Steering

Want to go round a corner? Then you're going to need some Steering.

Overview

Every E30 came with a Rack & Pinion steering configuration, which is a simple configuration found in most cars. The pinion gear sits on the end of the steering column/shaft which has the steering wheel at the other end. As you turn the steering wheel, the pinion gear then turns which moves the rack laterally, causing the track rods to push or pull the wheels, allowing the car to turn.

Simply put, the rack and pinion does two things; it converts the rotational motion of the steering wheel into the linear motion needed to turn the wheels, and it provides a gear reduction making it easier to turn the wheels.

The E30 came with either Power Assisted Steering or non-Power Assisted Steering. PAS uses a hydraulic pump powered by a pulley driven via a belt attached to the crank pulley. This fluid drives a piston built into the rack to make it easier to turn the pinion gear.

Components

Rack

Simple overview of Rack & Pinion Steering

As mentioned earlier, there is a PAS and non-PAS rack available for the E30. Both forms are generally very reliable.

Tie Rods

The tie rod is what connects the rack to the wheel hub. At the rack end the tie rod simply screws into the output shafts of the rack, and is then joined to the hub via a balljoint. The tie rod itself can be split in two leaving you with the outer part commonly known as the track rod end. The amount this is wound back into the tie rod is what affects the front wheel alignment.

Steering Wheel

Main article: Steering Wheels

Common Problems

Vague Steering

Obviously with age and regular use the the rack mechanism can wear and introduce play to the steering, this can be seen by there being a delay from turning the steering wheel to the front wheels steering. However a more common issue for this feeling is the rubber guibo in the steering linkage having broken up, meaning there is play in the linkage. You can either replace the rubber guibo with an OEM part or make a custom solid spacer.

Maintenance

The steering system is relatively simple on an E30, and as such the main requirements are to keep the rack in good condition and topped up with fluids. Changing the fluid regularly will keep the rack clean, but you must also pay attention to the tie rod ends.

Upgrades

Faster Rack

While the steering of an E30 is a charm of feedback-response, neither too heavy or too light, many of the more spirited drivers find the standard rack too long, in the sense that it takes too many turns from one full lock to the other. Fitting a faster rack from a BMW Z3 is a common and simple upgrade, but for those looking for bigger increases, fitting a rack from an E36 M3 can bring dramatic improvements.