Steering rack swap for airbag cars...

[M42Technik]

I didn't mess with the steering rack spline at all. I did "clearance" the u-joint before I installed everything, but when I bolted the everything up it turned out I didn't have to. The only modifications I made were to the firewall.

FACK you tell me this now. I had a new '95 M3 steering rack in my grasp for $320. NEW.

[dude8383]

where can i find a good used 95 M3 rack?

[1991 318is]

Rack info.

Anybody know the turns lock to lock on a 1996 328i rack?

[fazio8118]

Anybody know the turns lock to lock on a 1996 328i rack?

3.2 im pretty sure

[So Live]

I know theres a thread on e30tech with all the possible racks and their turns lock to lock. If anyone wants to search go for it. Im glad a few of you have done this cause my rack is starting to puke.

[Jean]

Bump, i know there is a lot of talk on this thread about a swap into airbag equipped car but if it's not an air bag car will the firewall need to modified to fit an e36 rack still ?

[mikeltang]

from what ive read the firewall only needs to be modified for airbag cars. so the e36 rack should fit without any modification to the firewall. heres a write-up i found: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=66247

hope this helps
- Mike

[dude8383]

E36 lock plates, put them in last night.

sorry to bring this back from the dead...but i was looking over this cause i was helping a friend find info about the airbag racks.

anyways what are these e36 lock plates that you're referring to?

[Brew]

They lock the inner tie rod to the rack to keep them from loosening up.

[dude8383]

They lock the inner tie rod to the rack to keep them from loosening up.

where can i find something like this?

turner?

[PeaveyBassist]

where can i find something like this?

turner?

BMAparts.com They are only like... $.70 a piece or something.

Will

[1990m3]

or you can find them at your dealership. If you are a BMWCCA member most dealerships give great discounts. I get 20%!

[hoveringuy]

I put a 3.2 turn rack out of a 328 into my airbag-equipped is. It was easier than I expected it to be and I would say it is almost a drop-in replacement. Yes, I did need to dremel about 1/4 inch from the firewall but even the 3.2 turn rack has been a HUGE improvement over the original 3.5 unit. The stock lines are also perfect with a small amount of bending, no need for e-36 lines! :grin:

Hoveringuy

[dude8383]

I put a 3.2 turn rack out of a 328 into my airbag-equipped is. It was easier than I expected it to be and I would say it is almost a drop-in replacement. Yes, I did need to dremel about 1/4 inch from the firewall but even the 3.2 turn rack has been a HUGE improvement over the original 3.5 unit. The stock lines are also perfect with a small amount of bending, no need for e-36 lines! :grin:

Hoveringuy

the 3.5 unit? were you using an e30 m3 rack? stock e30 racks are 4.0 lock to lock.

[whelton70]

hate to bring this back from the dead but couldn't you just use a non-airbag e30 steering column instead of the modify on the firewall? or is it just that the air bag cars have a completely different angle setup from the factory that has to be changed to work with the e36 rack?