Author Topic: E36 Steering Rack Swap Question-PS Lines (Read 6947 times)

Colo318IS · « **on:** March 30, 2011, 04:15:13 PM »

Hello All-

I'm getting ready to do the e36 steering rack swap and had a question about power steering hoses...

First, wanted to clarify, I need to get one high pressure hose and one low pressure "return line' hose, correct? Does anyone happen to have a part number?

Also, stupid question, but I need to ask...when buying new hoses, since I'm putting in an e36 steering rack, I'm assuming I need to get e36 power steering lines? Or will the e30 lines fit?

Thanks for any insight you can provide!

rob_e30 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 30, 2011, 04:43:10 PM »

You have to modify the stock E30 high pressure hose. Also, there are a number of parts that need to be customized including the steering linkage and mounting spacers, etc. for the rack itself.

Zionsville sells a CD with step by step instructions. http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/store/screen/ctgy/store_code/6134/category_code/S.htm

It's worth the $25 unless you know exactly what you are doing.

DesktopDave · « **Reply #2 on:** March 30, 2011, 06:04:37 PM »

+1, everything I've seen says to bend the e30 line. Don't forget to shim the rack too...I was just checking this thread out to do my upcoming swap (e36 rack mounts are substantially slimmer than the e30's):

http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthread.php?t=94377

There are four lines, two from the pump to the rack, one from the rack to reservoir, the last from the reservoir to the pump. I suspect the last two are just plain low pressure hydraulic hose that can use crimps or hose clamps. No ferrules like the high pressure hoses.

rob_e30 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 30, 2011, 11:42:41 PM »

BTW, PS hoses can be repaired. If they are leaking/loose at the end with the steel fitting, you can simply cut the outer steel band that crimps the hose to the fitting and add a regular clamp. It does require some accurate cutting but it's basically a barbed fitting with an integrated crimp for the host. Cut the crimp off and the rest still works. I've done it a few times and no leaks.

Colo318IS · « **Reply #4 on:** March 31, 2011, 11:43:42 AM »

Ok great, thanks so much for the information...I greatly appreciate it...I have read the r3v thread on the swap several times (the taco guy one)

...so I did know about the required mods with shimming and the firewall...I think where I confused myself was the diff b/w the low pressure lines and high pressure lines...I've got it all straight in my head now...Desktop Dave...thank you for the clarification on the four different lines...that helped tremendously.

Thanks so much for the info...will do the swap in a couple weeks, if I run into any issues I may throw another question out on there. Thanks again!

Jay

Colo318IS · « **Reply #5 on:** June 24, 2011, 09:51:26 AM »

...so I finally got around to the swap....just working my way back up and getting everything back in place....along those lines had a question about lining up the bolt holes for the rack to the subframe.

Here's my situation....I'm putting in the e36 rack....I've spent several nights now trying to get the rack lined up so that it fits properly and doesn't cause bind in the steering knuckle. To that end, I've been playing around with the bolt holes on the subframe that are closer to sway bar and the ones closer to the oil pan....additionally I've been trying just about every combination of washer shims both under and above the subframe bolts with no success.

My e30 rack was using the subrframe holes closer to the sway bar so I'm wanting to use those if I can.

In getting things lined up, I intentionally didn't put the lower 13mm head bolt into the lower part of the steering knuckle...this is allowing the spline coming out of the rack to move up and down in and out of the knuckle as I try both sets of holes...(well, that's what she said? Whoops? Did I say that?

) ...at any rate, my plan is once I determine which set to use I will then tighten down the 13mm bolt in the knuckle to secure everything in place.

From what I can tell, the knuckle bind is occurring when the spline coming out of the rack is pushed too far up into the knuckle. This is happening when I use the set of holes closer to the sway bar. When I use the holes closer to the oil pan...no binding...but it's not fitting right...for some reason I can only get one subframe bolt in and the other I'd really have to work at it or dremmel out a bigger hole or something that makes me feel like I'm trying to fit a square peg into a round hole which could be disasterous down the road.

I have done some research on the swap and did find some comments about that big compression nut inside the cabin and that it helps to shorten the steering column to relieve binding. I have tried numerous times on several occassions and just cannot get that damn nut to budge...my only thought if I have to loosen this nut is to take the whole steering shaft out and take it into a mechanic to loosen....if possible, would like to avoid that.

At any rate, it's been several hours of fiddling now with frustration so I thought I'd throw a couple questions out there about it.

Just curious...is everyone using the set of holes closer to the oil pan or the sway bar?

Also, any tricks on how to loosen that damn compression nut (I thought I read somewhere that it was "reverse threaded" so I've tried going both ways but it's just not going anywhere.

Lastly, there is a 13mm head bolt on the upper end of the steering knuckle...if I take that out, can the steering knuckle be moved up closer to the firewall? I thought that may be another way to shorten the steering shaft in lieu of the compression nut issue.

Thanks so much for any insight you can provide.

Jay

romeomike · « **Reply #6 on:** June 30, 2011, 10:44:11 AM »

I can only speak to the column compression nut, and I haven't had a chance to test this on a suitable salvage yard car. I bought a 32mm crowsfoot wrench. Add in suitable extensions and a half-inch breaker bar and that should give you the necessary leverage.

The steering rack is the last stop on my front suspension refresh/upgrade campaign, as I've put in Bilstein HD strut inserts, Lemfoerder control arms, and E30 M3 offset control arm bushings. This combination cleaned up the front end clunks as well as rattling coming from the steering column at speeds above 60.

We'll be following your project with interest.

Good luck with it and adios for now,

RM

rob_e30 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 01, 2011, 08:00:50 AM »

Did you modify the steering knuckle? If you modify the steering knuckle you don't have the change anything else. The rack bolts up in the stock location and you don't have to work on the steering column at all. Basically you have to grind down parts of the knuckle to eliminate the binding.

Colo318IS · « **Reply #8 on:** July 01, 2011, 03:06:38 PM »

Ah! No I didn't modify the steering knuckle at all...I think from the research I came across, I didn't think that was something I had to do. Good to know.

So what I actually ended up doing was using the bolts out closer to the oil pan and taking a dremmel to widen the pax side a couple mm. It at my mechanic's right now for alignment and checking everything over. I may end up coming back to this and modifying the knuckle.

Thanks so much for both your insight....the car's been down for a couple months so I'm getting really excited to get it back out rattle and clunk free.

Colo318IS · « **Reply #9 on:** July 10, 2011, 11:13:26 PM »

Finally got the car done...OMG, what an improvement...so worth doing...I also replaced the control arms, bushings-M3 offsets, new sway bar bushings and end link bushings, new engind mounts and tie rods....sooooo much tighter and more solid....thanks so much for your help!