Replaced Steering Rack

[twinpop171]

Well just as the title says I did the DIY last Saturday afternoon.  The job was really not as difficult as I thought it may be.  I'm lucky because I have access to a lift and it made the job WAY easier.  The hardest part of the job was removing the outer tie rods from the old rack.  In hind sight I probably should have replaced them but they were still nice and tight.

It is so nice not to have the embarassing trail of ATF following my car with the subsequent puddle under it.

BIG thanks to Sheepdog for recommending http://www.discountsteering.com
$215 with free shipping for a remanufactured ZF long rack with a 36 month warranty.

If anyone is apprehensive about changing one, don't be.  It really wasn't that hard but an extra set of hands is kind of necessary at times.
Dan.

[dude8383]

Dude! You should have spent that money on a used e36 rack...preferably from a 96-99 car...

The difference between the e36 rack and the e30 rack is literally NIGHT and DAY!

Either way, a steering rack in good shape is better than one that is constantly leaking!

[sheepdog]

Well just as the title says I did the DIY last Saturday afternoon.  The job was really not as difficult as I thought it may be.  I'm lucky because I have access to a lift and it made the job WAY easier.  The hardest part of the job was removing the outer tie rods from the old rack.  In hind sight I probably should have replaced them but they were still nice and tight.

It is so nice not to have the embarassing trail of ATF following my car with the subsequent puddle under it.

BIG thanks to Sheepdog for recommending http://www.discountsteering.com
$215 with free shipping for a remanufactured ZF long rack with a 36 month warranty.

If anyone is apprehensive about changing one, don't be.  It really wasn't that hard but an extra set of hands is kind of necessary at times.
Dan.

Good job.
Hard to beat their price.

[BrandC]

Too bad the 1995 M3 rack is listed as the same as other E36's...I'd imagine they'd give me a non-3.0 turn-to-turn rack.

[tjts1]

Good job.
Hard to beat their price.

Manual steering? I don't see the point of PS on this car unless you're using hugely wide tires.

[sheepdog]

Manual steering? I don't see the point of PS on this car unless you're using hugely wide tires.

In some states, like mine, if it has power steering it must be hooked up and full of fluid to pass a safety check or you cannot drive.

To remove the power steering you have to remove all traces of it. I was fine without it, state said I had to hook it all back up.

Still $200 to fix it is not bad.

[twinpop171]

Dude! You should have spent that money on a used e36 rack...preferably from a 96-99 car...

The difference between the e36 rack and the e30 rack is literally NIGHT and DAY!

Either way, a steering rack in good shape is better than one that is constantly leaking!

I considered an e36 rack after reading your FS post last month.  I know that minimal mods can make it work but I was unsure of what they were.  If I ever decide to track the m42 then maybe I'll look into the e36 M3 rack.  It does sound intriguing though.
Dan.

[tjts1]

In some states, like mine, if it has power steering it must be hooked up and full of fluid to pass a safety check or you cannot drive.

To remove the power steering you have to remove all traces of it. I was fine without it, state said I had to hook it all back up.

Still $200 to fix it is not bad.

That sounds like a stupid law. In California its emissions only. The smog nazis couldn't care less if your car is totally unsafe to drive. No inspection whatsoever.

[dude8383]

I considered an e36 rack after reading your FS post last month.  I know that minimal mods can make it work but I was unsure of what they were.  If I ever decide to track the m42 then maybe I'll look into the e36 M3 rack.  It does sound intriguing though.
Dan.

Actually, mine fit without any modification whatsoever.

I would most certainly consider it for track use and daily use...you'll be kicking yourself in the head later!

Either I didn't get an e36 rack until I dropped $400 on a stocker which died anyway :rolleyes:

[sheepdog]

That sounds like a stupid law. In California its emissions only. The smog nazis couldn't care less if your car is totally unsafe to drive. No inspection whatsoever.

Not as stupid as you think.
California does not get snow fall across the state. Plus they have enough problems with crap cars on the roads here, and some of the worst drivers in the country.New Year and St. Patrick's day in St. Louis is like driving in a 3rd world country.

Stupid as it is, I would much rather do this than go back to dealing with California emissions again, I can drop any engine in that I want. I drove mostly pre-smog cars while I lived in Cali.

[bmwman91]

Actually, mine fit without any modification whatsoever.

I would most certainly consider it for track use and daily use...you'll be kicking yourself in the head later!

Either I didn't get an e36 rack until I dropped $400 on a stocker which died anyway :rolleyes:

The end seals on one side of my rack blew out recently, and I have been driving without the PS belt (just rebuilt the damn pump, too).  I really want to look into the E36 M3 rack.  You say that NO modifications are needed?

I thought you had to bend some tabs 90 degrees and replace part of the steering shaft / bushing / something?  I no longer have any airbag nonsense on the car, so whatever I heard about not being able to use it with the E36 M3 rack does not matter there.

Are you running with PS currently, and if so does it all hook up easily to the stock M42 pump?  Any pics of your install?  Thanks!

[gearheadE30]

There are mods needed. The tabs that need to be bent are the two black ones that bolt to the bottom of the existing rack. They need to be bent so that you can get the old one out and the new one in. The lower link also has to be replaced with a lengthened one, and Zionsville autosport among others have these. Also, you will need a new high-pressure hose with the correnct fittings and angles, although I have heard that it isn't difficult to modify the existing one. Having the airbag doesn't matter; airbag cars had differently-angled steering shafts and firewall holes, so I think it takes a bit of work. This is one of the reasons I haven't done this yet.

BTW what makes the 1995 m3 rack so special? Is it different than other e36 m3 racks?

[dude8383]

The end seals on one side of my rack blew out recently, and I have been driving without the PS belt (just rebuilt the damn pump, too).  I really want to look into the E36 M3 rack.  You say that NO modifications are needed?

I thought you had to bend some tabs 90 degrees and replace part of the steering shaft / bushing / something?  I no longer have any airbag nonsense on the car, so whatever I heard about not being able to use it with the E36 M3 rack does not matter there.

Are you running with PS currently, and if so does it all hook up easily to the stock M42 pump?  Any pics of your install?  Thanks!

I'll get some pics for you once its stops raining!

The tabs that hold the rack have to be bent in order for you to remove it. Spacers need to fitted so that the E36 can go in there with no play.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=66247&highlight=DIY+e36+steering+rack

You'll find every answer there.

There are mods needed. The tabs that need to be bent are the two black ones that bolt to the bottom of the existing rack. They need to be bent so that you can get the old one out and the new one in. The lower link also has to be replaced with a lengthened one, and Zionsville autosport among others have these. Also, you will need a new high-pressure hose with the correnct fittings and angles, although I have heard that it isn't difficult to modify the existing one. Having the airbag doesn't matter; airbag cars had differently-angled steering shafts and firewall holes, so I think it takes a bit of work. This is one of the reasons I haven't done this yet.

BTW what makes the 1995 m3 rack so special? Is it different than other e36 m3 racks?

No high pressure lines need to added, all of that is nonsense.

You must bend the lines leading to the rack and thats pretty much it.

I'll try to get some pics of my setup.

[bmwman91]

Hmm, it says something about having to modify the firewall on ABS cars...I might have to pass on this.

[jpod999]

http://www.rmeuropean.com/bmw-steering-rack.html

Bottom half of the page.