Steering wheel return?

[Weeburn]

Hey guys, first time posting here. I've recently been driving an E30 I bought awhile back and have been dumping money into, and I was thinking while driving, it doesn't have much steering wheel return.

Like if you take a ninety degree turn and let off the wheel coming out of the turn, shouldn't it try and swing itself back towards center? I've never driven another one to compare to, and don't know if they're all like this or not.

I've got an almost completely new front suspension (new control arms w/ balljoints, bushings, sway bar end links, complete tie rods). I never did an alignment after replacing the tie rod ends, just drove it and eyeballed it to where it doesn't pull/wheels look straight with rears (not a daily driver yet, keep it at the shop, BMW tech), but that doesn't mean it can't be even side to side but still off in such a way to affect steering.

Mainly I'm just trying to find out if this is a normal E30 thing, or if there's something I need to take a look at. TIA

[Mossman]

Not normal. I've seen it before with seized/binding Ujoints in the coupler that attaches steering column to the rack. Could be the rack is too tight. If it didn't happen before you did all the suspension stuff but did after then probably alignment though. Could be alignment regardless...

[Wh33lhop]

Alignment. Caster (which people generally assume this problem is) isn't adjustable, but you've got a bunch of toe out. The steering probably feels vague and unresponsive too, you'll notice it's a lot more "darty" with some toe-in.

[Weeburn]

Cool, I figured it was just an alignment thing but thought I'd ask anyways just in case. Don't remember if it did it before or not (I've probably only driven the car 20 miles in the 6 months I've owned it, been restofying it over weekends, and too scared to drive it with both stickers out since local laws are insanely strict about that stuff)

[KenC]

Make sure you remembered to install the thick washer between the spring hat and strut mount. Can cause those exact symptoms b

[clydesdale]

Clock the wheels all the way to one side and then put the car in reverse, see if it will recover. I had the same issue after replacing my rack. The alignment was off. After going through 3 bum racks and on u-joint that I boogered up, I bought a set of toe plates rather than getting shop alignments.
I believe your issue will be the toe.

[craz azn]

Alignment. Caster (which people generally assume this problem is) isn't adjustable, but you've got a bunch of toe out. The steering probably feels vague and unresponsive too, you'll notice it's a lot more "darty" with some toe-in.

Reverse this.

Toe Out makes the car darty, but feels sharp... Toe In make the car vague, yet tracks nice and straight.

[Weeburn]

Update, did an alignment at my shop, toe's good now but problem is still there There's some return, just not like I'd expect.

Also, replaced the power steering drive belt when I did the timing belt/tensioner/water pump today, just cause all the old belts were cracked anyways and thinking maybe the belt was loose. No change.

A couple of older dudes I work with who worked on E30s back in the day are suspecting a rack, but I'd rather not spend the money on a rack till I'm sure it's the problem. Also thought it might be all my new ball joints being super stiff (like, could barely move them by hand when installing them), but I drove it about 40 miles yesterday figuring they'd break in, and still not really much of an improvement.

Any other ideas? I meant to get M3 control arm bushings since I know they rake the caster out a little more, but the company I ordered from sent me stock ones. Oh well. Even with stockers though, there still should be more return than this...would it make a difference if maybe I pushed the control arm bushings too far on the control arm? I just kinda went till they stopped/the smooth part of the arm for them ended. Also, front strut mounts are worn out/cracked a little, maybe they have something to do with it? My camber was a little negative but not too bad, assuming they're just sagging from age. Also I get a little rattle from the right front like a strut mount, plan on replacing them later when I upgrade to Bilstein shocks/get lowering springs.

Any help would be appreciated, getting it inspected/registered this week, plan on driving it from now on, and it's a little spooky on the highway when I go to change lanes and it wants to keep going unless I correct/make constant adjustments

Thanks

[jlevie]

It could be stiff ball joints. It takes several hundred miles of driving for new ball joints to wear in. So I say not to worry about now and get the car on the road. If the problem persists after enough driving to wear in the suspension parts you can re-visit the problem.

[joonsup]

Make sure you remembered to install the thick washer between the spring hat and strut mount. Can cause those exact symptoms b

+1

On one of my e30s, a buddy of mine forgot to put that washer between the hat and mount on both sides so after making a turn the wheel wouldn't swing back all the way and depending on if I had just come out of a right or left turn, the car would drift toward that side.

The other night we had time to fix one side and it made a huge difference.

[Weeburn]

Hey y'all, never got to update but it turns out my right front strut is siezed. You can push it down, and it stays down, or you lift it up and it stays up. Dont know if its bent or what, but I'm replacing the shock mounts anyways since the bearing might be siezed/damaged as a result.

Looks like I'll be getting my upgraded suspension sooner than I planned, since I can't justify replacing one shock when the rest are original and worn the fuck out, or getting cheap ones to get me by knowing I'm just gonna do the work again later.

Though I'd get back since I hate it when I find a thread with a problem I have and the OP never responds as to what was causing it.

[bmwstephen]

Make sure you remembered to install the thick washer between the spring hat and strut mount. Can cause those exact symptoms b

Thread revival. I'm experiencing the lack of return because I don't have these installed.

Just to educate me, why would these little items affect the steering wheel return so much?

If these are not installed, does that mean the steering wheel won't return at all or can there be some return?

[Wh33lhop]

Reverse this.

Toe Out makes the car darty, but feels sharp... Toe In make the car vague, yet tracks nice and straight.

You are correct. However, intuitively, I don't see how toe-in reduces initial steering response and toe-out increases it as the outside tire will be more loaded on steering input, which will be pointing into the turn in a toe-in situation and out of the turn with toe-out.

[KenC]

Thread revival. I'm experiencing the lack of return because I don't have these installed.

Just to educate me, why would these little items affect the steering wheel return so much?

If these are not installed, does that mean the steering wheel won't return at all or can there be some return?

The mount is rubbing the hat w/o them. The washer is what makes the ball bearings work. You need to take the struts out and install the washers asap.

[bmwstephen]

the problem is that I'm not sure if I have them on or not. The mechanic I had reinstalled my suspension is out of reach and I doub't he remembers installing these pieces or not so I'm trying to narrow down the symptoms.

The thing is, my steering wheel does return (smoothly in fact) up to the 11 or 2 o'clock position and the rest I have to take over from there. I haven't driven e30's much so I'm not sure if this is normal or not.