What Socket Removes LWX500 Output Shaft Nut?

[tempest411]

Hello,


I'll be pulling my transfer case in a few weeks and want to make sure I have all the correct tools on hand and ready to go. There isn't a lot of information on this case, but one thread states I need a 41mm deep/thin wall socket. What I'm wondering is how deep, and how thin? I did find a mention of a BMW special tool #232320 in TIS, but Google didn't give me anything when I did a search there. If I wasn't in such a rush several weeks ago I could've answered these questions myself when I had the rear driveshaft and differential out...but I was scrambling to get that work done so I could use it for a family trip, so it didn't occurr to me. Thank you for your help!


Rick

[tempest411]

Anyone? The traffic on this forum seems very slow. Are people not interested in maintaining these anymore? There should be hundreds of posts per day!

[wpoll]

Originally Posted by tempest411

Anyone? The traffic on this forum seems very slow. Are people not interested in maintaining these anymore? There should be hundreds of posts per day!

I'm glad there isn't that many posts - it would make helping folk very difficult!

I found a document that states that BMW tool #232 320 is part #83300491580 - a 36mm socket.

Can you see it to identify it? The fastener in question, not the tool.

[CapeX5]

Why is it coming out? Curious since it sounds like you just did a bunch of work under the car.

[tempest411]

Originally Posted by wpoll

I'm glad there isn't that many posts - it would make helping folk very difficult!

I found a document that states that BMW tool #232 320 is part #83300491580 - a 36mm socket.

Can you see it to identify it? The fastener in question, not the tool.

That's odd about the 232320 tool being a 36mm socket, as I'd read specifically that 36mm was the size for the NV125 case, and that the LWX500 used a larger nut. I tried to order the nut from Pelican, but it was cancelled by them. I have reordered it through ECS Tuning. Hopefully they'll be able to get it for me. Once I have the nut in hand it will tell me what the hex size is, but still not how thin the wall needs to be to get into the output flange to engage it.

[tempest411]

Originally Posted by CapeX5

Why is it coming out? Curious since it sounds like you just did a bunch of work under the car.

My recent work has been to chase down the source of a peculiar vibration that would happen 'sometimes' at low speeds while accelerating from a stop, or coming out of a slow, sharp turn. If you let up on the gas, or pressed harder it would go away. As the rear differential was seen to be leaking and soaked the front bushings, I suspected the differential fluid had degraded those bushings, and was the likely cause of the vibration. I pulled the differential and changed all three seals, and all three bushings it's supported from. Yes, the special tools were expensive. In handling the drive shaft it also seemed the CV joint at the back didn't move very smoothly, and the grease had degraded to a very liquid-y consistency, so I replaced that as well. And of course because I was down there I did the center support bearing and the front flex disk. I did mark all the drive shaft parts orientation to each other and the flanges front and back, though the rear kinda went out the window because of installing a new CV back there. Sadly, after all that, the original vibration is still there, though not as frequent, and it's been joined by a new vibration, which is even stranger than the first. The new vibration comes and goes at speeds between 40-60mph, is at a much higher frequency that doesn't seem to change with road speed, and is very cyclic in nature. It will fade in and out, and only seems to do it on smooth roads. At the same time as the other work was performed I rotated the tires, and installed a tire plug to fix a slow leak...That may have something to do with it(?).



As for the transfer case, it is also leaking, with the mounting bushing very well soaked as well. I do not suspect the transmission as it was rebuilt in 2018. A longer front drive shaft was also installed at this time. When I pull the transfer case I'll replace all three seals, the drive chain, and the mount bushing. To replace the rear output shaft seal I will need to remove the flange, which brings me to my original post.


Thank you very much for responding to this query. Having everything needed beforhand is very important to minimizing the time spent apart in the garage!

[80stech]

Did you have the vibration before installing the new front drive shaft with longer spline ?

[tempest411]

Originally Posted by 80stech

Did you have the vibration before installing the new front drive shaft with longer spline ?

No, that's been in place since 2018. The vibration started about six months ago. Nothing unusual happened prior to that which might explain it.

[tempest411]

I finally received the new drive flange nut and can confirm it has a 41mm hex. I've ordered a socket to fit it, but won't get to the work for a few months yet.

[ahlem]

If you jack up the front on both sides and manually rotate the wheels, then block one wheel and rotate the other one back and forth, do you get a fair amount of play? I had a similar situation and the front axle joints were too sloppy. If you down shift is there any kind of clunk?