Z3 rack is in!!

[Vass325es]

How much did you buy Z3 steering?

[asubimmer]

where do you live nick? I would love to see how the z3 rack is.

[nickmp0wer]

I live in oregon. Just do it. You can always add power steering. What i really wish i would have done is take a video drivng through a few corners with the stock rack then one with z3 rack ro comparison

How much did you buy Z3 steering?

I got one for 110 shipped. Based on the other ones listed on car-part.com, it was a killer deal. It had also been involved in a crash though resulting in a bent tierod but the rack itself turned out to b fine.

[asubimmer]

haha I'll add it to my to do list ;)

[Tvan]

sounds like a cool thing to do, i hope all goes well.

[asubimmer]

does it matter what year Z3 rack to get for a 91' 318is?

[Digitalwave]

well, the wheel is harder to turn then a stock e30 but by no means too hard (my arms are like pencils also). The thing is, it doenst have to be tunred nearly as much as the stock rack. From center, one full turn plus a little bit is full lock, where as the stock one is 2 plus a tad.

I can see what you are saying. Even though the effort is harder, you don't have to rotate the wheel nearly as much as a stock E30 rack, so its not too much harder.

[asubimmer]

i guess since you don't have to turn it was far its ok that it is harder to turn?

[nickmp0wer]

yeah basiclly. I doubt that it will ever need to be turned much more then 90 degrees except when parking, so both or one hand can just stay put on the wheel. When stopped i guess its decently hard, but when moving at all especailly above like 5mph is basiclly like stock, only with a much more direct, much less over boosted feeling.

[1991 318is]

Questions?

I also have a '91 318is with an air bag. Can you loosen the nut on the column under the dash, lengthen the column, and avoid having to move the firewall opening? I have been curious about this.
I have been aligning 200 MPH stock cars for years with homemade toe guages and caster/camber guages like these.

http://www.stockcarproducts.com/align1.htm

Now we are hi-tech and use laser levels for toe.

[nickmp0wer]

No the nut will just make it longer or shorter. It actaully has to move down and to the right at an angle. Its not that big of a deal though, i just did through the interior side with an air powered grinder. The worst part was so much trial and error

[CarsSuck]

does the firewall grinding only apply to airbag cars?

[asubimmer]

No the nut will just make it longer or shorter. It actaully has to move down and to the right at an angle. Its not that big of a deal though, i just did through the interior side with an air powered grinder. The worst part was so much trial and error

how does that affect how the steering wheel line'n up with the gauges?

[nickmp0wer]

yes, but you have to modify the linkage for non airbafg cars

there is one shaft that the steering wheel attaches to that doesnt move. Then there is a u-joint and the shaft that goes through the firewall

[Vass325es]

I dont see where you grinded the firewall. I have see but only small part.