How To Guide - E36 Steering Rack Swap

[87e30]

I ruesed locking plates but I know that mine are not in there properly.

e36 rack e30 inner/outer tie rods.

Which locking plates should I order?

[xer0trigger]

Doesn't matter, but the E30 ones are much cheaper.

[87e30]

Doesn't matter, but the E30 ones are much cheaper.

Why thank you.

Sometime sooner than later I should get some of these.

[B3M2W5]

Quick Tie Rod end question

i work at a dealer and have ordered a new rack from the 1.9L Z3. This one came in rebuilt and has inner tie rod ends but no outers. Quick question if some one could answer if i would E30 ends to fit the car or Z3 ends to fit the inner tie rod ends of the rack and wich would be better.
I would seach but dont have time. I only have an hour for break and parts cut off is 5pm and im replacing an E46 M3 clutch.
Any help would be wonderfull thanks guys.

[B3M2W5]

Ok got the tie rods figuered out an ordered.
So if i read corectly
The Z3 rack 1.9L is the same as the M3 rack it just stops at 2.9 or 2.7 turns instead of 3 full turns. Thus giving a smaller actual turning radius but less turns of your steering wheel.
But all of them are better then the stock 4 turn L2L of the E30?

[Nic01101011]

I just finished putting in a rack from a 95 M3

Slightly off center, the steering is a bit quicker, but not too much

But once you turn the wheel a little more, it quickens up real fast

No more hand over hand wheel shuffling :)

[B3M2W5]

Good to know. This really is a great write up.
Yet i have come to find out that E30 outer tie rod ends to not fin on Z3 Inner tie rod ends they are both threaded on the out side. So now i have to wait and find some z3 outers. Dont really want to wait till monday to get them but hopfully Oreillys or an Advanced Auto parts has some for the time being.

[JGood]

Just went on realoem to figure out part numbers for the racks, though this info might be helpful:



Part 32131096280 (Rmfd hydro steering gear) was found on the following E36 vehicles:

E36 318i Convertible, M44, AUTO (BH83) : POWER STEERING
E36 318i Convertible, M42, AUTO (BK63) : POWER STEERING
E36 318i Convertible, M42, MANUAL (BK53) : POWER STEERING
E36 318i Convertible, M44, MANUAL (BH73) : POWER STEERING
E36 318i Sedan, M42, AUTO (CA63) : POWER STEERING
E36 318i Sedan, M44, AUTO (CD83) : POWER STEERING
E36 318i Sedan, M44, AUTO (CC03) : POWER STEERING
E36 318i Sedan, M42, AUTO (CC83) : POWER STEERING
E36 318i Sedan, M42, MANUAL (CA53) : POWER STEERING
E36 318i Sedan, M44, MANUAL (CD73) : POWER STEERING
E36 318i Sedan, M44, MANUAL (CC93) : POWER STEERING
E36 318i Sedan, M42, MANUAL (CC73) : POWER STEERING
E36 318is Coupe, M44, AUTO (BE83) : POWER STEERING
E36 318is Coupe, M42, AUTO (BE63) : POWER STEERING
E36 318is Coupe, M44, MANUAL (BE73) : POWER STEERING
E36 318is Coupe, M42, MANUAL (BE53) : POWER STEERING
E36 318ti Compact, M44, AUTO (CG83) : POWER STEERING
E36 318ti Compact, M42, AUTO (CG63) : POWER STEERING
E36 318ti Compact, M44, MANUAL (CG73) : POWER STEERING
E36 318ti Compact, M42, MANUAL (CG53) : POWER STEERING
E36 320i Sedan, M50, AUTO (CB23) : POWER STEERING
E36 320i Sedan, M50, MANUAL (CB13) : POWER STEERING
E36 323i Convertible, M52, AUTO (BJ83) : POWER STEERING
E36 323i Convertible, M52, MANUAL (BJ73) : POWER STEERING
E36 323i Coupe, M52, AUTO (BF83) : POWER STEERING
E36 323i Coupe, M52, MANUAL (BF73) : POWER STEERING
E36 325i Convertible, M50, AUTO (BJ63) : POWER STEERING
E36 325i Convertible, M50, MANUAL (BJ53) : POWER STEERING
E36 325i Sedan, M50, AUTO (CB43) : POWER STEERING
E36 325i Sedan, M50, MANUAL (CB33) : POWER STEERING
E36 325is Coupe, M50, AUTO (BF43) : POWER STEERING
E36 325is Coupe, M50, MANUAL (BF33) : POWER STEERING
E36 328i Convertible, M52, AUTO (BK83) : POWER STEERING
E36 328i Convertible, M52, MANUAL (BK73) : POWER STEERING
E36 328i Coupe, M52, AUTO (BG23) : POWER STEERING
E36 328i Coupe, M52, MANUAL (BG13) : POWER STEERING
E36 328i Sedan, M52, AUTO (CD43) : POWER STEERING
E36 328i Sedan, M52, AUTO (CD23) : POWER STEERING
E36 328i Sedan, M52, MANUAL (CD33) : POWER STEERING
E36 328i Sedan, M52, MANUAL (CD13) : POWER STEERING
E36 M3 Convertible, S52, AUTO (BK03) : POWER STEERING
E36 M3 Convertible, S52, MANUAL (BK93) : POWER STEERING
E36 M3 Coupe, S52, MANUAL (BG93) : POWER STEERING
E36 M3 Sedan, S52, AUTO (CD03) : POWER STEERING
E36 M3 Sedan, S52, MANUAL (CD93) : POWER STEERING

