Can't Get Steering Shaft U-Joint on - Please Help

[Jimbot1157]

Hey all,

been lurking this forum for a while and have now taken the dive on my '88 325is, doing as much of the work myself as I can.

Basically everything but the transmission and engine have been removed for a full refresh and i'm starting to put things back together now, but I'm having some trouble with the steering shaft. I am replacing the stock steering shaft with the Condor Speed Shop solid steering shaft conversion kit and the U-joint (I've tried both of the 2 U-joints in the kit now) that I'm trying to put onto the splines that come off the steering column right outside the firewall just won't go on for the life of me. I got a new Z3 steering rack and both U-joints have slipped right on to the splines off that with only minor effort - very easy. Now trying to get either of them onto these splines from the column is killer.

I'm worried I may have mucked up when I got the stock shaft off somehow. At the same point I'm now trying to fit a new U-joint on, I had to do some serious work to get the stock shaft off. It came off easy-ish at the rack, but I was at it with PB blaster and pry bars for quite a while at the column side. While I have yet to search and find someone in my exact situation, I've seen a number of folks with their steering shaft stuck and I'm worried it's starting to look like prying on it too hard can bend something... I can't even seem to get this U-joint started on the splines even after I cleaned it up with a brush...

So question(s) is - did I eff it up entirely? If so - is there a way to reverse what I've done? Worst case scenario if the steering column splines that come out of the firewall are sh*t canned, does something need to be replaced and if so please tell me it's not the whole column...

Thanks

[e30austin]

Make sure both mating surfaces are clean and inspect the splines well. A liberal amount of never-seize is suggested and make sure to take the 8mm bolts out of the knuckle (VERY important). This should make the job go infinitely easier for you. Best of luck.

[Jimbot1157]

Make sure both mating surfaces are clean and inspect the splines well. A liberal amount of never-seize is suggested and make sure to take the 8mm bolts out of the knuckle (VERY important). This should make the job go infinitely easier for you. Best of luck.

Thanks - I think I need to inspect the splines a bit more. I chatted with the guys over at Condor Speed shop about it as well and they said a little brake clean and some thorough cleaning on the splines coming out of the firewall should hopefully help. He also suggested I check the count and size of the splines just in case mine is oddly different since there have apparently been some different sizes and spline counts internationally. Would be an odd issue to have, but you never know. US LHD models are supposedly 54 spline and a 17mm shaft. Being that these are an aftermarket U-joint that don't have the split down the middle like the stock one, there is no 8mm bolt to remove, so I should be good there. Will report back once I have it on there in case anyone else has a similar issue!

[nrubenstein]

You may need to hammer a screwdriver into the split. I frequently need to open up the splines a hair to get the shaft on.

[Jimbot1157]

For reference, this is the kit I'm talking about https://www.condorspeedshop.com/prod...15053330677806 - it doesn't have a split like the stock shaft that I would be able to open up.

[Jimbot1157]

Figured it out. For reference - if there are any other shmucks like me who have never done anything more than an oil change yourself and suddenly get the itch to take an entire E30 apart and put it all back together and you get stuck on replacing the steering shaft, make sure those splines are squeaky-freakin-clean. I'm talking mint. I hit those splines with a brass wire brush, then brake clean, then brush, brake clean, brush, bra.... OK you get it. Did that for about 15 minutes straight. Crossed my fingers, grabbed the new Condor Speed Shop U-joint and it slid right on. Granted... I hope I never have to take that sonofabitch off again, but at least I know the spline count isn't wrong or the shaft isn't bent.

Life is good.

[Victell]

Thanks for the update. How do you like the setup so far? Does eliminating the stock rubber steering coupler feel much different?