Steering Rack swap?

[stonea]

I was just wondering if you could do the e36 steering rack swap in the 325ix. I tried searching but couldn't find anything about the ix.

-Stone

[spdracrm3]

no ,rack mounts differently on subframe , there are no rack swaps yet for the IX ,chrisIX/nando is working on making an E46 rack work maybe sometime down the road

[z122643]

well get to it nando! My steering rack is leaking and I had the same question.

[nando]

Its probably not goint to happen. There are many issues with it.

[stonea]

Just out of curiosity, why wont it work? Is it the way it mounts to the car? Sorry if I'm sounding ignorant, I'm relatively new to working on cars.

[1E30iX2NV]

welcome to the ix world ...the steering rack is completely different ....so is the cross member ....swap for a reman....and get ready to spend $$$ if your not a mechanic

[1E30iX2NV]

its a 3 piece steering rack .

[1E30iX2NV]

i rec rack doctor ....look it up online

[supernaughtIX]

the e36 rack is shorter end to end;
the e36 pinion/input shaft are a different F/R and L/R, and length is wrong
the e36 mounts are on the opposite side

Some brackets could be fabbed up to mount it, but some custom spacers would be needed to be added to the ends of the rack in order to use the stock iX tierods, where the length of these rods (and the pivot of the inner joint) is important for proper ackerman under suspension compression.

the e46 xi rack has a nicer ratio with the mounts on the right side, but is longer than the stock ix rack. Also, the mounts are spaced differently and the actual body of the rack is larger and has a small protrusion on the underside that interferes with the subframe.

I made a bracket that fits an e46 xi rack to my subframe and allows for these clearances, but I haven't got around to measuring the affect of the longer rack and placement (relative to the original rack centreline) has on the geometry. A combination of different flex joints and discs are needed to connect the pinion shaft to the steering column as well. That's not quite sorted yet.

I've been trying to get around to modelling all the components but too busy.

There is likely a way to get it to work, but will it fuck up your steering if its not done right...? probably.

[stonea]

the e36 rack is shorter end to end;
the e36 pinion/input shaft are a different F/R and L/R, and length is wrong
the e36 mounts are on the opposite side

Some brackets could be fabbed up to mount it, but some custom spacers would be needed to be added to the ends of the rack in order to use the stock iX tierods, where the length of these rods (and the pivot of the inner joint) is important for proper ackerman under suspension compression.

the e46 xi rack has a nicer ratio with the mounts on the right side, but is longer than the stock ix rack. Also, the mounts are spaced differently and the actual body of the rack is larger and has a small protrusion on the underside that interferes with the subframe.

I made a bracket that fits an e46 xi rack to my subframe and allows for these clearances, but I haven't got around to measuring the affect of the longer rack and placement (relative to the original rack centreline) has on the geometry. A combination of different flex joints and discs are needed to connect the pinion shaft to the steering column as well. That's not quite sorted yet.

I've been trying to get around to modelling all the components but too busy.

There is likely a way to get it to work, but will it fuck up your steering if its not done right...? probably.

Thanks for all the info, it cleared things up for me. Let me know how you rack turns out.

[kkamakasi]

What rack(s) are swap-able into a 1991 318i ?

[stonea]

Any e36 or Z3 should work on any RWD e30.

Since this thread got brought back up. I had a question, could you swap the actually rack and innards from a e36 rack and put it into a 325ix housing?

[nando]

No

[nando]

As an aside, i ordered some inexpensive E30 ix tie rods, to figure out if i can use them in the E46 xi rack.

I may have the subframe modified to bolt the E46 rack directly to it, rather than an adapter bracket. I need all the space i can get..

[stonea]

As an aside, i ordered some inexpensive E30 ix tie rods, to figure out if i can use them in the E46 xi rack.

I may have the subframe modified to bolt the E46 rack directly to it, rather than an adapter bracket. I need all the space i can get..

Sounds great, keep us updated.