Thanks for the pics - that diff is a mess! No doubt about where the griding noise was coming from then. I had a similar problem with my diff in that it came out more easily than it went back in. I had to jack the motor and drop the subframe another inch or two to get it back up into position. I suspect gravity is the culprit, in that it helped the thing find the exact orientation and spot to drop out more easily.

Do you think there is any way you could have rebuilt it, from a parts perspective?

Aside from drilling it and using a removal tool I'm not sure what can be done about the subframe bolt. That sucks.

If I had a spare pinion gear and crown gear, with the front/rear pinion bearings, along with the centre crush ring for the pinion, yeah it could be rebuilt. I assume there are specialty tools needed though, it looks like the pinion is pressed in and there isn’t an easy way to get it out. The damage on the centre bearing housing wouldn’t influence the usability and it seems the axle gears and floating gears are fine.
It’s just a matter of getting all the parts and tools needed, I looked and cannot easily get them to me with shipping/cost etc.

Any ideas if it would be a good idea to drive the x5 without that subframe bolt? I’m assuming it’s a dreadful idea but at the moment it’s our only car :/

Thanks!!

I wouldn’t drive the car unless it’s just very slowly for a very short distance to get it home.

The only thing I can relate it to was years ago an Indy shop neglected to torque (at all as it turns out) a couple of the stiffener bolts and must have just ignored the terrible knocking noises and inability for the car to track straight during braking especially. They probably didn’t test drive it. It took 28 seconds in the car for me to figure out something was really wrong. I think that the subframe has tremendous stress on it during driving.

Thank you, I’ll have to make a plan. I’ll see what I can come up with. I kinda came to the same conclusion but wanted to see at least one other persons advice.

Just preparing for extracting that bolt, does anyone know if these subframe bolts are steel or aluminium?

It looks like aluminium but I’m assuming they are steel? But I really can’t tell. Wondering if it would be easier to weld a nut to it and extract it that way. (I’d rather not drill it out if it’s steel)

Never mind that question, I can check with a magnet [emoji2359] haha it’s been a very long 3 days.

It’s steel. Damn… that’s going to be fun…

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...b715e270e0.jpg


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Get a left-hand drill and some easy-outs... and wear safety glasses!

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/..._AC_SX466_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/REMOVER-BROKE...BBD/ref=sr_1_5

https://www.amazon.com/Lichamp-4-Pie...51/ref=sr_1_25

Gotta ask, why left hand drill bits?

Because drilling with right-hand drills just drives the broken bold in deeper... Using a left-hand drill helps the broken bolt un-thread... you might as well give yourself every advantage you can! :thumbup: