e34/e28 CV axles interchangeable?

E28 technical advice asked and given! Troubleshooting, modifications and more.
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jcbe34
Posts: 436
Joined: May 22, 2007 9:15 PM
Location: Atlanta, GA

e34/e28 CV axles interchangeable?

Post by jcbe34 »

Anyone know if they are? My 535i has a destroyed passenger rear CV axle (yes I know, excessive camber blah blah) and I'm wondering if the axles out of my 535is parts car will work? The differentials look to be a little different, but the axles look simiar, and the flanges are the same diameter, just not sure about the lengths. I measure the e28 from boot to boot and it was 1/2" shorter than the e34 was on the car.. Is this the proper way to measure and does this mean that it will not work?
shagrath
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Re: e34/e28 CV axles interchangeable?

Post by shagrath »

jcbe34 wrote:Anyone know if they are? My 535i has a destroyed passenger rear CV axle (yes I know, excessive camber blah blah) and I'm wondering if the axles out of my 535is parts car will work? The differentials look to be a little different, but the axles look simiar, and the flanges are the same diameter, just not sure about the lengths. I measure the e28 from boot to boot and it was 1/2" shorter than the e34 was on the car.. Is this the proper way to measure and does this mean that it will not work?
www.realoem.com will help with this.

Year of both e28 and e34 would help too.

90 535i:
Image

87 535is:
Image

BavAuto PN:

e34 90 535i: 33 21 1 226 622 auto and manual
e28 87 535is: 33 21 1 226 667

My guess is no.
Mark 88/M5 Houston
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Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: Far North Houston

Post by Mark 88/M5 Houston »

No, the E28 (p.n. 33 21 1 226 667) and E34 half shafts will not directly interchange.
RealOEM is great for questions like this (as suggested above).
Part 33211226667 (Rmfd-output shaft) was found on the following vehicles:

E24 633CSi Coupe, M30, AUTO (5246) : Output shaft
E24 633CSi Coupe, M30, AUTO (5245) : Output shaft
E24 633CSi Coupe, M30, AUTO (5244) : Output shaft
E24 633CSi Coupe, M30, AUTO (5243) : Output shaft
E24 633CSi Coupe, M30, AUTO (5284) : Output shaft
E24 633CSi Coupe, M30, MANUAL (5233) : Output shaft
E24 633CSi Coupe, M30, MANUAL (5274) : Output shaft
E24 633CSi Coupe, M30, MANUAL (5236) : Output shaft
E24 633CSi Coupe, M30, MANUAL (5235) : Output shaft
E24 633CSi Coupe, M30, MANUAL (5234) : Output shaft
E24 635CSi Coupe, M30, AUTO (5384) : Output shaft
E24 635CSi Coupe, M30, MANUAL (5374) : Output shaft
E24 M6 Coupe, S38, MANUAL (5514) : Output shaft
E28 524td Sedan, M21, AUTO (4224) : Output shaft
E28 524td Sedan, M21, MANUAL (4214) : Output shaft
E28 528e Sedan, M20, AUTO (4083) : Output shaft
E28 528e Sedan, M20, MANUAL (4073) : Output shaft
E28 533i Sedan, M30, AUTO (4284) : Output shaft
E28 533i Sedan, M30, MANUAL (4274) : Output shaft
E28 535i Sedan, M30, AUTO (DC84) : Output shaft
E28 535i Sedan, M30, MANUAL (DC74) : Output shaft
E28 M5 Sedan, S38, MANUAL (DC93) : Output shaft
Mike W.
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Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: California Whine Country

Post by Mike W. »

I too would guess no, but with less certainty. Realoem tells you if it's the exact same part. But not if it will work. Axles aren't interchangable between E's 12 and 28, not because of width, but the cover on the back of the CV joint is a different shape and interferes with the axle flange.

