How To Guide - E36 Steering Rack Swap

[naomiswanson]

Absolutely, you have very good presentation having the complete process for making the E30 car. The complete set up of thiscar would make me excite because this time I am planning to buy E30 car and this forum helps me a lot. I've got all the details.

[E30_Driftkid]

Hey how long are the small spacers and how long is the big sapcer that you need to cut in half.

[Solarian]

If anyone else happens to have a steering knuckle from hell and is struggling to take it off... take off your brake booster! I suffered for weeks, tried everything and the damn thing just wouldn't come off. The brake booster is just in the way blocking your access to the area completely. Took only 15 minutes to take off, and then I gave the knuckle a few quick whacks with an extension and a hammer and it just popped off.

[kts]

If anyone else happens to have a steering knuckle from hell and is struggling to take it off... take off your brake booster! I suffered for weeks, tried everything and the damn thing just wouldn't come off. The brake booster is just in the way blocking your access to the area completely. Took only 15 minutes to take off, and then I gave the knuckle a few quick whacks with an extension and a hammer and it just popped off.

I've been sidetracked with stuff so my E30 has been sitting there with that damn knuckle laughing at me for weeks now. Thanks for this tip, I think I am going to do this to get some more room to take some whacks at it.

[Wanganstyle]

If anyone wants an OEM higher angle steering rack with about 3.0 turns lock to lock and BMW Factory NON-POWERED then a Z4 non-M rack is the one to install.

Helps control a tail happy 24V e30 nicely with the extra angle

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=279984

[RobertK]

If anyone wants an OEM higher angle steering rack with about 3.0 turns lock to lock and BMW Factory NON-POWERED then a Z4 non-M rack is the one to install.

Helps control a tail happy 24V e30 nicely with the extra angle

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=279984

By Non-Powered do you mean the non electric hydraulic racks?

[Wanganstyle]

By Non-Powered do you mean the non electric hydraulic racks?

the Z4 non-M racks are Manual racks.

there is no provision for fluid feed or return lines on the rack - It is a sealed unit with a Electric assist motor attached to the steering column.

so if you install the Z4 non-M rack(very common item, every car is the same just like every z3 non M rack is the same) you will gain:

A. Manual steering conversion in an e30 without using ancient rare part
B. modern tie rod ends from e36 are needed
C. Total angle is increased from standard E30 or even e36 steering rack (this is useful for U turns or 3 point turns, or keeping the race car on the track when going sideways)
D. Rubber part of steering linkage is deleted;

E30 setup is:

1x alumium U joint
+
rubber flex coupler
+
1x alumium U joint

Z4 setup is key'ed + telescoping normally but we had it fixed for conversion install.

Z4 Steel U joint both ends plug right into e30 column and z4 rack.
+
metal shaft (shortened to fit the E30 body, welded at local engineering shop)
+Steel U joint Z4.

Overall weight is not impacted; and there is one less flexy item in the steering feel. only OEM BMW Z4 parts +e36 tie rod ends used; no aftermarket parts required.

A E46 M3 steering rack could be used also for increased angle and quicker turning ratio if a powered rack solution is required for the car - My grocery getter daily e36m has a e46M rack installed with power and original e36M steering shaft u joint setup for quicker U turns and better positioning while parking.

[Steven]

Has anyone found somewhere to buy the M10 bolts and the two spaces? Seems blunttech and pelican and bma are out of stock?

[e30austin]

Lots of conflicting info. Just to clear it up, you can use E30 low and hi pressure p/s hoses, they just need to be modified a little?

Thanks.

[FLG]

Yes just did it this weekend ordered the hoses from Steve at blunt tech using part numbers that op posted. Also got the rack spacer kit from akg and a solid flex disk from akg

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[e30austin]

Awesome, it is a go tomorrow! New M3 front brakes and E36 M3 3.2 rack with new E30 tie rods. Car has needed all of the above for two years. lol

[FLG]

The difference is waffleswaffleswaffleswafflesing amazing

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[atomedge]

This might be a stupid question but I've just got a Z3 rack and I was wondering if I need a Z3 high pressure line or does the e36 line OP posted work just fine? Thanks.

[Todd Black 88]

I kept my stock line and just bent it in a vise.

[KVF]

Finally did this and it's the cats meow! Completely turns the e30 into a more modern every day driver. Thanks for this very informative write up!

A few quick things I learned along the way, to help those who may be years late to the party like me...

Heat is your friend! The stupid knuckle was stuck on the steering column and I tried every trick listed to no avail... Buddy who works on big rigs popped by and laughed at me. "Soak a rag, toss it over the fuel & brake lines and heat up the knuckle stupid!" Done; knuckle slid off like butter; no one blew up!

If you disconnect the knuckle from the rack before pulling rack, you only have to slightly bend drivers side tab and can passengers untouched; if your doing the bend tab method.

You don't have to shorten knuckle if you don't mind spacing rack down and sliding knuckle further up on steering spline (it's not notched like on the rack).