E46 Steering Rack

[DanThe]

14mm supply and 16mm return on the rack

[jmc330i]

What about the coupling between rack and column? When I fitted my E36 rack all those years ago, I mated an E30 and E36 uj, but now I'm seeing mention of E34 ones. What's needed exactly?

Cheers

[ross2009]

i used 2 e34 steering ujs and a splined bar which i made my self but id already done this mod so i could get my 3 inch down pipe down my bulk head
pretty convient for the new rackswap

[Karan]

14mm supply and 16mm return on the rack

Cheeeaaars

[charlE30]

E30 coupling works fine with the E46 rack and as Ross I used the front holes with no real difference in the feel of the steering - I did have to clear a boat anchor manifold though
If your on a budget you can manipulate the E30 hoses with a litlle heat and graft, personnaly if I were to do it again I'd use some of Dan's hoses.

If you do a search for E36/46 rack upgrades there are some brilliant articles on here and some state you need the original E46 oil cooler pipe for the rack, I ran mine without and never had any issues what so ever. If you do a lot of track work it may be of benifit.

E46 rack is a brilliant upgrade on any E30 and it looks like the prices have come down massivly since I did mine all those years ago. £45 BIN for 3 turns lock to lock.. nice

[jmc330i]

Front mounting holes were for the non-pas racks apparently.

So, the splines are the same between E30 and E46 racks? There's no need to make a custom column to rack coupling with the E46 rack? I know the E36 splines were different to the E30s.

[redcar]

Splines are the same between E30 and E46 racks.

Front mounting holes for non-pas, the distance between the two holes on the front mounting points are 1mm wider than the distance between the holes for the rear mounting points.

[Driftben]

is there any reason why you cant have high pressure flexi hoses all the way to the rack instead of hardlines?
im just trying to fit mine round a M60

[DanThe]

Hard lines are a lot thinner and more reliable than flexi, they dont move with varying pressures either

[Driftben]

i see, so it looks like im going to have to spend abit of time buggering about with the hardlines
when does the modding end haha

[ross2009]

i see, so it looks like im going to have to spend abit of time buggering about with the hardlines
when does the modding end haha

Well I bent all mine pretty easy just take ya time and don't rush it that's when things brake

[Driftben]

did you make a jig up to bend the pipes ross? i take abit of heat and patients helps alot

[ross2009]

No mate just sat and took my time looked at it for a while bent a bit put it bk bent it abit more and yeah a bit of heat helps a lot
I think mine look like there ment to be I'm happy with it

[Driftben]

oh right, well it sounds like a goer tomorrow then. iv got alot to bend round with the M60 in too
hmmmm sounds like more cut knuckles then

[TobagoBlueBM]

hi everyone

this is a very helpfull thread! ive just got out the garage from changeing over the e30 tie and tracks to the e46 rack.

im still a bit skeptical about the cooling loop on the rack, does anyone have any photos of how theyve done it? my car aint in consant use so would i have a problem if i didnt fit it? tommorow i was going to go down the hydralic and get some hoses made but if i can bend the old ones with a bit of heat il have my dinner and give that a go.

my cars a 318i so would i have a problem putting them in the back holes? but by the sounds of it i can use the front holes with no problems. and what size spacers do i need, is it 14mm

any help would be appreciated

cheers craig

[ross2009]

cooling loop ?????
don't understand what part you mean
the spacers should be more 13mm

[Jozi]

The "clubsport" racks came with a oil cooler thats fitted inline on the return feed. I'm using one but I haven't looked into where I'll be fitting it.

[TobagoBlueBM]

i thought i read somwhere that on the return pipe they have a little extra pipe running along the rack and back to aid cooling?? must have got i wrong

[ross2009]

The "clubsport" racks came with a oil cooler thats fitted inline on the return feed. I'm using one but I haven't looked into where I'll be fitting it.

o right I see I didnt know that

[redcar]

It's a loop, not an radiator type thing.

All the e46s have the coil/loop fitted in front of the rad, in line between the return off the rack and to the reservoir.

