How To Guide - E36 Steering Rack Swap

[chrisnxl185]

Lessons Learned

One problem i encountered was the steering joint was really stuck on the steering column. To get it off, i removed the bracket the supports the steering column to the fire wall. You can slide a pipe/long screw driver through the firewall beside the column then hammer the joint off. Just be careful not to mash the splines!
Then because the joint was still stuck to the rack, i removed the drivers side motor mount bracket and bent the tabs down slightly, the rack slid right out. Make sure you support the engine properly.

Also to make reassembly easier, i cleaned the rack input splined shaft with a wire brush. To clean the steering joint internal splines, i used a shotgun barrel wire brush in a drill. After cleaning, everything slid on and off very nicely.

My steering joint was quite stiff, some brake cleaner followed by a bunch of pb blaster and wd-40 loosened it right up.

The spacers I used above my steering rack were ~0.52 inches.

[mbc325]

So I got everything in the car. Added power steering fluid and the banjo bolts attached to the rack are leaking like crazy. What the heck?

And just looking at it, I don't think I can get to them without removing the outer tie rod which I really don't want to do. Any sugestions?

[davem]

just to confirm: e36 rack will work with e30 inner tierods? from what I've read the answer is yes...

[mutty]

Swapped to an e36 rack and now I have no power steering. wtf.

[mbc325]

Is everything hooked up right?

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

[mutty]

Seems so. And it is not the pump. Wondering if it could be the high pressure line to the pump.

[OdSkE30]

Noob question... In the picture that goes with step 9, is the brown reservoir with the black ZF cap on it the power steering fluid reservoir? Feel free to make fun for such a basic question... It's deserved and expected.

EDIT: Figured it out.

[CHITTY]

[quote=mutty;2746700]Seems so. And it is not the pump. Wondering if it could be the high pressure when I did my swap, it turned out to be the return line was slightly kinked under the res. It wouldn't allow a proper flow to keep the pump supplied with atf. I loosened up the res and clocked it a little and it fixed my problem.

[doglegleft]

That and you have the option to modify (bend) your existing high pressure power steering line instead of buying a whole new E36 line.

I am ready to finish up my rack swap this weekend or next. If you were to do the swap today, what would you do, custom lines, order the e36 high pressure line, or bend and reuse the e30 line (if known to be good)?

I am ordering a new power steering res, e36 tie rods, and the beefier lock plates in the next day or so.

Thanks for looking and thanks again for the great write up and the start of one of the best DIY threads, it doesn't get said enough!

[doglegleft]

just to confirm: e36 rack will work with e30 inner tierods? from what I've read the answer is yes...

Yes, but I believe that some prefer run the e36 tie rods with the beefier lock plate.

[mbc325]

I grinded down my steering knuckle down yesterday. Initally after leaving the shop there was actually more vibration (shuddering) in the wheel while turning at speeds under 10mph and there was still no feedback after a turn returning the wheels to center.

After a day of driving on it the shuddering seems to be gone while parking lot driving, the vibration from the steering knuckle binding is gone but the wheels still don't return to center by themselves.

The weirdest part to me is that while the car was on the lift I had a buddy turn the wheel back and forth to see if the shaking in the wheels was corosponding with the knuckle grinding. When the steering wheel was turned, the point at which the wheels vibrated was at a point where literally the steering knuckle was at it's furthest point from making contact with it self. I'm stumped again.

[RobertK]

I grinded down my steering knuckle down yesterday. Initally after leaving the shop there was actually more vibration (shuddering) in the wheel while turning at speeds under 10mph and there was still no feedback after a turn returning the wheels to center.

After a day of driving on it the shuddering seems to be gone while parking lot driving, the vibration from the steering knuckle binding is gone but the wheels still don't return to center by themselves.

The weirdest part to me is that while the car was on the lift I had a buddy turn the wheel back and forth to see if the shaking in the wheels was corosponding with the knuckle grinding. When the steering wheel was turned, the point at which the wheels vibrated was at a point where literally the steering knuckle was at it's furthest point from making contact with it self. I'm stumped again.

That's the first I've ever heard of that problem. Are you sure you swapped in a good rack? Sounds like something is binding OR your HP line is up against the engine mount arm or some other part of the car somewhere and its transferring noise from the pump to the chassis of the car. (Had this happen to a friend recently)

[penneroyal]

Awesome write up. Will be doing this soon thanks to you!

[Lag]

Hey Guys,

Just to confirm, I have a Z3 rack 2.7 lock to lock and it came with inner tie rods but no outters. I need to order them and the nest solution should be to order the E36M outters correct? Thanks!

Sam

[RobertK]

Hey Guys,

Just to confirm, I have a Z3 rack 2.7 lock to lock and it came with inner tie rods but no outters. I need to order them and the nest solution should be to order the E36M outters correct? Thanks!

Sam

Honestly a new full (inner & outer) regular E36 tie rods will work just fine.