Preparing e30 steering rack for a future ls1 swap

[jpod999]

Was swapping the steering lock hard?

Nope! Just pull the rings off the column to let it slip off and then cut a slit in the small black conehead screw so that you can use a flathead to get it off.

[jon volk]

Why even change it? I'm running an airbag column, stock rack, stock linkage. No issues at all.

[pbmig]

The column swap wasn't hard, just make sure you get a column off of a 86 or 87 so you don't have to fabricate the firewall mount. The worst part is having to take the dash out I talk about this on page 7 some: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...=376089&page=7

I agree with delamaize, just swap out the column and call it a day. It was very easy making the E46 sourced steering linkage.

Was swapping the steering lock hard?

[z28]

If you don't mind going with manual steering I highly recommend a Z4 rack swap. so much simpler, less maintenance, no plumbing, less things to go wrong, etc and it feels real good. I also felt the powered racks are overpowered even when I ran a Z3 rack.

I do not mind but I already have the e46 rack, so I'm just gonna go with it.

^ Agreed
I haven't driven with mine yet but moving it around in the driveway is easy. If you get the steering linkage with it, you should be able to modify and use it without any fancy parts.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...2&postcount=25

Im stuck with the e46 rack now.

[sgtskid]

If you don't mind going with manual steering I highly recommend a Z4 rack swap. so much simpler, less maintenance, no plumbing, less things to go wrong, etc and it feels real good. I also felt the powered racks are overpowered even when I ran a Z3 rack.

^ Agreed
I haven't driven with mine yet but moving it around in the driveway is easy. If you get the steering linkage with it, you should be able to modify and use it without any fancy parts.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showpost.php?p=4683662&postcount=25

[Q8y_drifter]

If you don't mind going with manual steering I highly recommend a Z4 rack swap. so much simpler, less maintenance, no plumbing, less things to go wrong, etc and it feels real good. I also felt the powered racks are overpowered even when I ran a Z3 rack.

[z28]

I received my e46 rack today along with the so called e36 tie rod ends, but Im not sure I got e36 tie rod ends. One of the tie rods is thicker and heavier then the other one even though they are both the same length. I think I got e46 tie rod ends, but Im not sure. Is there anyway to figure out if I have e36 or e46 tie rod ends? Here are two pics of the outer tie rods that I received.

The one on the right is thicker and heavier then the one on the left, but they are about the same length. If they are both from an e36 then I prefer having the thiner one to avoid any clearance issues.



Here is another pic of the two tie rods from a different angle. As you can see, the one on the right looks to be more beefy.

The column swap wasn't hard, just make sure you get a column off of a 86 or 87 so you don't have to fabricate the firewall mount. The worst part is having to take the dash out I talk about this on page 7 some: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...=376089&page=7

I agree with delamaize, just swap out the column and call it a day. It was very easy making the E46 sourced steering linkage.

After going over the threads that involve swapping the column I have decided that it would be easier to have a 3/4 DD built into the stock column.

[jpod999]

The column swap wasn't hard, just make sure you get a column off of a 86 or 87 so you don't have to fabricate the firewall mount. The worst part is having to take the dash out I talk about this on page 7 some: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...=376089&page=7

I agree with delamaize, just swap out the column and call it a day. It was very easy making the E46 sourced steering linkage.

[z28]

Thanks for the link, Im gonna go over it in detail tomorrow.

[delamaize]

This is another option, but how hard is it to do this?

I'd start here:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=350200

[z28]

Well flaming river has one that is sooo fing close but I guess 1mm is too much. I tried filing it down but not a good idea. One thing I didn't try was seeing if there's a joint that will adapt the splines under the kick panel just off the steering wheel into a D shaft. Try measuring and go to flamingriver.


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Im thinking of buying a spare steering wheel column bar shaft (just the lower part), cut it short and have a coupler with a 3/4 DD end welded to it, kinda like you did. What is the part number for the joint that you welded on?

Get rid of the airbag column, and wheel, then make the E46 shaft. Problem solved.

This is another option, but how hard is it to do this?

[delamaize]

Get rid of the airbag column, and wheel, then make the E46 shaft. Problem solved.

[Nick_08]

Well flaming river has one that is sooo fing close but I guess 1mm is too much. I tried filing it down but not a good idea. One thing I didn't try was seeing if there's a joint that will adapt the splines under the kick panel just off the steering wheel into a D shaft. Try measuring and go to flamingriver.


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[z28]

Yeah, it seems like no one carries a joint that matches the airbag column. It looks like my only options is are to get the joint welded or to force a non matching joint I might have to get a joint welded on there, but I really don't want to.

[Nick_08]

The problem I had was finding a joint that matched the splines AND diameter of the airbag column. I ended up welding it on....


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