Transfer Case is Toast
 

Well, I'm about to become an amateur transfer case technician. The thing needed a chain already (136,000 miles) but I've been gentle enough not to make it skip for a month or so. Today, after changing the back tires I realized the horrible road noise was actually the output shaft splines or the bearing perhaps. Either way the drive shaft can be twisted back and forth a bit without the output shaft moving. There is a clanking noise when I turn it also.

It sounds like a cash register opening which is appropriate since the parts are friggin' outrageous!

Yikes! Keep us updated on your progress! Good luck!

I feel for you - I am coming to the conclusion that 100 K+ X5s are becoming 'enthusiast-only' cars, or as my friend from Finland put it, "a hobby that is also a mode of transportation"

- sometimes!

Good way to put it. After I finished installing new rotors/pads and refinished calipers last week the wife told me "you LIKE doing that stuff", I responded "I LIKE knowing it's done RIGHT!".

sethhatfield, how did you know you needed a chain already?

Since you say that you did, just curious if you have already changed your TC oil . . . if so . . . was there any metal in it?

I just changed mine and it was clean. Just thinking proactively here. I'd rather change a stretching chain in the TC before adding other TC parts and $ to the list.

Do you have an X-drive transfer case or a pre-facelift NV125?


Year and engine of your X in your signature would help us if you need any assistance, I'm assuming you have a facelifted X because the Xdrive transfer cases and parts for it are quite a bit more expensive!

It is a NV-125. Here are some pics of my progress.

seth's iphone 11-09-13 072 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

seth's iphone 11-09-13 091 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Dig the custom cats. They only cost $175 installed.

You can see a close up of the forward drive shaft splines. Note that BMW thought the way too short drive shaft would be just fine on a 4500 lb SUV with 350 ft/lbs of torque.

sethhatfield - I assume you've then found the Cobra Transmission guys in South Florida. They sell all of the parts you need for the NV125 including magnetic drain and fill plugs that BMW didn't tell the OEM mfr to add. They also sell the extended spline parts.

When you put it together, fill it with Redline ATF (better) or MTL (best). Magnetic drain plugs from Cobra (better) or Dimple (best). Then it's smooth sailing from then on.

x2 listen to Gregory on this, thankfully Cobra Trans knows the NV125 well and can help you get it running again in good shape!