Any manual trasmission people get rid of the DMF?

[lo_jack]

I need to do the rear main, and that means the clutch and everything south of that has to come off. As you probably know, early 2000s was when BMW decided to put dual mass flywheel (DMF) on nearly everything with a manual gearbox. The trick is, they are not supposed to be resurfaced because there are some whizbang moving parts in the DMF that can become FUBAR'd if metal shavings get in the works. So, most folks will tell you replace it with a new one. Mine has 187k on it, and someone would definitely say get a new one.


The problem with that is, they are pretty expensive and I don't care for "over-complicated for convenience" in the first place, and prefer a more direct feel, even if old people and kids cannot drive it. But I cannot find a solid replacement. Once, I thought I found an aluminum race piece with a replaceable steel friction surface that used M3 clutch parts (most all BMW flywheels of this era are 240mm) that was cheaper than a DMF, but I cannot find that again.


I cannot be the first person that wants out on the DMF. Does anyone have any good ideas?

[X53Jay4.8is]

So you don't mind if your transmission sounds like a noisy tractor because the DMF cancels/dampens gear trans rattle.

[Bdc101]

Originally Posted by X53Jay4.8is

So you don't mind if your transmission sounds like a noisy tractor because the DMF cancels/dampens gear trans rattle.

So you have done this before? Tell us more about how you found the transmission to sound like a tractor.

Bump to learn more. If/when my clutch goes, it'll be hard to stomach an extra $400 for a new dual mass flywheel for my $4,000 car.

[X53Jay4.8is]

Originally Posted by Bdc101

So you have done this before? Tell us more about how you found the transmission to sound like a tractor.

Bump to learn more. If/when my clutch goes, it'll be hard to stomach an extra $400 for a new dual mass flywheel for my $4,000 car.

There are quite a few articles on those that have switched the DMF for a solid lighter flywheel and in 95% of those cases gear rattle noise becomes an instant dissatisfier. The DMF absorbs these harmonics so when the switch to a solid flywheel occurs there is not a way to absorb the gear rattle at idle. Your vehicle will sound like a tractor as you sit at a light waiting to take off. If you do not mind the noise then going to a solid flywheel is not a problem for the operator. On race vehicle noise is not an issue with the driver and the benefits of a solid flywheel will outweigh the presence of the noise; however, if you have a daily driver then the noise will become bothersome on the vehicle. Many have tired the solid flywheel approach only to go back and replace with a DMF due to the noise. 4 years ago i installed a solid flywheel on the clutch change of my 540i M -Sport and the gear rattle was not a sound that I was willing to live with. People who would pull up beside me at a light would just look at my car and immediately would think there was something wrong with my vehicle. I have never gone back to such a setup like this since then. Just do some research of trans gear rattle with solid flywheels on BMWs.

[cdowd]

I bought the LUK dmf at rockauto for 280. and the clutch kit is 180. I don't think you will be much cheaper with anything else.

[X53Jay4.8is]

Originally Posted by cdowd

I bought the LUK dmf at rockauto for 280. and the clutch kit is 180. I don't think you will be much cheaper with anything else.

Thats a great price for a replacement DMF.

[lo_jack]

I haven't seen them that cheap before. It's been a while since I was on Rockauto--thanks for the heads up.

That would probably be the way to go. I am not afraid of clutch chatter, but I do wonder how a single mass would work given they all must to be much lighter than the DMF. Ok for a 330i possibly, maybe not for X5.

[tmaxx445]

Originally Posted by cdowd

I bought the LUK dmf at rockauto for 280. and the clutch kit is 180. I don't think you will be much cheaper with anything else.

Its $290 on Amazon Prime currently; that's likely cheaper than Rockauto once you factor in the shipping cost you save by ordering through Amazon.

[lo_jack]

Originally Posted by tmaxx445

Its $290 on Amazon Prime currently; that's likely cheaper than Rockauto once you factor in the shipping cost you save by ordering through Amazon.

Good to know. Gotta make that membership pay off somehow.