other cars. There are bosses like that all over our cars since some cars use them and others don't.

Thank you very much for posting that, it really helps put my mind at ease.

By the way, I'm extremely impressed by how fresh it looks under there, wish mine looked like that 🙂.

To be fair, I think I would quite like living in a garage in California as well.

Thanks again

[Wires]

Originally Posted by upsidedownfunnel

You can clearly see in my picture and the OPs picture there is an unused boss right on the diff cover where they attach something on other cars. There are bosses like that all over our cars since some cars use them and others don't.

Ahh.. I see what you mean. On the OP's, the diff has the same corrosion everywhere, so I doubt there was anything in that hole.

Interestingly enough, my 2016 340 xdrive doesn't have that bolted to the diff, but a very similar device that bolts to the frame rail behind the diff which hides that boss from the back.