Steering Coupler Surprise

[LindrelT]

Finally doing my 1988 e30's rack swap. Have been collecting the parts for months and now getting surprises once into it. My Chase Bays high pressure line purchased though ECS was incorrect - it was the e30 rack one not the e36/46 version one. Chase Bays was great and looked at the pic and said ECS sent the wrong one -- and then they shipped out the correct one priority and will take back the other one directly. That's customer service!

Next is the shaft coupler. I already had the Garagistic kit for non-airbag with the rack spacers and the shaft spacers. But after removing parts and getting down to the shaft i find a PO has a manual steering coupler on there (32311154413). The car has power steering since built - it is an M20 USA 325is.






Any idea why it is in there? I'll source a 32311157214 coupler and do the shortening on it and keep going. It has been a good opportunity to do the starter, R&R the intake for a vapor hone, and some other stuff while that area of the car is opened up! Thanks!

[82eye]

vorschlag, sikky and a few others have a direct coupler you might want to cross shop against the cost of new stock coupler that you'll cut apart anyway.

[TobyB]

looks normal to me for a late- diving board steering linkage...

ECS sent the wrong one

no way...

t

[Northern]

I'd just delete the steering guibo for a 1/8" thick disc of aluminum or steel to get the spacing, unless it's supposed to be some cushy non-racecar.

[82eye]

I'd just delete the steering guibo for a 1/8" thick disc of aluminum or steel to get the spacing, unless it's supposed to be some cushy non-racecar.

could probably just turn the two halves to line up after deleting the guibo and bolt it direct with a washer or two for spacers.

[Panici]

could probably just turn the two halves to line up after deleting the guibo and bolt it direct with a washer or two for spacers.

Wouldn't recommend that option. It'll put the U-Joints out of phase and steering will feel wierd.

[82eye]

Wouldn't recommend that option. It'll put the U-Joints out of phase and steering will feel wierd.

i'm not sure there is anything detrimental regarding phase on a shaft that short. that shaft doesn't actually spin constant 360 like a driveshaft or develop any rpm that would have a harmonic.


edit : what is there that would make it feel weird ? it would be no different than most direct couplers on the market like the sikkky or vorschlag i mentioned.

[Panici]

i'm not sure there is anything detrimental regarding phase on a shaft that short. that shaft doesn't actually spin constant 360 like a driveshaft or develop any rpm that would have a harmonic.


edit : what is there that would make it feel weird ? it would be no different than most direct couplers on the market like the sikkky or vorschlag i mentioned.

Note that the Vorshlag steering shaft has the joints in-phase as well.

When out of phase, the speed of the output shaft will not stay consistent with the input shaft.
The joints will not "cancel out" like they do in-phase.

I've never tried it personally, but I imagine this would result in the steering feeling tight then loose as you spin the wheel as the speed increases and decreases.

[82eye]

Note that the Vorshlag steering shaft has the joints in-phase as well.

When out of phase, the speed of the output shaft will not stay consistent with the input shaft.
The joints will not "cancel out" like they do in-phase.

I've never tried it personally, but I imagine this would result in the steering feeling tight then loose as you spin the wheel as the speed increases and decreases.

i could see it causing binding on the joints the same way a modified knuckle will bind, but i can't see it developing the rpm to experience out of phase vibration. the knuckle doesn't even operate on a level horizontal plane like a driveshaft, which is where phase is experienced. i can sure see the knuckle locking or binding though.

edit : i could see it binding on the aftermarket ones as well if the joints weren't aligned. not just the originals.

[Panici]

i can't see it developing the rpm to experience out of phase vibration. the knuckle doesn't even operate on a level horizontal plane like a driveshaft, which is where phase is experienced. i can sure see the knuckle locking or binding though.

I agree, it won't vibrate.

But there will still be inconsistent speed between the input and output shafts. Steering may alternate between "slow then fast" or "tight then loose" as you turn the wheel from lock to lock.

[82eye]

I agree, it won't vibrate.

But there will still be inconsistent speed between the input and output shafts. Steering may alternate between "slow then fast" or "tight then loose" as you turn the wheel from lock to lock.

curious to see if that would happen. i'm sure it's been built in that configuration for a reason.

[alpinaseeone]

82eye Panici interesting read: Steering U-joints need to be in phase? | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com) of course not directly E30 but same principles apply

[Northern]

I agree, it won't vibrate.

But there will still be inconsistent speed between the input and output shafts. Steering may alternate between "slow then fast" or "tight then loose" as you turn the wheel from lock to lock.

Yeah that's my reasoning for the thin steel/aluminum guibo

[digger]

Guys for reference purposes you aren’t supposed to phase the UJ like a driveshaft and it is a waste of time going to any effort to achieve as such.

the UJ only cancel each other out when the shafts are in plane and joint angles are the same neither of which are remotely true on the e30 steering

It’s recommended to have them slightly out of phase to reduce risk of binding with the sort of angles involved especially so with a solid coupling system that can’t accommodate the slight length change as the shaft rotates which is a property of the UJ system