[Jozi]

Yeah should have said it's really just a piece of pipe, not some fancy cooler or rad, just some pipe that loops back on itself

[e301988325i]

Yeah should have said it's really just a piece of pipe, not some fancy cooler or rad, just some pipe that loops back on itself

Thanks you've saved me the hassle.

I'm getting bored of saying this, you need to fit this or another of similar type (audi ones have cooling fins) cooling loop in the return line to avoid your PAS (ATF Dexron II) fluid overheating.

The result of overheating is virtually seized steering. I'm not talking about loss of assistance akin to a manual rack, I'm talking about seizure, I've had it, it's dangerous. It took 3 flushes to cure the issue.

We're modifying the steering of our vehicles there is a known problem & cure with this particular swap. Fit a f*cking cooler before you kill yourself and/or someone else.

[ross2009]

i understand that it cools the fluid of these racks so why dont say for instance the standard e30 pas have one ?

[mwggriffiths]

I'm getting bored of saying this, you need to fit this or another of similar type (audi ones have cooling fins) cooling loop in the return line to avoid your PAS (ATF Dexron II) fluid overheating.

You're talking to people who measure racks in lock to lock and fit them to the front holes instead of the rears....

[DanThe]

Thanks you've saved me the hassle.

I'm getting bored of saying this, you need to fit this or another of similar type (audi ones have cooling fins) cooling loop in the return line to avoid your PAS (ATF Dexron II) fluid overheating.

The result of overheating is virtually seized steering. I'm not talking about loss of assistance akin to a manual rack, I'm talking about seizure, I've had it, it's dangerous. It took 3 flushes to cure the issue.

We're modifying the steering of our vehicles there is a known problem & cure with this particular swap. Fit a f*cking cooler before you kill yourself and/or someone else.

Now hang on a minute, you may have had a problem, TBH yours is the only swap ive ever heard about having a problem! I know a lot of local track cars that dont use any form of cooler loops, most are E36's that are heavier than E30's so you would expect to see overheating more in that case, even cars that are regularly running in racing events, I have no coolers on my cars either.
For all we know it could have been something else that caused your issue, maybe your rack has been messed with as they can be adjusted as you know.
Im not trying to be an arse im just stating the fact that your car is the only one to have reported a problem, out of hundreds with a similar rack swap. So stating it as "a known problem" is a little over the top

[Jhonno]

Thanks you've saved me the hassle.

I'm getting bored of saying this, you need to fit this or another of similar type (audi ones have cooling fins) cooling loop in the return line to avoid your PAS (ATF Dexron II) fluid overheating.

The result of overheating is virtually seized steering. I'm not talking about loss of assistance akin to a manual rack, I'm talking about seizure, I've had it, it's dangerous. It took 3 flushes to cure the issue.

We're modifying the steering of our vehicles there is a known problem & cure with this particular swap. Fit a f*cking cooler before you kill yourself and/or someone else.

Now hang on a minute, you may have had a problem, TBH yours is the only swap ive ever heard about having a problem! I know a lot of local track cars that dont use any form of cooler loops, most are E36's that are heavier than E30's so you would expect to see overheating more in that case, even cars that are regularly running in racing events, I have no coolers on my cars either.
For all we know it could have been something else that caused your issue, maybe your rack has been messed with as they can be adjusted as you know.
Im not trying to be an arse im just stating the fact that your car is the only one to have reported a problem, out of hundreds with a similar rack swap. So stating it as "a known problem" is a little over the top

Never had an issue with mine either...

[TobagoBlueBM]

I've put the rack on mine but the standard e30 coupling is rubbing on the exhaust
Have I got to mate up two e34 couplings to make it fit?

[Jhonno]

I've put the rack on mine but the standard e30 coupling is rubbing on the exhaust
Have I got to mate up two e34 couplings to make it fit?

It needs 2x e34 couplings and one of DanThe's shafts.. Or E30 upper, E36 lower with a spacer.

[TobagoBlueBM]

Err this is doing my nut in now!! Think I'm just going to put a standard in back on for the time being!
Jhonno do you have any photos of yours? How hard is it to modify them? And do you know how much the shaft is off
Danthe? I wana use the e46 rack tho and can't be arsed to change it over again