Removal of a BMW Driveshaft

1. Raise up the BMW by jacking up each corner and sliding a jack stand under each corner. Because the BMWs are rear-wheel drive, the drive shaft will stretch from the front of the car (where the engine is) to the rear (where the differential is). Do not perform this repair on uneven ground because the BMW may tilt. It is best to perform this operation in an out-of-the-way place because the BMW will be immobile as long as the drive shaft is out.
2. Unbolt the drive shaft from the transmission at the front of the BMW's underbody. The U-joint will have a bolt that runs through the center of the transmission axle and the U-joint side flanges. Use a wrench to hold the bolt steady while you use another wrench to rotate the nut off. Keep the bolt in.
3. Unbolt the drive shaft from the differential by repeating the unbolting procedure as you did with the transmission. Remove the bolt from the differential end of the drive shaft. Gently allow that end of the drive shaft to go down to the ground, then remove the bolt on the transmission side and cradle the drive shaft as it goes down. Pull the drive shaft out from under the BMW.