Z4 non powered steering rack fits e30

[jwal]

Just to err on the side of caution, I will ask: Has anyone with an airbag column performed this swap yet?

[jwal]

Yeah, that's what I'm hoping. Either way I need to do some more research seeing as I have an airbag car and the spline count and location of the joint is different. Might just end up swapping the steering column.

[89325iturbo]

They might sell it by calling, and checking. By just looking it up they didn't have it listed. But might just be one of those things they don't list.

[jwal]

I'll have to check with LKQ and other dismantlers in my neck of the woods to see what I can find. Did LKQ not sell the steering shaft?

[89325iturbo]

Sorry for the upside down pics. I haven't put it back on the ground to get a fee, also will need an alignment.
The rack I ordered from LKQ. The steering shaft from ebay.

[89325iturbo]

3

[jwal]

Where did you order your rack and steering shaft from?

[89325iturbo]

Cut the plastic cover down and zip tied it back over.

[89325iturbo]

Got my rack, and fitted it up today. Pretty straight forward, went with e36 tierod ends.
Few pics

[89325iturbo]

Ordered my rack and steering shaft. Should be able to do some work on it this weekend. By the looks of it the steering shafts seems to be cut down to only a couple inches plus the length of the u joints

[Wanganstyle]

I think reman'd units are fine. Especially for a manual rack.

I got the Z4 steering shaft in today and decided to chop it up. Heres what I found.

Outer plastic shield removed


Quickly learned it doesn't come apart unless you make this cut. There are little tangs crimped over the hole holding the ball bearings inside from falling out. Cutting the female part of the shaft here allowed me to see what was going on inside.



Here is what is inside



The male section also has a small clip holding the bearings from sliding off that end



The clip is easily removed to give access to the ball bearing assembly.



Ball bearing size in case you decide to fill the grooves with solid rod like wanganstyle



Depending on how short the shaft needs to be will determine what I do with mine. Either keep the telescoping ability or weld it together. I think keeping the bearing assembly inside is just fine. Whether the shaft is 8" long or 3" long, the same amount of bearings are holding the shaft together.

Thanks for discussing this.
I am not a welder; I cut it apart similar to you and then had a local fabrication shop handle the shortening.

With 215mm front tyres it's ok around town


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[Brian7]

Someone needs to measure the total throw and mm per revolution so we can compare it to the rest of the swappable racks.

per. turn------BMW Part #
- E30--------------36.5 mm--------32 13 1 092 335
- E30 M3-----------38 mm---------32 13 2 225 556
- E36 M3 '95--------41 mm--------32 13 2 227 191 *NEW 08.15.11 Pink
- E36---------------45.5 mm-------32 13 1 096 280
- E36 M3 96+-------45.5 mm------32 13 1 096 280
- E36 Z3 M---------45.5 mm-------32 13 1 096 280
- E46 (9/99-4/01)--46 mm---------32 13 6 753 438 *NEW 08.15.11 Pink
- E46 (4/01-9/01)--50 mm---------32 13 6 755 065
- E85 Z4 M---------51 mm---------32 13 7 836 844
- E36 Z3 non-M-----53.5 mm-------32 13 1 095 575

Is that MM per revolution from center or an average? Some of those are progressive racks.

[E30SPDFRK]

Someone needs to measure the total throw and mm per revolution so we can compare it to the rest of the swappable racks.

per. turn------BMW Part #
- E30--------------36.5 mm--------32 13 1 092 335
- E30 M3-----------38 mm---------32 13 2 225 556
- E36 M3 '95--------41 mm--------32 13 2 227 191 *NEW 08.15.11 Pink
- E36---------------45.5 mm-------32 13 1 096 280
- E36 M3 96+-------45.5 mm------32 13 1 096 280
- E36 Z3 M---------45.5 mm-------32 13 1 096 280
- E46 (9/99-4/01)--46 mm---------32 13 6 753 438 *NEW 08.15.11 Pink
- E46 (4/01-9/01)--50 mm---------32 13 6 755 065
- E85 Z4 M---------51 mm---------32 13 7 836 844
- E36 Z3 non-M-----53.5 mm-------32 13 1 095 575

[Brian7]

Thanks for the update. Did you shorten the z4 linkage yet?

I haven't. I'm going to do all that when I have time to install it. Also it looks like the Z4 rack is not progressive like the E36 M3 rack.

[89325iturbo]

Thanks for the update. Did you shorten the z4 linkage yet?