E90 M3 6MT MFactory Dry Carbon Driveshaft Review

[ashtaron14]

Originally Posted by MFactory

過嚟睇吓個DS。想睇一睇、研究吓，睇係邊間廠幫佢哋做

我都係香港出世，但4歳跟爸媽過英國

PM'ed

[FazerBoy]

I have solid aluminium subframe bushings and delrin diff bushings so this issue is of some concern to me as my car is daily-driven (6MT ESS 625).

I am prepared to accept a certain level of additional NVH as compared to stock for the sake of better performance but there is a limit and I don't want to go too far over the line into 'racecar' territory.

I am on the group buy list for one of these but I think now that I will want to wait for positive feedback from a few people who have fitted them to cars with the same bushings set-up as mine before I go ahead with this.

[Richbot]

Purported M4 driveshaft next to the typical OEM design for BMW's; However I think this is a little misleading as the production piece has a more rigid mounting to the guibo. Note the F8x uses a splined connection to the diff rather than bolted:



Detail of the guibo/input end of the F8x part:



I don't doubt that bit of steel crush space at the end of the OE F8x part helps with NVH

[Ggeezer]

I put my name down for the pre-order but just so I can some more information, what are the real-world benefits of a CF driveshaft over the OEM one?

[PandaM3]

Just got my M Factory drive shaft... Is there anything needed to install this? Just heat wrap around the exhaust near where the CF flange is? Do I need any new bolts? or just reuse the original ones?

On a side note... any idea why MFactory's threads are all locked and their website is inactive?

[pbonsalb]

http://www.teammfactory.com/catalog/ycw/driveshafts

This looks active.

[PandaM3]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

http://www.teammfactory.com/catalog/ycw/driveshafts

This looks active.

Oh cool... must've been a website glitch... now I wonder why all their threads on the forum are locked...

[whats77inaname]

Originally Posted by PandaM3

Oh cool... must've been a website glitch... now I wonder why all their threads on the forum are locked...

They are still listed in the sponsor's directory.....maybe they need to pay their dues or something?

[PandaM3]

Originally Posted by whats77inaname

Could be they are no longer a forum sponsor.

Actually they told me their IT guy forgot to pay the bill.

My paranoia got the best of me when I started looking at the threads for reviews and install recommendations and found they where locked... then a few days later their websites crashed... I guess just for the morning.

Appears everything is up and running now.

I plan to get this installed this weekend

[kamber]

It seems as though their order thread is still locked and un-viewable

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...318054&page=21

A shame, because there is definitely some good information in there in regards to install, and part numbers for auxiliary parts/pieces that would be good to replace when installing the new driveshaft.

[stosh1]

I was hosting a GB on another forum for the E46 chassis, and we ran into an issue w/the cf tube supplier basically selling tubes behind their back...could be a similar situation here. I think that there might be some legal action pending...so may be why things are quiet?

[Hujan]

Originally Posted by MFactory

Sorry guys, for some reason not receiving notifications from this thread.

We've had to put on hold all the Carbon Driveshafts due to some legal issues with our carbon tube supplier.

Plans are in place though for a new source, and we should have further updates (as well as re-opening the relevant threads on the M3 forum) in a few months time.

Any safety/performance concerns with shafts in the original production run?

[PandaM3]

Wanted to post here since the other thread is locked.

I bought the returned driveshaft mentioned on the other thread at a pretty deep discount from M Factory cause it was returned. I guess it was returned because the previous owner was having vibration issues.

I've had it on my car now for several weeks as well as a track day at Autoclub Speedway yesterday at Bimmerfest.
- first of all there are no vibration issues with this driveshaft all the way up to 140+ mph
- engine feels as if it just wants to rev
- with each shift from 2nd to 3rd to 4th to 5th the car gives nice shove in your back when driven aggressively on the track
- noise wise neither my wife or a friend of mine has noticed any additional noise. There is an additional low low hum that no one notices since it's hidden by my exhaust, whine from my rear diff bushings and solid subframe mounts. I think it just adds to that glorious analogue soundtrack that the M3 makes.
- if anything I have less drive train clunking now
- such a great worthwhile mod

[Redd]

Any tips for installation? Do I need to heat wrap the exhaust, or dynamat the heat shield between the exhaust and driveshaft?

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by Redd

Any tips for installation? Do I need to heat wrap the exhaust, or dynamat the heat shield between the exhaust and driveshaft?

I wrapped the rear part of my xpipe.

[Redd]

Thanks roastbeef! Also, is there anything else I should replace while I'm installing the CF driveshaft? I intend to replace the guibo. What about the centering sleeve, is that required? Anything else I may have missed?

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by Redd

Thanks roastbeef! Also, is there anything else I should replace while I'm installing the CF driveshaft? I intend to replace the guibo. What about the centering sleeve, is that required? Anything else I may have missed?

my guibo had about 54k and about 12 track days and it looked brand new. you might be returning your new one once you see what kind of condition your original one is in.
there is no centering sleeve in a one-piece shaft. i think what you're referring to is the center carrier next to the cv that holds the oem two piece driveshaft in place.

if you are planning on doing this yourself, us a bunch of lunch baggies and when you take a bunch of nuts/fasteners off of a heat shield (there are about 4-5 shields and crap you'll take off), put the nuts in the bag and twist tie them to the shield. it just makes it faster when you're putting it all back on.
have a game plan to support the transmission with a jack, since you'll have to take off the transmission support to get to the guibo.
if you don't have one already, get a power ratchet. it will save you a ton of time and you'll thank me later specifically for that.
don't use the revshift guibo, it will be pretty rough. use oem if anything.
any further questions, just let me know.

[pbonsalb]

I did not bother wrapping any of my aftermarket xpipe since there is a heat shield between the exhaust and driveshaft. I would wrap if I there was no heat shield and I might consider wrapping if I had cats since they add heat.

[roastbeef]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

I did not bother wrapping any of my aftermarket xpipe since there is a heat shield between the exhaust and driveshaft. I would wrap if I there was no heat shield and I might consider wrapping if I had cats since they add heat.

i had mixed feelings about it... the reason that kinda tipped me into deciding to wrap it, is it is close to the differential and cv's. they recommend it, but you can probably get away without it.

[Redd]

Thanks roastbeef & pbonsalb!

[ebisueight]

Glad I checked this thread, I'm going to install mine soon too. I ended up ordering a new guibo, center sleeve, bolts/nuts. I'm going to install this when I get my CAE shifter, I figure it would be easiest to do the CAE when the DS if off.

[pbonsalb]

Definitely would be easier to do the shifter with everything out of the way. I did not replace bolts or guibo on my 08 with 90k -- they seemed fine to me. Not sure what the center sleeve is -- if you mean center support bearing, that is for the stock 2 piece shaft and goes bye-bye with the one piece shaft.