Z3 Z3 M Coupe, S52 (CM93) : POWER STEERING
Z3 Z3 M Coupe, S54 (CN93) : POWER STEERING
Z3 Z3 M Roadster, S54 (CL93) : POWER STEERING
Z3 Z3 M Roadster, S52 (CK93) : POWER STEERING



Part 32131095575 (Rmfd hydro steering gear) was found on the following vehicles:

Z3 Z3 1.9 Roadster, M44 (CH73) : POWER STEERING
Z3 Z3 2.5 Roadster, M52 (CH93) : POWER STEERING
Z3 Z3 2.5i Roadster, M54 (CN33) : POWER STEERING
Z3 Z3 2.8 Coupe, M52 (CK53) : POWER STEERING
Z3 Z3 2.8 Roadster, M52 (CJ33) : POWER STEERING
Z3 Z3 2.8 Roadster, M52 (CH33) : POWER STEERING
Z3 Z3 3.0i Coupe, M54 (CK73) : POWER STEERING
Z3 Z3 3.0i Roadster, M54 (CN53) : POWER STEERING



Part 32132227191 (Rmfd hydro steering gear) was found on the following E36 vehicles:

E36 M3 Coupe, S50, AUTO (BF03) : POWER STEERING
E36 M3 Coupe, S50, MANUAL (BF93) : POWER STEERING

[sharky]

so what is the actual length of the spacer needed?

[Nic01101011]

The spacer length for the modified knuckle is 5/8".
The spacer length to mount the rack is 9/16"(if memory serves me correctly - this is easy to figure out on your own though). Spacers made for 3/8" bolts work perfectly here..

[JGood]

Has anyone purchased the AKG kit for $34? That price sounds damn good for hardware designed for this, from a reputable company.

I made my own 2 years ago when I installed my M3 rack, but I think when I do the swap in my other e30 I'll buy the kit from AKG.

[Nic01101011]

its a ripoff for a couple spacers and bolts

[sharky]

So I went to install my rack today (96 M3) in my 87is and where it mounts to the subframe there is a 1/2 in space in between the rack and the subframe mounts, I guess I can get some spacers but I havent heard of this problem before, any insight?

[JGood]

So I went to install my rack today (96 M3) in my 87is and where it mounts to the subframe there is a 1/2 in space in between the rack and the subframe mounts, I guess I can get some spacers but I havent heard of this problem before, any insight?

Page 1, step 24.

[bimmer630]

I have looked through this thread and I dont see a definitive answer on whether or not new low pressure lines are needed. I have a rack from a 92 325 and the high press line too.. i can get the spacers and hardware, but do i REALLY need to change out the hoses?