How To Guide - E36 Steering Rack Swap

[doglegleft]

Thanks to all for a great and extended write up... especially the op. I was confused when I pulled my steering knuckle (91ic airbag)... fairly different knuckle set up from the other pics I have seen posted… here is a pic...

Does this knuckle look familiar to all of the late model airbag converts?



I am off to go find a 95 e36 M3 steering rack to drop in. My plan is to use washers to avoid the firewall mod.

[SkinnyVT]

any reason you ripped the shaft out of the steering column instead of just pulling the knuckle off the end?

[doglegleft]

any reason you ripped the shaft out of the steering column instead of just pulling the knuckle off the end?

The entire shaft / knuckle slid out... nearly fell out when I seperated the rack from the knuckle. I didn't think it to be a problem because I still may choose to cut into the firewall... though I am leading towards using washers, as others have, to raise the shaft postion at the firewall.

Did I hose myself somehow?

[RobertK]

The entire shaft / knuckle slid out... nearly fell out when I seperated the rack from the knuckle. I didn't think it to be a problem because I still may choose to cut into the firewall... though I am leading towards using washers, as others have, to raise the shaft postion at the firewall.

Did I hose myself somehow?

Nah, just be sure to secure it properly when you reinstall the shaft into the steering column.

[325dreamer]

can i use the steering rack from my friends e36 318i for this swap into my e30 325is?

[Nic01101011]

can someone tell me the dimensions of the spacers cut in half in the OP as id like to simply replace them with two new smaller ones

as well as the dimensions of all the other spacers used. thanks

[Aptyp]

+1, I'd like to machine exact spacers

[Lurker27]

I'm planning on simply stacking standard washers - I can't see where this wouldn't work assuming you nail the length.

[themitchster359]

http://www.akgmotorsport.com/e30products.html

they sell the kit. 35 bucks shipped. it works, and it looks good.

[Aptyp]

well, they sell kits for $35, I could make 10 kits on a lathe at dollar a pop. I can make spacer for rack without any trouble, just measure it, BUT for the knuckle I don't know. I currently have a 7/16 nuts used as spacers, and it works. I also got IE urethane flex disk.

[vtman05]

Aptyp, you could go ahead and lathe a couple different thicknesses and bolt it up yourself. Trail and error it to get the best end result. I was able to run mine without the knuckle spacer and I have no binding. I did still have to grind some of the knuckle like Robertk instructed. You could start the trail and error by taking apart the knuckle and bolting each side up to the column spline and the gear box spline and measure the space between?

Also, my rack was from a 328i out of a 1997 production date. The feel has definitely changed.

[learningcurve86]

i can't wait to do this and have PS again. I have an e36 rack just riding around in my trunk at the moment. thanks for the awesome write-up! :)

[87e30]

Who has done JUST the base e36 rack swap.

I have one in my garage but I'm wondering if the swap is worth it. I despise the e30 steering rack and dont' want to do all the work (let alone cost) of the e36 regular rack if it's not worth it.

[ethirtydavid]

I just did it a couple weeks back, very straight forward. I am running no PS, so I bought one of those aluminum delete blocks - works great. My rack is a 3.2 L to L, came from something like a 96 325i or something.

Definitely worth it, why not? If you have the rack lying around, you are looking at around 35-40 bucks in hardware and just an hour or two to get it in there.

^ saw your car at the picnic, looks nice and clean.. :)

[87e30]

thanks man. You must not have came to close or you'd be second guessing that clean part.

Er... I guess I'll jump on it then. If I put it in and mod the steering knuckle it'd be an easy swap to a z3 rack later on, right? As in plug 'n play swap to the z3 if the e36 rack isn't cutting it.