Question about rack swap on airbag cars

[entrpn]

Hi,

I just did a z3 steering rack swap on my airbag e30 and I did not modify the firewall because when the car was on jacks I did not feel any rubbing when I turned the steering wheel, but after setting the car down and driving it, I can now feel rubbing when I turn the steering wheel.

It isn't very much, but noticeable. My question is, will this harm anything if I don't dremel the firewall? Meaning, can I leave the car as is? This is a track car, not my daily. Most rubbing happens when going to from centered to position to either direction, but once I turn the wheel enough, the rubbing stops (or doesn't feel as much).

Thanks!

[Klug]

How did you manage to swing that? I had to cut my firewall a bit otherwise the linkage would never have fit. Are you getting the rubbing/grinding from the linkage itself or do you think that it is just rubbing against the FW?

[entrpn]

How did you manage to swing that? I had to cut my firewall a bit otherwise the linkage would never have fit. Are you getting the rubbing/grinding from the linkage itself or do you think that it is just rubbing against the FW?

I think its just rubbing against the firewall and it only happens once in a while, very rarely.

Since I had to bend the subframe tabs a little bit to remove the e30 rack, I bent the tabs back slightly in a way that I the bolts fit from the outermost hole at the bottom of the tabs to the innermost at the top of the tabs. Do you know what I mean? Doing it this way I did not have to do any modification, nor spacers.

I been driving the car semi-hard on the street to test it out and so far so good. Of course, I keep checking under the car to check any damage. I plan lift the car once more today to take a look again.

I will revisit this project next month when I re-install the cross brace and probably will just dremel the firewall and put the spacers just to be safe.

[e30davie]

Can you hit the fire wall in a strategic place with the negotiator? (ie large hammer)

I personally would dent the firewall before cutting a hole. A hole will allow the fire in.

[entrpn]

Can you hit the fire wall in a strategic place with the negotiator? (ie large hammer)

I personally would dent the firewall before cutting a hole. A hole will allow the fire in.

The guides I seen online people just dremmel out the firewall. I tried it today and was unsuccessful. I removed the plate that goes in the firewall and there is no more rubbing, however, now the rack rubs the gas pedal connector. I'll need to work on this a little more and add the spacers. Here are some pics so you know what I mean http://imgur.com/a/Dat7U

This car is my track car, not my DD.