When reading this, please note that my car is RHD which means that I'm restricted in space by the steering coupling.
Allow me to explain...
As some of you may or may not know, I've done the E36 steering rack conversion on my car, this involved swapping in an E36 rack with a custom made coupling, spacers and high pressure pipes. Whilst this is a fantastic mod in itself, it restricts me to sticking with the stock E30 exhaust manifold as the spline part of the rack sits at a different angle on the E36 rack to the E30 one.
I've also done a lot of engine work on my car and since speaking to the tuners, it seems that my manifold is really the only thing left restricting my whole intake\exhaust system. I had the opportunity to snap up a fantastic 6-branch manifold and whilst I knew I probably couldn't fit it at present, I bought it anyway!!!
Now onto my point...
I heard mention of the possibility of swapping in a Z3 steering rack as I've heard that the Z3 is based on an E30 rear end and an E36 front end chassis-wise. This leads me to believe that if the Z3 has an E36 chassis at the front then theoretically speaking, the Z3 and E36 racks should be swapable and thus, should be swappable with my already converted E36 rack. Now the Z3 is supposed to be 2.7 turns lock to lock which will be more precise than my current 3.4 turns of the E36 rack and worlds apart from the stock E30 4.0 turns.
My questions are these...
1. Can anyone confirm if the Z3 is based on an E36 front end?
2. Has anyone heard of the swap being done before, I certainly haven't!?!?
3. Does anyone know what angle the spline of the Z3 rack sits compared to the E30 and E36 racks?
4. How much is a Z3 rack likeely to cost me from a breaker, I'm assuming it will be more than the average E30\E36 rack.
Any other points of discussion would be appreciated too as I really want to fit this manifold and keep a quicker than stock rack.
Allow me to explain...
As some of you may or may not know, I've done the E36 steering rack conversion on my car, this involved swapping in an E36 rack with a custom made coupling, spacers and high pressure pipes. Whilst this is a fantastic mod in itself, it restricts me to sticking with the stock E30 exhaust manifold as the spline part of the rack sits at a different angle on the E36 rack to the E30 one.
I've also done a lot of engine work on my car and since speaking to the tuners, it seems that my manifold is really the only thing left restricting my whole intake\exhaust system. I had the opportunity to snap up a fantastic 6-branch manifold and whilst I knew I probably couldn't fit it at present, I bought it anyway!!!
Now onto my point...
I heard mention of the possibility of swapping in a Z3 steering rack as I've heard that the Z3 is based on an E30 rear end and an E36 front end chassis-wise. This leads me to believe that if the Z3 has an E36 chassis at the front then theoretically speaking, the Z3 and E36 racks should be swapable and thus, should be swappable with my already converted E36 rack. Now the Z3 is supposed to be 2.7 turns lock to lock which will be more precise than my current 3.4 turns of the E36 rack and worlds apart from the stock E30 4.0 turns.
My questions are these...
1. Can anyone confirm if the Z3 is based on an E36 front end?
2. Has anyone heard of the swap being done before, I certainly haven't!?!?
3. Does anyone know what angle the spline of the Z3 rack sits compared to the E30 and E36 racks?
4. How much is a Z3 rack likeely to cost me from a breaker, I'm assuming it will be more than the average E30\E36 rack.
Any other points of discussion would be appreciated too as I really want to fit this manifold and keep a quicker than stock rack.
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