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240 BW55 Hanger Bearing, AW71 Swap?

Jake_NZ

New member
Joined
Jul 19, 2016
Location
Auckland, New Zealand
Now, I've got a 1983 244 GLT RHD with a B23E and a BW55 that needs a new hanger bearing. Also have two 91/92 245 LHD wagons with B230F's and AW70/71's...


Never having done a transmission swap before, It should be just unbolting the driveshaft off the diff, unbolting the transmission off the engine on the AW70 and swapping it?


(hanger bearing according to WOF/Vehicle Testing Station, car has noticeable vibrations on acceleration/deceleration - BW55 sometimes looses drive when its cold and clunks a fair bit. Also, RHD country)
 
Yes...sorta. The BW55 is shorter than the AW70/71, so the crossmember will have to be moved back towards the back of the car. There SHOULD (or might) be an extra set of holes for the crossmember to bolt into. There are two little shims that go between the body and the crossmember mount holes, about 1/4" thick, that are needed to drop the tail of the transmission down slightly. Without those, you might not clear the bottom of the shifter box in the tunnel. I did this swap on my car, years back, and those are the only two things that might cause trouble. You MAY have to mix and match driveshaft pieces, depending on what size the flange on the differential is vs. the driveshaft, because there are two different sizes, depending on year.
 
Yes...sorta. The BW55 is shorter than the AW70/71, so the crossmember will have to be moved back towards the back of the car. There SHOULD (or might) be an extra set of holes for the crossmember to bolt into. There are two little shims that go between the body and the crossmember mount holes, about 1/4" thick, that are needed to drop the tail of the transmission down slightly. Without those, you might not clear the bottom of the shifter box in the tunnel. I did this swap on my car, years back, and those are the only two things that might cause trouble. You MAY have to mix and match driveshaft pieces, depending on what size the flange on the differential is vs. the driveshaft, because there are two different sizes, depending on year.

Cool, thanks mate.
So first thing would be to check if theirs the extra set of holes to shuffle the crossmember back to.
 
There are 3 different bearings available for the hanger, as you refer to it. I know because I have bought all 3. You are also going to have to shorten the front shaft or find one of the AW70/71 front shafts that will mate up with your transmission and rear shaft. The BW55/AW70 and AW71 transmissions also have different rear drive flanges if you are trying to piece all that together from a parts bin.
 
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