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DISCUSSION => General Topics => Topic started by: eric16v on July 01, 2008, 04:38:45 PM

Title: Steering Knuckle?
Post by: eric16v on July 01, 2008, 04:38:45 PM

Hi, does anyone know if the steering knuckle (that connects the steering colomn to the rack) from an '87 325is (non airbag) will fit onto a '91 318is with airbag. the one on my 318is has alot of play in it and makes a clunking sound everytime i hit a bump.  i have access to one from a 87 325 thats why i ask. thanks

Title: Steering Knuckle?
Post by: bmwman91 on July 01, 2008, 05:28:43 PM

It is highly doubtful.  I know on non-airbag cars, you need to modify the knuckle to fit an E36 steering rack, and I definitely did NOT have to modify mine when I did it.

Are you sure the play is in the knuckle?  Usually, the play is in the (crappy) steering rack our cars came with as it wears.  I would think that the knuckle would either be in one piece, or completely broken, at least from my observations of it.

Title: Steering Knuckle?
Post by: Quincy56 on July 01, 2008, 06:32:14 PM

I would check you ball joints and tie rods first.  Chances are it is not the rack.

I think the knuckle is the only thing different in a non-airbag rack and one with, but I'm not sure.  I did put a non-air bag rack into my air bag e30.  Side by side they were identical, but I used the knuckle from the air bag car.

Title: Steering Knuckle?
Post by: nickmpower on July 01, 2008, 10:38:41 PM

the splines on the airbag column are different

Title: Steering Knuckle?
Post by: Quincy56 on July 02, 2008, 05:24:07 AM

They were not different on my 92 E30 from our 89 E30.  Maybe on some airbag cars they are, just my experience says they are the same.

Title: Steering Knuckle?
Post by: HaNasich on July 02, 2008, 06:26:40 AM

if you have the newer style steering column, than you can easily rebuild it to stop that play / knocking.

i had this problem too in my steering column, i than saw (on the E36 rack conversion guide in R3V or E30Tech) that there are two types of knuckle.

(http://static.bmwfans.info/images/epc/MzgyOF9w.png)

the later one can be rebuilt since it has bolts instead of rivets.

anyhow - once you take it apart you can see that bushing #4 is missing / way-out worn out and causes the free-play in the knuckle.
than you can simply by a new one from a dealer / make new one using some ocolon or fill the gap in with some silicon (this is what i did)
after this - no more free-play / knocking and steering feels great.



Ron.

Title: Steering Knuckle?
Post by: eric16v on July 02, 2008, 11:35:32 PM

thanks for the info guys. looks like i gonna need to take a closer look to see which knuckle i have.