I'd measure the distance between the flanges and go from there. The CV joints slide back and forth so trying to get an exact measurement could be tricky. If the distance seems right, and I'd say close is good enough, it doesn't have to be exact, and there's no interference, see if they bolt up!
Kyle in NO
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Location: Nasty Orleans------> Batten-Rooehjch------>More Souther LA

Post by Kyle in NO »

Well, if the trailing arms are the same dimensions...
jcbe34
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Location: Atlanta, GA

Post by jcbe34 »

Mike W. wrote:I too would guess no, but with less certainty. Realoem tells you if it's the exact same part. But not if it will work. Axles aren't interchangable between E's 12 and 28, not because of width, but the cover on the back of the CV joint is a different shape and interferes with the axle flange.

I'd measure the distance between the flanges and go from there. The CV joints slide back and forth so trying to get an exact measurement could be tricky. If the distance seems right, and I'd say close is good enough, it doesn't have to be exact, and there's no interference, see if they bolt up!

This is more along the lines of what I was thinking. Haven't gotten the axle off my car yet (waiting on my friend that has a torch, yay) so it's hard to tell how at what point it is in it's travel. It does seem to be ~1/2" longer in total width compared to the e28 axle (not compressed) so my guess is also no at this point. I'm picking up some e34 axles now Anyway but I'll compare them just for future reference.
shagrath
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Post by shagrath »

Any news?
grey ghost
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Location: Falls Church VA

Post by grey ghost »

I searched and found no definitive answer.
So does anyone know?
tn535i
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Location: Middle Tennessee

Post by tn535i »

I wouldn't be surprised if the length of the axle changed but the CV and boot are the same. A simple circlip holds the CV on the shaft and you would need to also loosen the small diameter boot retainer to pull the CV off and swap.
iamcreepingdeath
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Joined: Dec 28, 2008 10:03 PM
Location: Mayer, MN

Post by iamcreepingdeath »

Any news on this? Any definitive comparison between E28 and E34 axles?
delorean175
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Joined: Nov 16, 2009 5:36 PM
Location: San Antonio TX

Re: e34/e28 CV axles interchangeable?

Post by delorean175 »

I stumbled on this thread today in the junkyard. I was in search of a CV joint with less mileage and no rust. I was in the middle of replacing my CV boots and found pitting in 2 of the ball bearings. I was going to check out an e24 that had half shafts last time I was there, but someone had grabbed them. I was hoping to find some CV joints that were interchangeable. I decided to grab a CV joint from an e34 525i. The joints look the same but after degreasing and comparing, they are indeed different. Unfortunately I can't return the CV joint to the junk yard either so I guess this was a $10 experiment. I figured I would at least post my findings here.

The e34 joint on top and e28 on bottom
Image

e28 ball bearing on top and e34 on bottom
Image

e28 measurement
Image

e34 measurement
Image

I didn't compare the shaft lengths but I know for sure the e34 spline was also smaller as well. I thought this was odd because this is an m50 car, doesn't the m50 put out similar power to the m30? Why would they make the half shafts, drive flanges and wheel bearings smaller for the 525i? I'm under the impression the m30 e34's got larger half shafts, drive flanges (the same size as the e28) and wheel bearings. In some of the e34 trailing arm interchangeability threads its been said the 535i trailing arms have drive flanges with the same bolt pattern as the e28 CV joints and the larger wheel bearings, so they would bolt up but I believe the ABS rings are incorrect. Anyway, here are my findings today, I hope someone finds this handy in the future.
euro635gas
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Location: Oregon

Re: e34/e28 CV axles interchangeable?

Post by euro635gas »

E23 joints are same so you can swap those.
delorean175
Posts: 493
Joined: Nov 16, 2009 5:36 PM
Location: San Antonio TX

Re: e34/e28 CV axles interchangeable?

Post by delorean175 »

euro635gas wrote:E23 joints are same so you can swap those.
Good to know, I'll keep a look out for one of those. Unfortunately they don't have one of those in the yard right now.
Achy
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Joined: May 01, 2021 9:08 AM
Location: Piraeus

Re: e34/e28 CV axles interchangeable?

Post by Achy »

Hi guys
Does anybody knows which is the external diameter of both of the CVs which is the bolt hole diameter and the number of dents for the halfshaft?
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